LATROBE, Pa. (Aug. 6) -- Thiel College Head Football Coach Sam Bauman and junior defensive lineman
Alexander Mittner (New Brighton, Pa./New Brighton) represented the Tomcats at the annual Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) Football Media Day Wednesday from The Sis and Herman Dupré Science Pavilion on the campus of Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa.
Bauman, who is entering his fourth season at the helm of the program and has led the Blue and Gold to back-to-back three-win campaigns, emphasized the continued rise in the program and expectation to raise the bar.
"From where this program has been, three wins is good — but it's not the standard, and it's not the expectation," Bauman said.
Discussing Mittner as well as losses on the defensive line from last season, Bauman noted his expectations for the junior who will step into a leadership role on the defensive line in 2025.
"Mitt is definitely a guy who were counting on to carry the flag [of past leaders] and not let the standards drop," Bauman stated.
Mittner, who led Thiel in sacks (3.5) and was third on the Tomcats in tackles for loss (5.5), expressed his goals and views on the defensive unit for 2025.
"As long as I am able to elevate the play of the guys around me, there play will elevate and our play as a whole will go up with it," he said.
Senior linebacker
Jake Badger (Mercer, Pa./Mercer Area), junior defensive back
Matt Jordan (New Castle, Pa./Kennedy Catholic), senior running back
Deon Logan (Richmond, Va./James River), Mittner and junior wide receiver
Jayveerh White (Sharon, Pa./Sharon) were all named players to watch for the 2025 season.
The Tomcats, who were picked 10th-of-11 teams in last seasons Preseason Poll, were picked to finish seventh in 2025 with 167 points.
Washington and Jefferson was picked to win the conference with 17 first-place votes and 431 points. Grove City was picked second with 13 first-place marks and 413 points while Westminster came in third with 12 first-place tallies and 400 points.
Case Western Reserve (347 points) was picked fourth while Geneva (267) came in fifth with Waynesburg (260) slotting in at sixth. Thiel edged out Allegheny (158) for seventh while Saint Vincent (152), Bethany (117) and Hiram (60) rounded out the poll.
The Tomcats open the 2025 season under the lights at Alumni Stadium against Concordia (Wis.) on Friday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m.
