September 1 is the traditional start date for Division III fall sports, and yesterday most MAC teams took advantage of the opportunity by going 27-20-1 against non-conference opponents.

In volleyball, perennial national power Eastern, an overwhelming pick to repeat as Freedom Conference champs for the third year, defeated neighbor Cabrini in three sets before a packed house. Alvernia, which has struggled over the past years, started the season with a 3-0 win over Keystone. Lebanon Valley, Commonwealth champions the last two years, and the pick to win it again this year, was idle but head to Cortland Friday night for tournament action.

The MAC is always a power in field hockey, and the two picks for this year’s conference championships displayed strength on Wednesday night against formidable foes. Messiah blanked Landmark representative Juniata 5-0, while Eastern had an easy time with the NJAC’s Montclair State 4-1.

Messiah men’s soccer, the reigning National Champion, is again picked to win the Commonwealth. They did not play yesterday, but host Hobart tomorrow night in Grantham at 7 PM. Manhattanville, last year’s Freedom regular season winner, and this year’s top pick in the Freedom, had a rough start against Richard Stockton, losing 5-2. In a MAC regional rivalry, Lycoming outlasted Misericordia 3-2 in overtime.

Eastern, the 2009 Freedom champion in women’s soccer and this year’s preseason favorite, got off to a slow start last year by losing to York. That didn’t happen this year, as the Eagles prevailed 4-1. Messiah, hoping to defend their 2009 Commonwealth and National Championship titles, heads to Christopher Newport on Friday to challenge a USA South power.

Many MAC cross country teams will head to Delaware Valley this weekend as a warm up for the conference meet that will be held there on October 30. For the women, Caitlin Dorgan, a DVC senior, and last year’s conference runner up, hopes to start the season in top form in front of the home crowd. LVC senior, Jenn Cronin, 3rd place at MAC’s last year, will probably be a challenger for the top spot as the season progresses. Two top juniors return from last year for the men. Tyler Newhook from Messiah placed first at MAC meet last year and Eric Reichert of Elizabethtown was second. Elizabethtown won both 2009 team championships with Messiah close behind.

Six of eight MAC football teams open the season this weekend. After a sweltering preseason, it looks as though Saturday will be a perfect day to start non-conference play.

The Delaware Valley College Aggies football team, ranked 10th in Division III and the pick to win the MAC, will open up the 2010 campaign at Muhlenberg College. The two schools will meet for the first time since 1972. Both squads return a high number of starters from last year (18 for Delaware Valley, 16 for Muhlenberg), but are coming off different results in 2009 and expectations for 2010. In ’09, the Aggies went 10-2 overall and reached the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. Muhlenberg won the Centennial Conference in 2007 and 2008 including a second round appearance of its own in the ’07 NCAA playoffs, but just managed a 3-7 overall record last season. They have been picked to finish sixth in the 10-team conference this year.

The Lebanon Valley College Dutchmen begin one of the most anticipated seasons in its history Saturday against Gettysburg. Coming after a record-setting 9-2 season and an ECAC Southwest Bowl win, the Flying Dutchmen aim even higher in 2010 as they have been picked second in the MAC preseason poll and for the first time in program history received votes in the d3football.com preseason top 25 poll. Gettysburg coach Barry Streeter, a 1971 Lebanon Valley graduate, is facing his alma mater for the 17th time. Last year, LVC won at Gettysburg for the first time since 1979 with a 47-42 shootout win.

For the second consecutive season, the Albright College Lions were picked third in the MAC preseason poll. Last year they exceeded those expectations by taking second in the MAC and winning two games in the NCAA’s before succumbing to perennial national champions Mt. Union. This Saturday’s home opener will mark the 14th time that Albright has taken on Ursinus since their first meeting in 1912. On Saturday, the Ursinus Bears’ will bring a veteran core of players who earned a spot in an ECAC Bowl game last season. The Bears were selected to finish third in the 2010 Centennial Conference preseason poll.

The Lycoming College Warriors open the 2010 campaign at Rowan. Needing to replace 10 starters from the 4-6 2009 team, the Warriors will face a stiff test from the Rowan Profs, who finished 7-3 overall last year. At home in 2009, the Warriors could not muster much offense against Rowan in a 29-7 season opener loss. The Warriors are predicted to finish fourth in the 2010 MAC preseason poll. Lyco head coach Mike Clark was a graduate assistant with Rowan coach Jay Accorsi on the Prof’s staff in 1994-95. Lycoming defeated Rowan in the national semifinals 28-20 on Dec. 6, 1997 at David Person Field.

The Widener University Pride enter the 2010 season at Alfred as Isaac Collins takes over as the program’s 22nd head coach. He was defensive coordinator at The Citadel the last four years, an assistant coach at Delaware in 2005, and an assistant coach at Lehigh from 2000-03. Widener’s football squad has been picked to finish sixth in the Middle Atlantic Conference this season based on a vote by the league’s coaches. The 2009 Alfred Saxons claimed their first-ever Empire 8 Conference crown in which they went 8-2 and ended the year losing at home to Albright (MAC at-large team) in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

The King’s College Monarchs, picked seventh in the MAC preseason poll, travel to Springfield College for a Friday night game at Amos Alonzo Stagg Field where one of the deepest football traditions in football began in 1890. King’s comes off a 3-7 campaign in 2009 while Springfield went 8-2 and won the 2009 ECAC Northeast Bowl. Jeff Knarr takes over at King’s as only the second head coach since the varsity program was reestablished in 1993. This is the second meeting between the teams as Springfield won a 57-30 shootout last season at King’s. Springfield head coach Mike Delong enters his 29th year as a collegiate head coach with a 150-110-2 record.