ODAC Coaches Pick BC No. 1

ODACOnline.com - By Chris Kilcoyne

SALEM, VA – Five-time defending league champion Bridgewater College sits atop the 2006 Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Preseason Football Poll in a vote taken of the league’s seven head coaches.

2005 ODAC Coach of the Year Mike Clark and his squad received all seven first-place votes and a total of 49 points to take the top spot in the poll. The Eagles, who have reeled off 35 consecutive league wins, return 10 starters from a team that went 10-2 overall and 6-0 in the ODAC last season. BC earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the national quarterfinals.

The Eagles return a strong nucleolus on offense including running back Winston Young who ran for 902 yards and 10 touchdowns on his way to All-ODAC honors a season ago. Bridgewater averaged 37.7 points and 450.4 yards total offense during the 2005 season. The Eagles also rushed for 263.4 yards per game.

Washington and Lee earned 40 points to take the second slot in the poll. The Generals, who are coming off their most successful season in 20-years, garnered a 7-3 overall record and a 4-2 mark in the ODAC in 2005. A pair of Preseason First-Team All-Americans are back in the fold for head coach Frank Miriello. Junior wide out Jack Martin returns following a 2005 season in which he shattered the W&L record books when he caught 70 passes for a school-record 1,353 yards and a school-record 15 touchdowns. Running back Stuart Sitterson who was recognized as an All-American for his kick returns, will assume the role of the feature running back in Miriello’s offense this season.

Hampden-Sydney finished third in the poll with 33 total points. Marty Favret’s squad heads into the season looking to replace 2005 ODAC Offensive Player-of-the-Year quarterback J.D. Ricca, who led the Tigers to an 8-2 overall record, a 4-2 mark in the league and the top-rated offense (525.5 yards-per-game) in the nation last season. Eleven starters are back in the mix this season for Favret.

Guilford, who posted a 5-5 record a season ago and returns the 2005 ODAC Rookie-of-the-Year in quarterback Josh Vogelbach, landed in the fourth spot in the poll with 29 points followed by Randolph-Macon (23 points), Catholic (11 points) and Emory and Henry (11 points).

2006 ODAC Football Preseason Poll

Place Team Points (First-Place Votes)
1. Bridgewater 49 (7)
2. Washington and Lee 40
3. Hampden-Sydney 33
4. Guilford 29
5. Randolph-Macon 23
6. Catholic 11
6. Emory and Henry 11