On the heels of an 8-2 season, OAC coaches and media are taking notice of Heidelberg University’s football team.
The Student Princes shared second place with Baldwin Wallace University in the preseason coaches’ poll. In the media poll, Heidelberg was pegged third. The polls were taken at the 2012 Ohio Athletic Conference Football Media Day, held at the Doubletree Hilton Hotel in Independence, Ohio.
Defending conference champion University of Mount Union topped both polls with nine first place votes by the OAC coaches and 30 first place votes from the media in attendance.
Heidelberg returns eight starters on both offense and defense including standout sophomore quarterback Mike Mees (North Ridgeville), sophomore running back Cartel Brooks (Kokomo Ind./Galion) and senior linebacker and 2011 Academic All-American Craig Sykes (Centerburg). Sykes accompanied sixth-year head coach Mike Hallett to OAC Media Day and represented Heidelberg football at the podium, delivering a short speech on the team’s ambitions for the 2012 season.
Following the 8-2 (7-2 OAC) finish last year, Hallett and the rest of the Heidelberg football team are anxious to begin practices on August 12th. With 16 starters returning and a young crop of freshmen arriving soon, Hallett believes that improving upon last year’s success depends on how well the team is prepared mentally, physically and how well the incoming students can learn how to do things the “Heidelberg way.”
The 2012 OAC Football Preview Show will be aired on SportsTime Ohio on August 22, 2012 at 10 p.m. and on August 24, 2012 at 3:30 p.m.
Heidelberg opens the 2012 season at Alma College on September 1.
2012 Coaches Poll (first place votes)
1. Mount Union – 81 (9)
T2. Baldwin Wallace – 66 (1)
T2. Heidelberg – 66
4. Ohio Northern – 54
5. Capital – 42
6. John Carroll – 41
7. Otterbein – 38
8. Muskingum – 28
9. Marietta – 24
10. Wilmington - 10
2012 Media Poll (first place votes)
1. Mount Union – 309 (30)
2. Baldwin Wallace – 250 (1)
3. Heidelberg – 236
4. Ohio Northern – 234
5. John Carroll – 172
6. Capital – 148
7. Otterbein - 143
8. Muskingum – 98
9. Marietta - 84
10. Wilmington – 31