LATROBE, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College football team secured three first place votes and 378 overall points to finish third in the preseason poll at the 2024 Presidents' Athletic Conference Football Media Day in Latrobe on Tuesday afternoon.
PAC Release
The results of the league's preseason poll, voted on by PAC head coaches, sports information directors and members of the media, were announced following the annual season kickoff event, which was hosted by Saint Vincent College for a 17th-straight time.
W&J head football coach
Mike Sirianni and fifth-year linebacker
Justin Johns (Murrysville, Pa./Franklin Regional) represented the Presidents at the annual preseason event.
The Presidents enter the 2024 season with 40-consecutive winning seasons. That streak began in 1984, a season in which W&J made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division III Playoffs. However, W&J will move into the new season with goals and expectations to claim its first PAC title and get back to the NCAA Playoffs for the first time since 2018.
"What we did as a staff this past year was look at these guys (PAC Opponents) out here to see what the common denominator was, and it was just their toughness," stated Sirianni. "That's what we really focused on, that toughness and how we can get back to winning conference championships."
W&J will look to Johns as one of the cornerstones of the defensive side of the ball. The Murraysville, Pa. native was tabbed with Second-Team All-PAC honors following the Presidents' 2024 campaign. Coach Sirianni spoke on Johns leadership qualities as a tenured returner and his impact he has on the stout Presidents defense.
"He's more of a lead by example individual," said Sirianni when talking about Johns. "I'm excited for him to come back and really looking forward to seeing him have a great season."
Carnegie Mellon University was selected second with eight first place votes and 417 points, while Washington & Jefferson College was picked third with three first-place votes and 378 points. Coming in fourth was Case Western Reserve University with 335 points, followed by Westminster College with the final two first-place votes and 310 points, Allegheny College (219), Geneva College (192), Saint Vincent College (154), Waynesburg University (133), Thiel College (129) and Bethany College (61).
| 2024 PAC Football Preseason Poll (Predicted order of finish) |
| School |
Points (first place votes) |
2023 Record (PAC) |
| 1. Grove City |
444 (29) |
11-1 (10-1) |
| 2. Carnegie Mellon |
417 (8) |
10-1 (9-1) |
| 3. Washington & Jefferson |
378 (3) |
9-2 (8-2) |
| 4. Case Western Reserve |
335 |
7-3 (7-3) |
| 5. Westminster |
310 (2) |
6-4 (6-4) |
| 6. Allegheny |
219 |
3-7 (3-7) |
| 7. Geneva |
192 |
4-6 (4-6) |
| 8. Saint Vincent |
154 |
3-7 (3-7) |
| 9. Waynesburg |
133 |
2-8 (2-8) |
| 10. Thiel |
129 |
3-7 (3-7) |
| 11. Bethany |
61 |
0-10 (0-10) |
Washington & Jefferson – PAC Players to Watch
Name Yr. Pos. Hometown/High School
Zach Cernuto Sr. TE Scottdale, Pa./Southmoreland
Dawson Dietz Sr. DL Allison Park, Pa./Hampton
Avery Keith Sr. DL Hartville, Ohio/Lake
Jacob Pugh Sr. QB Jefferson Hills, Pa./Thomas Jefferson
John Peduzzi Jr. WR Hilton Head, S.C./Hilton Head Christian Academy
Zachai Simmons Sr. DB Hawthorne, N.J./Linsly (W.Va.)
