Aug. 6, 2007

Erie, Pa. - The Mercyhurst football team returned to campus Sunday as the 2007-08 athletic season got underway. The Lakers are preparing for an 11 game season, including 10 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference games in the school's final season in the GLIAC. Mercyhurst will move to the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference for the 2008-09 school year.

Head Coach Marty Schaetzle returns for his sixth season at the helm and will look to improve on a 3-7 campaign in 2006. The Lakers were picked 11th out of 13 teams in the GLIAC Preseason Coaches Poll.

Mercyhurst opens the season August 25 at Kentucky State at 1 p.m. The Lakers follow with road games at Northwood and Ferris State before their home opener against Wayne State on September 15 at 1:30 p.m. Mercyhurst travels across town the next week to play rival Gannon on September 22 in a 7 p.m. night game, before returning to Tullio Field for a pair of big games.

The Lakers will play in their homecoming game on September 29 when they host Ashland at 1:30 p.m. Following that week, two-time defending national champion Grand Valley State travels to Erie for another 1:30 p.m. start on October 6.

Mercyhurst will then travel to Ohio to play Findlay October 13 before hosting Hillsdale on October 20. On October 27, the Lakers will make one last trip to Michigan's upper peninsula, playing at Northern Michigan at 1 p.m. Mercyhurst returns home for its final game of the year, hosting Indianapolis on November 3.