The Presidents’ Athletic Conference is poised for its most expansive season yet, welcoming a record 12 football programs that promise fresh storylines and heightened competition.
Record Expansion and Returning Powerhouses
Among the newcomers, Saint Francis University has completed its transition from Division I to NCAA Division III, bringing with it a veteran coaching mind in Chris Villareal, a former NFL All‑Pro guard who spent 11 seasons in the league before taking the helm of the program.
Washington & Jefferson (W&J), the perennial powerhouse of the league, enters the campaign as the clear favorite, having captured 37 first‑place votes and 497 points in the preseason poll, a testament to its ambition of securing a third straight PAC championship and a shot at a national title.
The Presidents’ Athletic Conference has enjoyed a strong postseason pedigree, posting an 11‑5 record in playoff games since 2018, underscoring the depth and resilience of its member institutions.
This year’s coaching carousel features five first‑year mentors, including Villareal at Saint Francis, Tom Contenta at Geneva, David Blake at Bethany, Larry Wilson at Waynesburg, and E.J. White at Westminster, each hoping to imprint their vision on the league’s evolving landscape.
Saint Francis, still feeling the aftereffects of its two‑year postseason ineligibility, returns just 13 scholarship‑eligible players from a roster that once numbered 118, a stark reminder of the challenges inherent in rebuilding at the Division III level.
Meanwhile, W&J will rely on nine returning starters who honed their craft in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League, among them standouts Andrew Sharp from Baldwin and Joey DeSabato from Shaler, who will anchor both sides of the ball.
The preseason rankings reflect this competitive balance, with W&J sitting atop the poll, followed closely by Grove City, Westminster, Case Western Reserve, and Geneva, setting the stage for a tightly contested schedule.
As the season unfolds, the blend of seasoned contenders, emerging programs, and innovative coaching strategies promises to deliver a PAC campaign that could reshape the narrative of Division III football across the region.