ITHACA, N.Y. – The Ithaca College football team is nationally-ranked headed into the 2014 season, as the Bombers were voted 23rd in the D3football.com Preseason Top 25. Ithaca begins its season with preseason practices beginning Aug. 15 leading up to the opening game Sept. 6 at home against Union.
 
Ithaca won the Empire 8 Championship in 2013 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Ithaca finished with a 9-3 record and the nine-win season was the program's best since 2008 when Ithaca was 9-2. The first-round victory in the NCAA Tournament over Framingham State was Ithaca's first postseason victory since 2003.
 
This is the first time that Ithaca has appeared in the preseason top 25 by D3football since the start of the 2009 season, when the Bombers were ranked 10th.
 
Ithaca's roster returns all-region selection Sam Carney as a return specialist; and all-conference honorees offensive guard Andrew Benvenuto, kicker Garrett Nicholson, and defensive tackle Joe Ricotta.
 
Three scheduled Ithaca opponents also received recognition as St. John Fisher was ranked in the top-25 while Salisbury and Cortland received votes.
 
2014 D3football.com Preseason Top 25
 
2014 Ithaca College Football Schedule