Baldwin-Wallace
(6-4, 5-4 OAC in 2000)
The 2001 edition of the Baldwin-Wallace Yellow Jackets will seek to become much like the United States military. It will need to spend more on its defense!

The 2000 B-W defense lost eight of the 11 starters to graduation, including three first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference standouts. If it hopes to compete for one of the top two spots in the OAC and a possible NCAA Division III playoff berth, B-W must develop the ability to stop its opponent. The Yellow Jackets overall return 40 lettermen and 11 starters.

One the line is a streak of 34 straight winning seasons. The streak is the fourth longest in ALL of college football and third among Division III schools. Also, veteran, 21-year Head Coach Bob Packard can become the winningest Yellow Jacket caoch in football history. His 150 career wins and 150-50-2 career recrod is five wins shy of the legendary Lee Tressel (1957-80).

Scoring may not be a problem for B-W. Back is super sophomore quarterback Dan Larlham (105 completions in 197 attempts for 1,370 yards and nine TDs) at the controls. He is joined in the backfield by both 2000 fullbacks, juniors Brad Pulfer and Gerald Hazzard, and running backs, Kaili Hunt (207 carries for 844 yards and nine TDs) and junior Kyle Obendorf (96 carries for 443 and eight TDs in six games due to injury). Larlham also ran for 216 yards and seven TDs and overall accounted for 1,600 yards and 16 Tds. In addition, the backfield will be bolstered by a transfer, sophomore RB Mark Anders.

The receiving corps will be led by junior Dave LaBahn (13 catches for 207 yards and four TDs). He was a back up a year ago but is more than ready to make his mark in 2001. Also the backfield members of Hunt, Obendorf, Pulfer and Hazzard combined for 17 catches, and back up wingback Justin Athey had two grabs in 2000.

The line is anchored by All-OAC center Julius Holinek (6'2" and 265 pounds). Three other starters from 2000 return in senior guard Ryan Drvenkar (5'10", 276), senior tackle Jason Haney (6'3", 230) and sophomore Joe Harbour (6'2", 275). Competing for the other OT spot will be junior Carlos Rivera (63", 285) and sophomore Sean Baker (6'5", 240) and James Tatman (6'4", 275). Junior guard Matt Kish (5'11", 235) is also a returning Academic All-OAC player.

A battle to succeed graduated standout placekicker Brian Hegnauer will ensue in training camp, but look for sophomores Kory Kobrinski and Kevin Hille to be the top candidates. Kobrinski backed up Hegnauer a year ago and was 3-for-3 in PATs, and Hille took care of the kickoff duties a year ago. Senior backup wingback Brian Cliche will battle with others to succeed Hegnauer as the punter.

The early strong suit on defense should be the secondary. Seven lettermen who combined to make 117 tackles a year ago all return this fall. Senior Lee Gabriel (38 stops) led the way. Gabriel and seniors Jeff Gamby and Rich Bauman all have started. Also look for sophomores Tom DeLuca and Adam Johnson, seniors Jeff Hall and Brad Kidwell and junior Dave Riede to battle for playing time. This group will also produce the person who will return punts.

At linebacker, B-W graduated two of its all-time greats in outside linebacker Matt Caine and inside linebacker Todd Bacik. Overall, five of the top six were lost via graduation. Returning as the top linebacker in 2001 will be senior OLB Dave Schierbaum (46 tackles, including 10 for losses). In addition on the outside, look for seniors Pat Reilly and Mark Winchell and a host of others to all compete for the other starting spot and to battle for playing time at both OLB and on the special teams.

On the inside, seniors Brad Edwards (seven tackles), Chad Straube (13 tackles) and Jonathon Schmitz will look to make their presence felt after waiting their time to play. Also, juniors Craig Vavrock and Ray Maynard will also look for playing time at ILB and on the special squads. Look for freshmen Kenny Jones and Chet Marcin to make an impact at ILB.

On the line, B-W will get a boost when 1999 starter Jason DeGraff returns this fall after missing last year. He will join seniors Bryan Massinen (17 stops) and Dan Aranyosi (32 tackles and six sacks) as the top returnees. Also look for sophomore Rick Schontz, junior Rob Wittensoldner and senior Brad Jones to seek action at end and for sophomore Abe Bartunek and junior Brian Weber to make their presence felt at tackle.

