LATROBE, Pa. (Aug. 4) – For the 19th consecutive season and 20th overall, Saint Vincent College hosted the annual Presidents' Athletic Conference Football Media Day.
 
The 12 PAC football-playing institutions were each represented by their head coach and one student-athlete at the event, held in the Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion on the SVC campus. Other attendees in the crowd of more than 100 included media members along with athletic directors and sports information personnel from the PAC institutions.
 
Saint Vincent head coach Casey Goff was joined by rising senior wide receiver Chris Downs.
 
"We want to win some football games (this year)," Casey Goff said as his expectations for year two of being the Head Coach at Saint Vincent. "I think last year we knew that we were going to have some struggles, so we focused more on things that were based on culture, things we were doing in the classroom, and the way we were operating as a football team. I know the record (from last season) doesn't indicate it, but we made a lot of head way in terms of what we want our culture to be."

"Now, it's a matter of putting forth wins (this year)," Goff explained. "We want to flip where we were in the conference rankings and we want to make sure we are more competitive on a week-to-week basis."
 
Last season, Downs was one of the top receivers not only in the PAC, but in the entire country. He ranked in the top-five of each major offensive statistical category in the country during his junior season.
 
"Coach Goff coming in was a major blessing to our team and program," Downs said of his successful 2025 campaign. "Not just for me individually, but his leadership has given way to show what (our team) can really do. Coach Goff is able to bring out what (our team) doesn't think it is there and that was evident last season."
 
Downs is hoping and working hard to have an even better senior campaign for the Bearcats.

"It's not about the individual accolades for me, I'd rather see our team succeed this season," Downs said. "To get to where we want to be this season, it's important for more than just me to have the accolades and statistics, I want to be able to see my teammates have that same success that I did last year."

Prior to the on-stage interviews with the coaches and student-athletes, the event started with a brief welcome from PAC commissioner Joe Onderko and Saint Vincent College President Father Paul Taylor, which was followed by Ed Mailliard being honored posthumously as the 2026 recipient of the PAC's Dow Carnahan Media Award. Carnahan, who has been affiliated with Allegheny College and Gator athletics for more than 50 years. He's covered the Gators during both halves of their membership in the PAC, and provides an invaluable service as Allegheny's primary sports photographer, as well as covering on-campus events for the College's Marketing and Communications office. The award is presented annually to a distinguished member of the media or on-campus representative for their exceptional coverage and promotion of the PAC and its student-athletes and institutions.
 
PAC Media Day wrapped up with the release of the league's preseason poll, voted upon at the event by coaches, media members and sports information directors.
 
Defending PAC champion Washington and Jefferson, which advanced to the 2025 NCAA Division III Tournament, topped the poll with 497 total points and 37 of a possible 46 first-place votes. Following W&J was Grove City, who was picked second and Westminster rounding out the top three. Grove City received five first place votes, Westminster received three, and Bethany, who was picked 11th in the pool received one first place vote as well.
 
The Bearcats were tabbed eighth in the poll, with 201 points.
 
Saint Vincent will open the 2026 season on Saturday, Sept. 5, hosting Hilbert for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

2026 PAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL

Team	2025 Rec.	Pts. (1st place votes)
1.Washington & Jefferson	8-3	497 (37)
2. Grove City	8-3	453 (5)
3. Westminster	8-3	395 (3)
4. Case Western Reserve	4-5-1	361
5. Geneva	6-5	339
6. Allegheny	4-6	250
7. Waynesburg	4-6	222
8. Saint Vincent	2-8	201
9. Hiram	3-7	152
10. Thiel	1-9	87
11. Bethany	1-9	79 (1)
*Saint Francis	0-11 (Division I)	*Ineligible for PAC Championship as school transitions from Division I