The College of Wooster was a close second to Wabash College in the North Coast Athletic Conference preseason coaches' poll for football, announced the NCAC office on Wednesday.

Wooster collected three of the 10 first-place votes and 91 total points, just two shy of defending champ Wabash, which received six first-place nods and the 93 points. Wittenberg University picked up the remaining first-place vote and was not far behind in third with 84 points.

Allegheny College was slotted fourth by most as it accumulated 69 points, while Denison University (56) was also picked for a top-half finish. Rounding out the poll were Ohio Wesleyan University (46), Hiram College (30), Oberlin College (30), Earlham College (28), and Kenyon College (23).

The Fighting Scots, who haven't finished below fifth-place in the league since 1994, are expected to welcome 99 student-athletes, including 16 returning starters and 35 total letterwinners, to training camp, which begins Thursday, Aug. 13.

Wooster will officially open the season on Sept. 5, when Waynesburg University (5-5 in 2008) visits John P. Papp Stadium, which received lights and a new synthetic playing surface (Sprinturf) this summer, for a 1 p.m. kickoff. The NCAC's 26th season begins the following week.