Capital (3-7, 2-7 OAC in 2000)
Capital looks to make two moves in 2001. The first will be a return to campus to a new Bernlohr Stadium at The Capital Center, while the second is up the Ohio Athletic Conference standings with the return of 45 letterwinners and 19 starters.

Last season, the Crusaders ran out to their best start since 1970 with three wins before youth and inexperience caught up with them. Capital lost three games by seven points or less and in each game had the ball when the game ended. Even with a 3-7 record, the Crusaders broke five season records on offense, including a 30-year old record for points scored.

Ever since head coach Jim Collins arrived on campus five years ago and installed the spread offense, the quarterback has been the center of the Capital attack. Heading into this season two players sit squarely in that center as junior Danny Edghill and senior Dan Bartholomew are both vying for the spot.

Edghill started the first nine games of the season and threw for 1,758 yards and ran for 354 yards with a combined 15 touchdowns. Bartholomew played in seven games and came off the bench in week nine for 378 yards passing in a near upset of NCAA playoff participant Ohio Northern. His first start came a week later in the final game of the season against Wilmington and he passed for 306 yards in a losing effort. Each player brings something to the table, Edghill is a superb athlete who is a threat to run as well as pass, while Bartholomew is a solid pocket passer with great vision of the entire field.

Whichever quarterback comes onto the field will get to line up behind four returning offensive linemen. Seniors Matt Girard, Robert White, Jeff Woltz along with junior Sherm Sackett will anchor the offense and open holes for junior tailback Rayshaun Gales. Gales was the team's leading ground gainer a year ago with 655 yards and was the first Capital back in 13 games to rush for over 100 yards in game when he notched 148 against Heidelberg in week two. He also had 27 receptions for 341 yards and might see more passes this season as only one starting receiver returns in senior Dan Petersen. Petersen was the team's second leading pass catcher a year ago with 46 receptions for 661 yards and five touchdowns.

Collins' biggest recruit in the offseason could be one that never suits up as former Otterbein defensive coordinator Jim Bickel comes across town to lead the Crusaders' defense. A season ago Bickel was the architect of a Cardinal unit that was the OAC's No. 1 pass defense and No. 3 overall defense, not too bad in a league where five of its ten teams average more than 400 yards of total offense per game. Bickel takes over a defense that was second in the league in takeaways (32) and returns nine starters including a 14 tackles per game linebacker and the OAC's interception leader.

Few players in the OAC literally turned more heads than linebacker Ron Swearingin, who had a whopping 139 tackles, 23 for a loss and three interceptions as freshman last season. Fellow linebackers in junior Brandon Hooker and sophomore Chris Shaw also return and along with Swearingin the trio combined for 20 sacks in 2000.

Senior Casey Cox led the OAC with six interceptions last year and returns with junior Chris Miller and sophomore Justin Dranschak in the secondary. The three remaining defensive starters are all up front with junior ends Brian Park and Derek Vickroy along with sophomore defensive tackle Scott Mann.

Both kickers in junior punter Adam Hicks and junior placekicker Bo Comer return to handle special teams duties. Hicks had a pair of career-long 64-yard punts and landed nine of his 53 kicks inside the 20-yard line, while Comer hit 15 of 19 extra point attempts and kicked a pair of field goals a year ago.

The Crusaders new home, Bernlohr Stadium, is part of the $18.5 million Capital Center athletic complex. The stadium includes a state-of-the-art playing surface called AstroPlay, seating for 2,500 and a press box and hospitality suite. Capital will begin the season on the road at Thiel on Sept. 1, before opening its new home Sept. 15 in the OAC opener against Heidelberg.

Heidelberg (0-10, 0-9 OAC in 2000)
Heidelberg is looking to turn things around for the 2001 season.

After two seasons of marked improvement under fourth-year head coach Larry Shank, The 'Berg stumbled in 2000 in an injury filled season. The 'Berg will field a more mature and hopefully healthy team for the 2001 campaign. Kicking off the season on Sept. 8 at Wittenberg, The 'Berg will have 49 returning letterwinners and 17 starters on the field in Springfield.

Leading the charge is senior corner back Pete Gordon, a two-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference first-team performer and All-American return specialist.
Gordon anchors a secondary that returns three starters, with Mike Cole returning on the other corner. David Novak returns at free safety.

Andy Brown, the 2000 defensive MVP, returns at outside linebacker. Brown will be leading a unit that should be among the best in the conference at attacking the football.

