Wabash received one first-place vote and 68 total points in the 2024 North Coast Athletic Conference football coaches preseason poll released Thursday.
The Little Giants, 7-3 overall last season with a 6-2 record in NCAC games, tied for second in the final conference standings. DePauw University, the 2023 NCAC champion, picked up four first-place votes from the coaches and 77 points to top the 2024 preseason poll. Wittenberg and Denison both received one first-place vote. Wittenberg ranked third in the poll with 64 points, followed by Denison in fourth with 59 points. Ohio Wesleyan (49 points), Wooster (34 points), Kenyon (26 points), Hiram (16 points) and Oberlin (15 points) rounded out the conference preseason predictions.
Wabash brings back nine defensive and four offensive starters from last year’s squad. First Team All-NCAC junior tackle Quinn Sholar and Second Team All-NCAC selections Cameron Ford (offensive line), Jake Pasch (outside linebacker), Gavin Ruppert (inside linebacker) and Steven Thomas (defensive lineman) are among the players back for the start of the new season.
The Little Giants open the 2024 campaign against St. Norbert College at home at 1 p.m. Sept. 7. Wabash plays Ohio Wesleyan at home at 2 p.m. Sept. 14 to start the NCAC portion of the schedule.
