DOYLESTOWN (PA) – The Delaware Valley College football team, ranked 10th in Division III, will open up the 2010 campaign on Saturday night, September 4 when it travels to Muhlenberg College for a non-conference game. Kickoff at Scotty Wood Stadium is slated for 7:00 p.m.

The two schools, which are just 33 miles apart, will meet on the gridiron for the first time since 1972. Both squads return a high number of starters from last year (18 for Delaware Valley, 16 for Muhlenberg), but are coming off different results in 2009 and expectations in 2010. In '09, the Aggies went 10-2 overall, earned their second straight Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) championship thanks to a perfect 7-0 mark in league play, and reached the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. This year, they have been ranked nationally in every preseason publication, including 10th by the prestigious D3football.com, and were selected by the MAC coaches as the conference favorite.

Muhlenberg was on top of the Centennial Conference standings in both 2007 and 2008 including a second round appearance of its own in the '07 NCAA playoffs. However, a young Mules squad managed just a 3-7 overall record last season, including a 2-6 showing in the Centennial. They have been picked to finish sixth in the 10-team conference this year.

2009 MAC Coach of the Year Jim Clements will have a different quarterback under center as four-year starter and 2008 MAC Offensive Player of the Year Mike Isgro has graduated. However, Clements is very familiar with his new signal-caller as senior Mark Hatty (Philadelphia, PA/Neumann-Goretti) has been waiting in the wings and excelled when he had an opportunity last season. 

Isgro was injured in the second half of the Lycoming game last season and Hatty helped the Aggies secure a 21-7 victory. He got the starting nod the following week at King's and completed 16 of 22 passes for 276 yards and three touchdowns in a 47-21 rout. For the year, Hatty was 26-for-42 for 425 and three scores. 

Three-time all-conference tailback Matt Cook (Selinsgrove, PA/Selinsgrove) enters the 2010 season needing just 300 yards to break 2006 graduate Steve Cook's (no relation) all-time rushing record of 3,530 yards. Matt Cook already owns the career mark for rushing touchdowns with 30 while his 31 overall scores has him three shy of passing Steve Cook in that category as well. 

Last season, Matt Cook captured his second straight MAC rushing title as he lugged the ball 291 times for 1,312 yards and 10 touchdowns and also caught 22 passes for 214 yards and another trip to the end zone. He went over the 100-yard rushing mark six times, upping his career total to 16 in 33 contests. 

Cook will have a new fullback in front of him as senior Vincent Lochetto (Dauphin, PA/Bishop McDevitt) moves back to the position after a year at tight end. Lochetto caught 11 passes foe 142 yards and one score in '09.

A balanced group of wide receivers is led by senior Dan Heiland (Willow Grove, PA/Upper Moreland). Heiland is coming off a campaign that saw him grab 37 passes for a team-high 519 yards and two touchdowns. 

Junior wideout Isaiah Hall (Long Branch, NJ/Long Branch) is another player to watch on offense as his 2009 statistics included 12 catches for 235 yards, 38 rushes for 186 yards and five touchdowns, and a 15-yard touchdown pass. 

Leading the way for the Aggie offense will be a veteran line that features all five returning starters, including 2009 honorable mention All-American Mike Long (Philadelphia, PA/Roman Catholic). The 6-foot-3, 280-pound Long moved from right guard to left tackle last season and excelled at the new position. 

Fellow senior Mike Lewis (6-3, 290/Philadelphia, PA/Northeast) is coming off all-MAC first-team honors at right tackle while sophomore left guard John Lavelle (6-2, 278/ Philadelphia, PA/Father Judge) was the 2009 MAC co-Rookie of the Year. Seniors Jim McKay (6-0, 278/Willow Grove, PA/Willow Grove) and Sam Nosoff (6-0, 269/York, PA/York) return at center and right guard respectively. 

The Delaware Valley defense allowed an average of just 14.4 points and 299 yards per game to lead the MAC in both categories last season. Eight starters are back from the unit including All-American linebacker Kyle Gesswein (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown). 

Gesswein is coming off a season that saw him named the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, the D3football.com Defensive Player of the Year and a D3footall.com first team All-American. He posted 11 sacks to lead the MAC for the second straight year and upped his career total to a school-record 30. He also led the team and finished third in the conference in tackles with 98 (18 for losses of 93 yards) while adding four pass breakups, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception.

