CC Release

LANCASTER, Pa. – The Ursinus College football team was picked fifth in the Centennial Conference preseason poll.

The Bears trailed third-place Susquehanna by just six points in a tight survey of the conference's head coaches and sports information directors. Ten-time defending champion Johns Hopkins topped the projections with 16 first-place votes and 160 total points, while runner-up Muhlenberg earned the four remaining first-place votes and 144 points. Susquehanna was third with 117 points, followed closely by Franklin & Marshall (114) and Ursinus (111). Dickinson was sixth (81), succeeded by Moravian (66), McDaniel (45), Gettysburg (34), and Juniata (27).

With six all-conference performers back alongside a talented crop of underclassmen, Ursinus is raring to prove itself again after an 8-3 campaign that culminated in a record-setting 70-14 rout of Misericordia in the program's Centennial/MAC Bowl Series debut.

Senior quarterback Thomas Garlick is back at the controls of the offense for the fourth and final time. Already the program's all-time leader in completions (487) and yards (6,199), Garlick needs 10 more touchdowns to break Frank Vecchio's career mark of 43. He'll have plenty of support from an offensive line that returns second team all-conference star James Marinelli at center and a prolific ground game headlined by junior Samuel Ragland, who was a first team All-CC performer following a meteoric campaign in which he led the league in rushing yards per game (86.7) and ranked second in touchdowns (18).

Seniors Zach Gravelle (25 catches, 380 yards) and Jared Johns-Lupold highlight the returning crop of receivers, with classmate Matt Gallagher moving to tight end for the first time.

The Bears figure to be a force on the defensive side of the ball, with returning senior all-conference stars Mitchell Bradford and Jack Spingler patrolling the secondary. A dangerous ball hawk, Bradford topped the CC with five interceptions a year ago, while Spingler racked up 40 tackles (3.5 for loss) and recovered a fumble from his safety spot. Junior Danny Freeman and sophomore Mike Reilly return to their starting roles in the defensive backfield, where sophomore Shane Jones is expected to play a large role.

Senior Jacob McCain, fresh off a 112-tackle season, anchors a formidable linebacking corps that also includes returning starters Brett Capobianco and viper Marcus Weathers. Senior Nick Vandevere, junior Darren Sipf, and sophomore Anthony Reginelli highlight a deep and versatile defensive line.

Ursinus kicks off the 2019 campaign at home against Bethany (W.V.) on September 7, with Centennial Conference action getting underway the following week at Gettysburg.

2019 Centennial Conference Football Preseason Poll