Offensively, The 'Berg will be led by junior offensive guard Mike Mandeville. He has started the past 16 games, the longest active streak on the offensive unit. Offensive MVP D.J. Leslie, James Stetka and Chad Intihar will lead the wide receiving corps.

Kelly Rapp returns as the starter at tailback, while Gary Tope will challenge after recovering from an injury last season.

Quarterback is The 'Berg's biggest question mark with five different players taking snaps during the 2000 season and three of them returning. Sophomore Frank Mastroianni returns after appearing in five games last season.

John Carroll (7-3, 6-3 OAC in 2000)
It was an unusually active offseason for the John Carroll University football team. On one front, several coaches departed to join former Blue Streak offensive coordinator Joe Perella on his staff at Case Reserve.

Also, plans were announced to build a brand-new football facility, Don Shula Stadium, on the site of the existing one.

With the turnover in the coaching ranks and the temporary shift in playing site, John Carroll head coach Regis Scafe can count his blessings that he has a veteran team to handle the changes.

John Carroll has posted identical 7-3 campaigns in Scafe's first two years as the Blue Streaks' mentor. The quarterback who helped the team to those winnings marks returns for his junior year. Tom Arth, who already has 4,891 yards passing in his career, threw 31 touchdown passes against just four interceptions last season.

Despite the loss of Larry Holmes, Arth has a number of outstanding receivers to throw to. Second-team all-conference receiver Jeff Lerner (42 catches, 470 yards six TD) leads the corps that also includes senior John Clark (31 catches, 559 yards, 3 TD) and junior Adam Therrien (30 catches, 398 yards, 6 TD).

Also figuring in the mix is senior Josh Trapuzzano, who averaged a team-high 24.3 yards per catch in 2000, and redshirt junior Antoine Dunklin.

Although not a starter, senior tight end Charles Holmes was a valuable asset last year, as four of his seven catches were for touchdowns.Sophomore Rob Pratus is also a solid tight end for the Blue Streaks.

In the backfield, senior Jason Parker (34 carries, 139 yards, 1 TD) is the most experienced ballcarrier. Sophomore Ryan DeGeorge (31 carries, 113 yards) could be ready for a breakout year. Senior Nate Ross was a solid fullback last season.

All-conference guard Ryan Bringger and two-year starting guard Tim Bellettiere lead a cast of four returning senior starters on the offensive line. Also back are tackle Richard Johnson and center Matt Sobey. Junior center Tom Ianni is another player on the line with starting experience, while senior Mark Jochum and junior Matt Payne are also letterwinning linemen. The major task for the coaches will be to find a replacement for tackle Bryan Fialkowski.

One of the areas hit hardest by graduation was the defensive line. Only senior defensive tackle Eric Urdzik (54 tackles, 12 for losses of 32 yards) is back from the starting unit. Look for seniors Frank Percaciante, Nick Soeder and Erik Warren, along with sophomore Joe Indriolo, to be among those battling for the starting nods.

Senior Tom Kaufman is the only returning starter among the linebackers. He will patrol the middle, while senior George Sample and junior Brian Brooke — each of whom started some games during the 2000 campaign — are the leading candidates to start outside. Senior Scott Parker, who scored a defensive touchdown and caused a safety last season, and special teams standout Chris Cubero have proven to be playmakers amongst the linebacker crew.

The defensive backfield is loaded with four starters. The three regular starters from the 2000 season are senior free safety Mike Mystic, senior strong safety Matt Mileskiewicz and junior cornerback Greg Dochod.

Also returning is senior cornerback Perry Kraft, a two-year letterwinner who started the first game against Catholic before suffering a season-ending injury the next week in practice.

Seniors Dustin Crofoot and Mickey Kostelnik along with juniors Liam Stull and Ben Wasson give JCU tremendous depth at these positions.

Special teams certainly took a hit, as four-year letterwinners Josh Schneider (punter) and David Vitatoe (placekicker) have graduated. Senior Josh Hose handled kickoff duties last year, and will be a leading candidate for the kicker’s job. The punting job will be fought for in training camp by a number of candidates.

Senior Jeff Lerner, an all-conference return specialist, will handle a majority of the kick return responsibilities, while senior John Clark will continue on as the punt returner.

"We lost three games by 18 points last year in arguably the toughest league in the country," said Scafe. "We were a relatively green team in some spots last year, so to be able to compete as well as we did each and every week was very encouraging. With what we have back, talent is not a question.

