ANNVILLE (PA) – The Delaware Valley University football team has been picked by the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) coaches to repeat as champions in the preseason poll that was announced by the conference office on Monday.
The Aggies received eight first-place votes and a total of 98 points in the poll. Stevenson University garnered a pair of first-place votes and were second with 88 points. Widener University had the remaining first-place tally and finished third in the poll with 79 points.
The entire 2018 MAC preseason coaches' poll is as follows:
1. Delaware Valley University (8) -- 98 points
2. Stevenson University (2) -- 88 points
3. Widener University (1) -- 79 points
4. Albright College -- 73 points
5. Lycoming College -- 64 points
6. Lebanon Valley College -- 59 points
7. King's College -- 48 points
8. FDU-Florham -- 30 points
9. Wilkes University -- 29 points
10. Misericordia University -- 25 points
11. Alvernia University -- 12 points
* Number in parentheses indicates first place votes
The Aggies went a perfect 10-0 in the regular season last year while winning its seventh MAC championship in the last 14 years. They made the NCAA Division III playoffs for the seventh time as well during that span and were the top seed in one of the brackets. They advanced to the quarterfinals thanks to wins over Western New England University and Husson University before falling on a last-second field goal to The College at Brockport and finishing with a 12-1 record.
Head coach
Duke Greco has nine starters back (five offense, two defense, two specialty) from the 2017 squad. DelVal, which is ranked 17
th in the country by
D3football.com, opens its 2018 campaign on Friday, August 31 (7 p.m.) when it travels to No. 9 Wesley College for a non-conference game.
MAC play begins on Saturday, September 15 (1 p.m.) when the Aggies host Wilkes University. DelVal has to travel to both Stevenson (September 29) and Widener (November 10) this season.
