Marietta College picked to finish seventh at OAC Football Media Day

Aug. 2, 2006
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Marietta College football team, under the direction of first-year head coach Curt Wiese, was selected to finish seventh overall in the 2006 media and coaches polls Wednesday (August 2) at the annual Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) football media day at the Quest Conference Center in Columbus, Ohio.

The Pioneers finished 5-5 overall, 4-5 in the OAC, to place sixth in League play last year. Marietta will return 34 letterwinners and 13 seniors for the 2006 season when players report for preseason practice August 9.

Reigning National Champion Mount Union, who has won 14 straight OAC regular season titles, was selected atop the Coaches Poll with 81 points and nine first-place votes. Capital was second with 71 points and the other first-place vote. Ohio Northern (66 points), John Carroll (53 points) and Otterbein (52 points) rounded out the top five teams, while Marietta (31 points) finished seventh in the poll.

The Purple Raiders (358 points) also were picked to finish first in the Media Poll. 36 members of the Ohio media attended the luncheon, the most ever in attendance at the annual event. Capital (318 points), Ohio Northern (288 points), Otterbein (237 points) and John Carroll (222 points) were selected to finished second through fifth, respectively, with Marietta (130 points) coming in seventh.

The Pioneers will complete the home and away series at non-conference foe Emory & Henry (Va.) to open the season on Sept. 2 at 1 p.m. The second annual River City Bowl is set for Don Drumm Stadium and OAC opener against Baldwin-Wallace on Sept. 16. A full evening of fun is being planned for an Alumni Day crowd.