"For us, it is now going to be a question of desire and execution. If we possess the desire, and we are successful with our execution, then we can go places."

Marietta (3-7, 2-7 OAC in 2000)
Not many teams would remain optimistic year after year when they know they will be facing the defending national champions, along with other top 25 teams. Head Coach Gene Epley and his players, however, remain positive about the 2001 season. After all, what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger.

Last season’s 3-7 finish was no indication of the amount of talent Epley had on his squad. There were three games that could have gone either way, but unfortunately for the Pioneers, it did not go their way. If those three games had been wins, Marietta would have been 6-4 and expectations would be different going into 2001.

"We can’t dwell on those losses," said Epley. "Of course it hurt to lose those close games, especially to Muskingum. I’m hoping our returning players remember what they felt after those games and use that this year."

The Pioneers only have five seniors returning and a handful of other returnees, including five offensive starters and five defensive starters. The biggest shoes to fill will be those of All-OAC running back Kenneth Sasu, which will be no easy task.

"Our seniors will be the key to this squad’s success," said Epley. " They’ve worked extremely hard in the off-season, and I just hope that they will reap the rewards of all their hard work."

Epley will be looking to his recruiting class to reload on both the offense and defense. He does return All-OAC honorable mention offensive lineman Josh Veigel and All-OAC honorable mention safety Scott Affolter. In addition to Veigel, senior Aron Herring returns on the offensive line, as well as junior Brad Forshey and sophomore Jeff Edens. On defense, senior Tyson Disbennett and Affolter should lead the way.

"We are expecting our younger players to step in and fill the shoes of some very talented players," said Epley. "If that happens our season should unfold like I expect it."

Returning quarterback Shawn Taylor will be the spark for Marietta’s offense. After having shared duties in 1999, Taylor took over full-time as the Pioneers’ field general in 2000. He was 162 of 298 for a total of 1,788 yards passing and 19 touchdowns. Taylor’s main targets at wide receiver will be juniors Michael Hess and Joe Tomei. Hess had 19 catches for 214 yards, while Tomei had six catches for a total of 75 yards in just three games last season.
Marietta lost All-OAC tight end Jay McCloy, but junior Brian Sheehan, who had nine catches for 79 yards and three touchdowns, seems ready to step in and fill the position.

"Our biggest question on offense will be our running game," said Epley. "For the past eight years we’ve had great running backs in both Dante Brown and Kenny Sasu. Now we just need another one to come through our program."

Affolter, who was second on the team in 2000 with 67 tackles, including 51 solo, will be the Pioneers’ defensive key in 2001.Disbennett (25 tackles, 15 solo) returns at linebacker and will be expected to be a defensive leader. At defensive back, junior Gerald Jones returns after recording 20 tackles (13 solo) in just eight games last season. Sophomore Dan Furbee also returns to the Pioneer defense after seeing action in nine games as a freshman. The coaching staff is expecting him to improve his numbers and be a force on defense in 2001.

There are many questions that must be answered before the 2001 season gets underway, and Epley and his coaching staff are hoping that many answers will come during preseason camp.

"No one has a set spot on this team, not even the seniors," said Epley. "Every player is going to have to work hard and earn their spots. There should be a lot of battling going on in the preseason. I just hope that our players push themselves as well as each other."

Senior Shawn Taylor returns at quarterback for Marietta. Taylor started all 10 games last season and had much success. He was 162 of 298 passing for a total of 1,788 yards and 19 touchdowns. He currently holds four Marietta records, including the single season individual records for pass completions and touchdown passes.

Backing Taylor up will be sophomores Nathan White and Eric Reed. Both gained experience on the junior varsity squad in 2000 and should see some playing time this season.

The Pioneers have always been strong at tailback, but the coaching staff find themselves with a big hole to fill with the loss of Sasu. Junior Nathen Sellers however, returns to the field for the Big Blue and is expected to be the go-to guy on offense.

Beyond Sellers, the coaching staff will be looking to freshmen Jarrod Barber and Brian Shafer to contribute some quality playing time on offense.

Another position that is up in the air for the Pioneers is fullback. Sophomore Richard Campbell is making the switch from defense to offense and will most likely start at fullback. Battling Campbell for the position will also be sophomore Dan Metts and freshman Mark Meili.

