Marietta College picked to finish sixth and seventh at OAC Football Media Day

Aug. 8, 2007
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) football season will not officially get underway until Sept. 15, but the 10 OAC schools gathered at the Quest Conference Center Wednesday (Aug. 8) morning for its annual media day.

The highlight of the event is a chance to hear from each of the head coaches as well as a student-athlete representing the 10 schools. In addition, the 2007 OAC coaches and media polls were announced where Marietta College was picked sixth and seventh, respectively.

The Pioneers finished 6-4 overall, 5-4 in the OAC, to place in a tie for fourth in the Conference last year. Marietta will return 29 letterwinners and 13 starters for the 2007 season when players report for preseason practice on Saturday (Aug. 11).

Reigning National Champion Mount Union, who has won 15 straight OAC regular season titles, was selected atop the coaches poll with 81 points and nine first-place votes. Capital was second with 66 points and the other first-place vote. Ohio Northern (61 points), John Carroll (60 points) and Baldwin-Wallace (55 points) rounded out the top five teams, while Marietta (40 points) finished sixth in the poll.

The Purple Raiders (360 points) also were picked to finish first in the media poll. 36 members of the Ohio media attended the luncheon, tying it for the most ever in attendance at the annual event. Ohio Northern (296 points), Capital (273 points), Baldwin-Wallace (257 points) and John Carroll (233 points) were selected to finished second through fifth, respectively, with Marietta (168 points) picked seventh.

The Pioneers will put their seven game win streak in season openers on the line Sept. 1 when they visit Collegeville, Minnesota, for a match-up with national power St. John's. Marietta's home opener is slated for Sept. 22 against Otterbein.