On Media Day at Lycoming College, we talked to Andy Marino, offensive team captain.  Andy is from Feasterville, PA and went to Neshaminy High School.  Andy will anchon the offensive line and will be charged with leading the offense this season after being the only underclass captain on the team in 2007.  Head Coach Mike Clark notes that Marino should enter the season as one of the top offensive lineman in the conference and will vie for All-MAC Honors at the end of th season.

Pat Taylor will join Andy Marino in anchoring a veteran offensive line that will start four seniors in 2008.  Taylor is one of two offensive players returning this year that garnered All-Conference accolades in 2007.  He picked up second team honors and joined by the team's leading rusher in Josh Kleinfelter.  Taylor will look to carry his success from the 2007 season into this year and will vie for first team All-MAC honors down the stretch.

Pat is from Philadelphia, PA (Father Judge) and is one of two offensive captains.

Lycoming College will start their season September 6, 2008 as they travel to Ithaca, NY playing in a 1:00pm start.

Lycoming College is headed by first year coach Mike Clark, a native of Ridley Park, PA.  Clark is a graduate of Lycoming College.  During a press interview, Mike said, “I am excited to return to Lycoming Football and its rich tradition, and I plan to continue the success established by Coach Frank Girardi and the staff.”  Coach Clark is in his 14th year of coaching.

Chris Tribanas sat out the 2007 season with an injury, but returns in good health to lead the defensive line, one of the staples of Lycoming Football.  Tribanas came to Lycoming after transferring from Division II Mansfield University.

Chris is from Lansdale, PA (North Penn) and is a defensive lineman.  We talked to Chris during Lycoming’s Media day on August 15, 2008.

Lycoming College will start their opening season September 6, 2008 as they travel to Ithaca, NY playing in a 1:00pm start.

Lycoming College is headed by first year coach Mike Clark, a native of Ridley Park, PA.  Clark is a graduate of Lycoming College.  During a press interview, Mike said, “I am excited to return to Lycoming Football and its rich tradition, and I plan to continue the success established by Coach Frank Girardi and the staff.”  Coach Clark is in his 14th year of coaching.

Defensive Coach Steve Wiser enters his 35th season patrolling the sidelines for the Wariors.  Wiser has become a legend within the Lycoming community after excelling as a student-athlete and then bringing his winning ways to his coaching philosophy.

On of the strongest traditions in Lycoming football centers around a stifling defense.  Wiser, who will serve as the assistand head coach and defensive, has been the field boss of the warrior defensive unit throughout his tenure at the college.

Wiser has led the Warriors to the No. 1 national ranking in total defense in 1975 and 1983.  He has also posted national numbers in rushing defense in 1976, 1982 and 1987.

In his time at the College, the Warriors have posted a record of 257-97-5 while garnering 13 MAC titles and 11 NCAA playoff appearances, including two trips to the national title game.  His defense has ranked first in the MAC 15 seasons and has posted a total of 64 shoutouts.

Lycoming College held their annual media day as the 2008 Football Team under Head Coach Mike Clark dressed for photographs.  Coach Clark is in his first season as hed football coach at Lycoming.  He played and coached under former head coach Frank Girardi and was named head coach on January 16, 2008.

Since 2000, Clark served as the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Division 1 FCS (formerly IAA) Davison College in North Carolina.  In 2006, Clark oversaw an offense that averaged 383.6 yards per game, which ranked 13th in the nation.  Under his instruction, the Wildcats offensive line allowed only 19 sacks during a two-season span in which they attempted 774 passes.

Before coaching at Davidson, Clark was the offensive line coach at Lycoming from 1998 to May 2000.  During that time, the Warriors made the NCAA playoffs two times.

Today, Coach Clark talks about the work done during the off season, the freshman class, quarterback prospects, and the 2008 schedule.

Welcome to WOL's new podcasts for 2008.  We plan to cover Lycoming Foodball under new head Coach Mike Clark.  Also, we plan to have audio files from the 62nd Little League World Series held in South Williamsport, PA. 

There are 16 Little League teams, eight from International Countries and eight from the United States.  The Little League championship will be held August 24th.

Lycoming will hold a media day at David Person Field at 10:00am on Friday, August 15th.  WOL will be there.

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa.— Frank Girardi, one of the nation's most successful college football coaches, has announced his retirement as Lycoming College's head football coach. During his 36 seasons as the Warriors' head coach, Girardi compiled a career record of 257-97-4, which ranks 15th on the NCAA's all-time winningest coaches list, regardless of division.

Girardi ranks fifth in wins among active NCAA coaches and second-place among active NCAA Division III coaches. He led Lycoming to 13 Middle Atlantic Conference championships and 11 appearances in the NCAA playoffs, including trips to the Stagg Bowl—the NCAA Division III national championship game—in 1990 and 1997. In all, the Warriors have tallied a winning record in 29 of Girardi's 36 seasons.

Perhaps Girardi's finest coaching moment came in the final game of the 2005 season when he became only the 17th coach in NCAA history to reach the milestone of 250 victories. The 17-10 overtime victory against longtime rival Susquehanna University capped an exciting campaign in which the Warriors rallied from a 1-4 start to finish with a five-game winning streak and a 6-4 record.

"Coach G, as most of his players call him, is a legendary figure," said Lycoming President Dr. James E. Douthat. "He has etched a nationally-respected, winning tradition in the town where he was raised. In the world of NCAA Division III football, the name Frank Girardi is synonymous with class and success, both on and off of the football field."

Girardi is a member of the West Branch Valley Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania State Sports Hall of Fame and West Chester University's
W. Glenn Killinger Football Hall of Fame. The Middle Atlantic Conference has honored Girardi as its Coach of the Year on 12 occasions. In 1999, he became the Robert W. Maxwell Football Club's first recipient of their Tri-State Coach of the Year Award, which is presented to an outstanding college or high school coach from Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware.

Girardi began his football career in high school when he carried the ball as a running back for the Williamsport Millionaires. He continued
to play at the collegiate level at West Chester University.

Girardi entered the coaching ranks in 1961 when he became an assistant coach at Jersey Shore (Pa.) High School. He became head coach of the team in 1963 and remained in that position for six years.

In 1969, Girardi became an assistant at Lycoming under Budd Whitehill. Three years later, he took over the reigns as head coach of a Warrior program that had gone 14-34 since its last winning season in 1965. During Girardi's first three seasons, Lycoming went 2-6, 2-6 and 3-6. In his fourth season, the Warriors recorded a mark of 6-2 and went on to have 29 consecutive winning campaigns.

In 1984, Girardi accepted an expanded role as Lycoming's director of athletics, overseeing Lycoming's 17 intercollegiate athletic programs.

Girardi resides in Williamsport with his wife Lynne. Their four children – Cathy, Jerry, Frank, Jr. and Justine – have all graduated from Lycoming College.