One position the Pioneers will be strong at is tight end. Junior Brian Sheehan returns and will replace All-OAC selection Jay McCloy. Sheehan played in all 10 games last season and had a total of nine catches for 79 yards and three touchdowns. Freshman Darren Lott will also be battling for playing time at tight end.

Probably the strongest positions on offense this year as far as experience goes will be flanker and split end. Junior Michael Hess returns as the Pioneers’ top receiver, having caught 19 passes for 214 yards in 2000. Due to a shoulder injury, Hess was sidelined for five games last season, so the coaching staff is eager to have him back in the lineup.

Battling Hess at flanker will be junior Joe Tomei. Tomei saw limited action in 2000, playing in only three games for the Big Blue. He had six receptions for a total of 75 yards. His experience will be a great asset this season.

Sophomore Brian Haines will lead the Pioneers at split end. He played in four games as a freshman and had eight catches for 83 yards and one touchdown. His speed and athletic ability will be a threat for Marietta on offense.

The offensive line will be filled with experienced players this season. Three starters return to the line for Marietta. Seniors Aron Herring and Josh Veigel will start at center and left tackle respectively. Veigel was an All-OAC honorable mention selection in 2000 and is expected to repeat with post season honors this season. Junior Brad Forshey, who gained plenty of experience as a starter last season, will start at right guard. Forshey is also expected to be in the running for postseason honors.

Sophomore Jeff Edens saw limited action as a freshman, but is expected to start at left guard for the Big Blue. Freshman Justin Culbertson is being thrown in the mix immediately and will battle junior Michael Abraitis for the starting right tackle position.

Junior Eric Rayko and sophomore Ryan Crock will be the only two returning lettermen at defensive end. Rayko saw limited action in 2000, but will start at right end, while Crock will start at left end. Junior Joe Swislocki will start at left tackle and sophomore Kevin Bates, who moves over from the offensive line, will start at right tackle.

A combination of freshmen and sophomores, including Kyle Phillips, Anthony Urban, Ryan Beardsley and Tanner Lahmer will also battle for playing time at the defensive end positions.

Marietta loses Phil Davis, who was an All-OAC selection at linebacker in 2000. Senior Tyson Disbennett and sophomore Dan Furbee will lead the defense in the middle. Disbennett had 25 tackles including 15 solo hits last season and has improved his strength tremendously. Furbee made an immediate impact in the Pioneer lineup in 2000 and saw action in nine games as a freshman. He recorded 18 tackles and 10 solo hits last season.

Sophomore Jason Shaw will round out the defensive line. Shaw was forced to sit out last season due to a broken ankle. His toughness and physical play will help the Pioneer defense in 2001.

Senior Scott Affolter, who was second on the team in 2000 with 83 tackles, including 51 solo hits, returns at strong safety. He was an All-OAC honorable mention selection and should earn post season honors again this year. The two cornerback positions will be filled by junior Gerald Jones and freshman Justin Dixon. Jones saw action in eight games last year and recorded 20 tackles and 13 solo hits.

Sophomore Josh McFadden will most likely start at free safety. He played in six games as a freshman and had 13 solo tackles and 10 assists. He is a smart player and will look to make things happen for the Pioneers on defense.
Again the coaching staff will rely on a combination of sophomores and freshmen to backup the defensive backfield. Sophomores Tim Wilson and Joe Rucker, and freshmen Chris Sidick and Brandon Kindell will all fight for playing time.

Hess and Affolter shared some of the punting duties in 2000, and it would not be surprising to see the two do the same this year. Hess averaged 35.8 yards per punt and had a long of 56 yards versus Mount Union. Affolter averaged 39.8 yards on nine punts, and he was also 5-for-7 in extra points. In addition, Affolter averaged 13.6 yards on seven kick returns and led the team in punt returns with 31 yards on six returns.

Josh McFadden returned five kicks for a total of 107 yards last season and may be used as a kick returner in 2001.

The Pioneers have two freshmen at kicker in Bobby Lemasters and Nick Caley. The coaching staff is hoping that they will be able to contribute right away.

Mount Union (14-0, 9-0 OAC in 2000)
Mount Union, the defending and five-time Division III national champion (1993, '96, '97, '98 and 2000), will return four offensive and six defensive starters in 2001.

The Purple Raiders, who led Division III in total offense (530.0 ypg) and scoring (49.1 ppg) for the second consecutive year in 2000, will be paced by the backfield combination of senior Chuck Moore (263 att./1,647 yds/6.3 ypc/27 TD) and junior Dan Pugh (185 att/985 yds/5.3 ypc/16 TD).