The Aggies' other three starting linebackers in their 3-4 system are back from last year in juniors Chris James (Philadelphia, PA/Northeast), Mike Jaskowski (Moorestown, NJ/Moorestown) and Ken Fowlkes (Voorhees, NJ/Eastern). James was an all-MAC second-team selection as he ranked eighth in the conference in tackles with 88 and also added one sack and one interception. Jaskowski had 75 tackles, four sacks and two interceptions a season ago while Fowlkes racked up 69 stops and two sacks. 

Senior Garrett Wooters (Oxford, PA/Oxford) heads an inexperienced defensive line. Wooteers' earned all-conference second-team honors last season as he finished second in the MAC with 7.5 sacks. He also notched 25 tackles and a fumble recovery. 

The secondary features junior safety Ryan McCullough (Cherry Hill, NJ/Northeast Catholic) as his first year as a starter resulted in all-MAC (first team) and D3football.com all-East Region (second team) accolades. He wrapped up the '09 calendar with 61 tackles, seven pass breakups, five interceptions (tied for third in the MAC), one sack and one forced fumble. 

Fellow safety Rob Eagles (Willow Grove, PA/Upper Moreland) is back for his senior season. He tied McCullough for the team lead and the third spot in the conference with five interceptions. Eagles also had 50 tackles on the year. 

Junior Troy Green (Ambler, PA/Wissahickon) is coming off his first year as a starter. The cornerback was 10th in the MAC in interceptions with four and also had 35 tackles to his credit. 

Delaware Valley has both of its booters back in sophomore placekicker Jake Sobchak (Whitehall, PA/Whitehall) and senior punter Corey Heard (Saylorsburg, PA/Penn Argyl). Sobchak was an all-MAC second-team pick last year as he was 5-for-6 in field goal attempts and 42-for-44 in extra-point tries for 57 points. Heard averaged 33.4 yards on 52 punts and placed 11 of them inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

MUHLENBERG COLLEGE

The Mules, under head coach Mike Donnelly, faced a formidable schedule in 2009 as six of their 10 opponents moved onto postseason play. It is not much easier for the squad in '10 as three of their first four opponents reached the NCAA playoffs in Delaware Valley (second round), Centennial Conference newcomer Susquehanna University (first round) and defending Centennial champion Johns Hopkins University (quarterfinalist). Two other conference foes (Franklin and Marshall College and Ursinus College) were in ECAC bowl games a season ago.

However, the 2010 edition has much more experience than that of a season ago. Proof is at quarterback as the Mules tried three different starters last year before rookie Dan Deighan switched from wide receiver for the final four contests. He was 48-for-95 for 505 yards and one touchdown and also rushed for 111 yards and a score.

Deighan has two of his top three receivers back from 2009 in junior tight end Steve Liparini and senior wide out Bobby Bushong. Liparini caught 28 passes for 216 yards and two trips to the end zone last year while Bushong had 11 grabs for 125 yards.

The backfield features sophomore Terrance Dandridge. Dandridge carried the ball 131 times for 505 yards and three scores, and he also caught 11 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown. Dandridge has veteran offensive line in front of him with four starters returning including seniors John Allen (6-1, 310) and Lou Greco (6-0, 264).

Muhlenberg's defense has traditionally been among the best in Division III and 2009 was no different as it allowed just 15.8 points and 256.7 yards per game. Seven starters are back including all four senior linebackers in the team's 3-4 system. Patrick McDonough was a first-team all-Centennial selection last year as he racked up 80 tackles and one sack.

Andy Curley was an all-Centennial honorable mention pick at linebacker last year as he notched with 59 tackles and six sacks. Scott Galvin was an all-conference player in 2008 and he finished the '09 campaign with 36 tackles and one interception. Scott Lisner is coming off a 28-tackle season. 

Juniors Chris Hartzell and Kevin Ryan return at cornerback and safety respectively after tying for the team lead in interceptions with three. Hartzell added 33 tackles while Ryan had 31. Senior Mark Accomando is back at his rover position where he notched 39 tackles and four pass breakups a season ago. 

The Mules have both their kicking specialists back in Michael Katz and Jason LoPipero. Katz, an all-Centennial second-team choice in 2008, nailed 10 of 15 field goal attempts and was 12-for-13 in extra-point attempts for 42 points. LoPipero earned second-team honors last season as he averaged 34.7 yards on 58 punts.