Titans Ranked 18th In D3football.com Preseason Poll

D3football.com has ranked UW-Oshkosh 18th in its 2014 preseason rankings.

Defending national champion UW-Whitewater received all 25 first-place votes in the poll. The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (Texas) is ranked second, along with the University of Mount Union (Ohio) third, Linfield College (Ore.) fourth and Wesley College (Del.) fifth. UW-Platteville ranks eighth, while UW-Oshkosh gives the WIAC three teams in the top 18.

The Titans (8-2) finished 11th in the national rankings last season and fourth (13-1) in 2012. UW-Oshkosh has gone 28-6 over the past three years for the best run in program history.

On the offensive side, the Titans bring back All-WIAC receiver Zach Kasuboski and tight end Joe Sommers. Kasuboski has totaled 2,046 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns the last two years. In 2013, Sommers caught 19 passes for 362 yards and one score.

UW-Oshkosh returns five starters on defense, including All-WIAC lineman Cody Huemmer. Huemmer counted nine sacks last year, while linebacker Reese Dziedzic led the team with 75 tackles.

Kicker Nate Ray returns for his senior season. Ray led the league with a punting average of 39.9 yards during 2013. He ranks third in school history with 19 field goals and sixth with 160 points.

UW-Oshkosh opens the season at home against Robert Morris University (Ill.) on Sept. 6. The schedule also features road contests at NCAA Division I South Dakota State University on Sept. 20, UW-Whitewater on Oct. 25 and UW-Platteville on Nov. 15.

UW-Oshkosh was ranked 22nd in the Lindy's Sports Top 25. That magazine named Ray as its All-NCAA Division III second team punter.