Last season, Moore set a Division III record by scoring in 25 consecutive regular season games, dating back to the middle of the 1998 campaign. He also became the College's all-time leader in scoring (318 pts) and touchdowns (53).

Senior center Ed Malone (6-2/286), who started all 14 games, and senior wide receiver Jason Candle (16 rec/16.2 ypc/2 TD), who missed a good deal of the 2000 season due to an injury, round out the returning offensive starters for the Purple & White.

Other returners on offense who saw significant playing time last fall, include: junior running backs Vince Ilacqua (23 att/176 yds/7.7 ypc/2 TD) and Dustin Blake (85 att/346 yds/4.1 ypc/1 TD), senior wide receiver Jason Richards (9 rec/20.3 ypc) and sophomore tackle Larry Kinnard (6-6, 290). Junior Rob Adamson (42-for-54/.778/668 yds/5 TD/0 INT in his career) will likely handle the quarterbacking chores in 2001, with sophomore Jesse Burghardt (2-for-2, 22 yds in his career) in the mix.

"We will definitely have some new faces playing key roles on offense this coming season," noted Raider head coach Larry Kehres (164-17-3), who enters his 16th year at the helm of Mount Union's football fortunes. "We lost a number of outstanding players to graduation. That will give others, who have been waiting in the wings, the opportunity to show what they can do. Those players that show the ability to make plays on a consistent basis will play."

The Raiders, who led the Ohio Athletic Conference in total defense (272.8 ypg) and fewest points allowed (14.1 ppg) last fall, will be led up front by junior end Matt Campbell (56 hits/7 tfl), an Honorable Mention All-OAC pick in 2000, senior end Todd Braden (52 hits/7 tfl), senior end Chris Eberhardt (35 hits/5 tfl/1 sack), a Second Team All-OAC selection last fall and junior tackle Jeff Knoblauch (50 hits/13 tfl/7 sacks).

Senior outside linebacker Jason Perkins (78 hits/15 tfl), an Honorable-Mention All-OAC selection last fall and the team's top returning tackler, returns. Senior outside linebacker Stan Watson (25 hits), who earned Second Team All-OAC status for his special teams play last fall, will also be back.

Two starting defensive backs return — junior cornerback Chris Kern (63 hits/18 pbu/6 INTs) and junior/free safety Mike Miller (58 hits/14 pbu). Senior/strong safety Alex Grinch (32 hits/3 INTs/12 pbu) and junior free safety Matt Sotcan (27 hits/2 INTs/7 pbu), who saw significant playing time in 2000, will push for starting roles this coming fall.

Other key returners on defense include: senior tackle Rocky Coniglio (32 hits/8 tfl/3.5 sacks), senior outside linebacker Ryan Haynes (42 hits), junior defensive back Justin Burton (30 hits) and sophomore inside linebacker Shaun Spisak (27 hits).

"We have more experience returning on the defensive side of the ball," said Kehres. "We changed some of our basic schemes (in 2000). We got better and better over the course of the season and played our best defensive game when it counted most — in the National Championship game (10-7 win against St. John's). Hopefully, our defense can pick up where it left off last season."

Mount Union will once again rely heavily on senior Rodney Chenos (11 of 14 FGs/81 of 87 PATs), a Second Team All-OAC pick, to handle the kicking chores. Chenos (36.5 ypp) had 14 punts land inside the 20-yard line in 2000.

"We spend a great deal of time and attention in practice on special teams," added Kehres. "It's very difficult to win, especially big games, without having good special teams."

The Purple Raiders, who have 68 wins in their last 69 games played, enter the 2001 season having won 64 consecutive regular season games and nine OAC crowns in a row ('92-'00).

"Our primary goal every season is to win our conference," said Kehres. "The OAC is extremely competitive from top to bottom. Our players understand the need to respect and prepare properly for each opponent we face during the regular season. That formula has allowed us to maintain a certain level of consistency through the years and earn the right to play in the postseason. If we stay relatively healthy, put in the necessary work and have some of our young players step up, we should be very competitive once again in '01."

Muskingum (4-6, 3-6 OAC in 2000)
Muskingum is looking to build on the positive momentum it generated in the 2000 season. In 2000, the Fighting Muskies took significant steps forward.