LATROBE, Pa. – The back-to-back reigning Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) champions Westminster College football team was picked to finish first in the PAC for the 2022 season.
 
The league's preseason poll, as voted on by PAC head coaches, sports information directors, and media panel in attendance, was announced this afternoon at the PAC Football Media Day, hosted by Saint Vincent.
 
Westminster collected 19 first-place votes and totaled 366 points to headline the poll.
 
"I think it is a cumulative effect," said ninth-year head coach Scott Benzel when asked what it was going to take to win the PAC for the third-straight season. "When we first started this process nine years ago, it has been a lot of hard work, a lot of support, a lot of guys have bought in and really helped us get to where we needed to be in terms of the program and our expectations. As far as trying to do it for a third-straight time, we have to get better. Everyone in this room is going to do the same. For us, not to be complacent and take an honest assessment where we are at as a team and where we think we need to get to. We were by no means perfect a year ago, we certainly identified some of the areas that we think we need to get better at. I believe in our group, I believe in the guys that are coming back, and I believe in the coaches that we have and the support that we have. I know it is not going to be easy. Our main goal is just to get better."
 
Joining Benzel at PAC Media Day was All-PAC senior offensive lineman Gabriel Cleveland (Cumming, GA / South Forsyth).
 
"Playing my final season of football with this group of seniors I can came in with, this is a really special group," said Cleveland. "We have been through a lot the past four years. All the relationships I have made at Westminster, through the juniors and sophomore, there is no other way I want to send out my last career season at Westminster."
 
Joining Cleveland on the PAC Players to Watch list were senior defensive end Brayden Thimons (Natrona Heights, PA / Highlands), linebacker Ian Barr (State College, PA / State College Area), safety Bryce Thomas (Saint Marys, GA / Camden County), kicker Joshua Byers (Pittsburgh, PA / Canon McMillan), and quarterback Cole Konieczka (Coraopolis, PA / Moon Area).
 
The Titans, who received national votes in the 2022 D3football.com preseason Top 25, open the season on Saturday, September 3 at Delaware Valley. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m.