The W&J Presidents entered last Saturday’s game against case Western Reserve knowing that if they won out they would more than likely be heading back to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Those playoff hopes took a huge hit as the Presidents dropped their second game of the season in a 35-28 loss. Case Western (5-1, 6-0 PAC) quarterback Rob Cuda threw for a career-high five touchdowns in the upset of 15th-ranked W&J. Bryan Erb caught nine passes for a career-high 147 yards, including ... Read More
PAC Notebook: W&J’s Ryan Ruffing named PAC Offensive Player of the Week
Following a big win against Bethany on Saturday, W&J running back Ryan Ruffing was named the President’s Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week. Ruffing had 170 yards from scrimmage on 19 touches, rushing 17 times for 116 yards and three scores and catching two passes for 54 yards in Saturday’s 66-42 win over Bethany. The senior running back only played in the first half as W&J led 52-21 at the break. The 100-yard effort was the 14th time Ruffing has eclipsed the 100-yard ... Read More
W&J, Waynesburg, dominate 2014 All-PAC football selections
The Presidents Athletic Conference announced their all-conference teams this week and as expected quite a few local players dominated the list. Highlighted by six first-team selections, the Washington & Jefferson football team placed 18 players on the All-PAC football teams and head coach Mike Sirianni earned his third-consecutive Coach of the Year award. Sirianni holds a winning percentage of .815 in his 12th season as head coach. W&J wasn't the only successful team to get some ... Read More
Loss to Waynesburg costs W&J home playoff game
The W&J football team saw its dream of a perfect season end Saturday with a loss at Waynesburg, but that loss proved to be more damaging than simply just losing a game. It also means that the Presidents won’t be hosting a playoff game this week. The Division III playoff brackets were released Sunday night and as expected, the Presidents will have to take to the road. W&J (9-1, 7-1 PAC) drew Wittenberg (Ohio), as the two teams will open the tournament with a noon kickoff at ... Read More
W&J defense looks to keep making the big play
When you are a successful team that can throw points on the board in bunches like the Washington and Jefferson Presidents, sometimes you still need a defense that can force big plays. That’s been the staple for the Presidents during Mike Sirianni’s tenure. That’s also something that showed up in a big way last Saturday during W&J’s big win against Thomas More. While the Presidents’ offense lit up the scoreboard for over 50 points once again, they may not be sitting at 4-0 and ranked ... Read More
W&J wide receivers carrying on Presidents’ tradition
When the President’s Athletic Conference schedule was released this summer, everyone quickly circled the date October 4. That’s when W&J and Thomas More hooked up in their annual heavyweight bout. The Saints came in committed to taking away W&J running back Ryan Ruffing, playing eight men in the box almost the entire evening. That was just fine for the Presidents and quarterback Pete Coughlin. Coughlin set career highs with 383 yards and six touchdowns in No. 20 W&J's ... Read More
PAC Notebook: Waynesburg, W&J answer questions in Week 1 wins
The 2014 season is underway for teams in the Presidents' Athletic Conference and a pair of local teams answered some big questions they had heading into the season in impressive wins. - I will start with Waynesburg University, who began the season with a 33-0 win over Muskingum University. Everyone knows the Yellow Jackets will be able to throw the football, and quarterback Carter Hill got off to a good start with a 13-for-22 performance for 248 yards and two total touchdowns. But as good as ... Read More
2014 PAC Preseason Poll: Big things expected from W&J and Waynesburg
As the Presidents’ Athletic Conference prepares to usher in a pair of new programs for the 2014 football season, it could be status quo at the top of the conference this season. Thomas More was tabbed the league favorites for the fifth time since joining the conference, at the annual PAC Media day this week. However by the end of the year a couple local programs could have something to say about that as Washington & Jefferson and Waynesburg finished second and third respectively in the ... Read More