NEW WILMINGTON, Pa. - The Westminster College football team, under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Scott Benzel, seeks its third-straight winning season. The Titans capped the 2016 season with its second-straight Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) James Lynah Bowl Championship, following a 33-6 win over Utica College.
 
"Every year is a different year," Benzel said. "Regardless of what transpired in the past and how much talent you think you have, how a team blends together and who steps up to become leaders determines how far your football team will go. A key for us that has me excited is that we have more depth this year than we've had since I've been here. However, I believe we have one of the toughest schedules, not just in the Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) but in the country.  If we can stay healthy and improve each week we have a chance to be competing for a conference championship."  
 
Since taking over the program in 2014, Benzel has compiled a 21-11 record for a .656 winning percentage, the fourth-best percentage among Titan coaches with at least three years as the head coach in Westminster history. College Football Hall of Famers Joe Fusco (.814) and Harold E. Burry (.794) and Titan Sports Hall of Famer B. Eugene Nicholson (.714) are the only ones in front of Benzel.
 
The 2017 schedule consists of three road games against PAC teams that have been nationally ranked in this year's preseason polls; Thomas More (Sept. 30), Washington & Jefferson (Oct. 21), and Case Western Reserve (Nov. 4). The Titans also play Wittenberg, who has also been ranked in the preseason, for the first time ever in their season opener at home on Sept. 2. Wittenberg, who won its 14th North Coast Athletic Conference Championship last year, topped Thomas More in the opening round of the 2016 National Collegiate Athletic Association Playoffs.
 
The 2017 edition of the Westminster team, who received votes in the opening 2017 D3football.com preseason Top 25, returns 19 starters (eight on offense, seven on defense, and four on special teams) and 59 lettermen. The 2017 team will be the largest squad in Westminster football history as 138 players, including 60+ freshmen, reported for pre-season training camp.
 
The Titan offense is headlined by senior running back Dominique McKinley (Greensburg, PA / Greensburg-Salem), senior wide receiver Jametrius Bentley (Lake Worth, FL / Park Vista Community), senior offensive guard Colin Reese (Beaver, PA / Beaver Area), and junior wide receiver Bryson Paulinellie (DuBois, PA / Dubois Area). Each earned All-PAC honors in 2016. Senior quarterback Paul Columbo (Boca Raton, FL / West Boca Raton), junior tight end Anthony Livoti (Altoona, PA / Bishop Guilfoyle), sophomore offensive tackle Brady Hogue (Sharpsville, PA / Sharpsville), and sophomore fullback Thomas Romano (New Castle, PA / Mohawk) round out the returning starters on offense. Additionally, senior Jaevon Hardy (Waldorf, MD / North Point), who became the first track Titan All-American at the 2017 NCAA Championships, led the Titans with four receiving touchdowns in 2016.
 
Seven starters on defense return in 2017, led by senior linebacker CJ Armstrong (Lake Worth, FL / Park Vista) and senior corner back Todd Jeter (Monroeville, PA / Gateway). Both earned All-PAC First Team honors in 2016. Jeter has also earned multiple 2017 preseason honors: HERO Sports Division III Football All-America, D3football.com's All-America, and Lindy's Sports All-Division III Second Teams. The Titans' other returning starters on defense are senior defensive end Bobby Noble (Murrysville, PA / Greensburg Central Catholic) (All-PAC Second Team), junior linebacker Miguel Luis (Hollywood, FL / Mater Academy) (All-PAC Honorable Mention), senior defensive tackle Tyler Beatrice (Monaca, PA / Central Valley), junior corner back Marvin Liberiste (Naples, FL / Lely), and sophomore defensive end Austin Chin (Boca Raton, FL / West Boca Raton).
 
Westminster's top returners from a season ago, Bentley on kickoffs and Paulinellie on punts, come back in 2016. Paulinellie led the league last year averaging 14.6 yards per punt return, to go along with a conference-best two punt returns for a touchdown. Bentley was one of only two players in the PAC with a kickoff return for a touchdown. Paulinellie is currently first in Titan history in career punt return average (15.28), while Bentley is second in career kickoff return average (26.9). Senior punter Joseph Salmen (New Castle, PA / Union Area), who earned All-PAC Honorable Mention in 2016, is back after punting for the first time in his career last season. Sophomore long snapper Hunter Burns (Tarentum, PA / Deer Lakes) also returns.
 
The Titans were picked to finish fourth in the 2017 PAC Preseason Football Coaches' Poll; Westminster received 271 points with one first-place vote.
 
Westminster opens its 2017 season on Saturday, September 2 with a home game against No. 16 Wittenberg University. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.