Senior defensive tackle Lance Phillips leads an experienced defense into the 2009 season.

Springfield, Ohio — The Wittenberg University football program finished third in the 26th annual North Coast Athletic Conference coaches' poll, announced today by the league office.

The Tigers, who have not finished lower than fourth in the final conference standings since joining the NCAC in 1989, return 21 starters from a 2008 squad that finished 6-4 overall and 4-3 in the conference, good for a share of third place in the final league standings. First-place Wabash (93 points) leads third-place Wittenberg (84) by only nine points, while second-place Wooster stands just behind the Little Giants with 91. Four different teams have claimed conference titles since 2001, with Wittenberg, Wabash and Wooster all earning first-place votes in the polls this year. The Tigers, who boast the best winning percentage in NCAC history and the most wins in NCAA Division III history, earned one first-place vote. Click here to view complete polls.

Wittenberg is 114-29 (.797) during the 13-year tenure of Head Coach Joe Fincham, who has led the Tigers to six league titles and a 78-14 (.848) conference record over that span. Wittenberg returns 47 letterwinners from last year's squad, including a host of all-conference standouts. Among them are wide receiver Patrick Williams, class of 2010 from Plainfield, Ind., who broke the school record for receptions in a season in 2007 and stands just 33 catches from the team's career record, linebacker Brad McKinley, class of 2011 from Hilliard, Ohio, the 2007 NCAC Newcomer of the Year and 2008 team Most Valuable Player, defensive tackle Lance Phillips, class of 2010 from Wellston, Ohio, an NCAC first-team selection in both 2007 and 2008, and linebacker Kyle Lohrman, class of 2010 from Loveland, Ohio, a 2008 first team honoree with 92 tackles to his credit on the season. Returning from an injury that ended his 2008 season after just two games is starting quarterback Aaron Huffman, class of 2010 from Newark, Ohio, who earned second-team all-conference honors in 2007.

Wittenberg opens the 2009 season with a return trip to Olivet College in Michigan after the Comets helped open the 2008 season in Springfield. The two teams are scheduled for a 6 p.m. kick-off on Saturday, Sept. 5, at the Cutler Athletic Complex in Olivet, Mich.

Related Links: Wittenberg Football Home Page North Coast Athletic Conference