(August 12, 2003) – The preseason NCAA I-AA football rankings are in and the 2003 Fordham Rams are included on every list. This is the first year that Fordham has entered a season with a preseason ranking on the I-AA level. In the most recent rankings, the Rams are ranked 13th in both The Sports Network and the ESPN/Sportsticker preseason polls. For the complete Sports Network and ESPN/Sportsticker polls, follow the link under the “Links of Interest” section on the football main page. Fordham was also included in the Sports Illustrated preseason I-AA rankings last week, as the Rams were picked eighth in the nation. Previously, Fordham appeared in five other polls, being rated as the fifth best I-AA team by Tony Moss of The Sports Network, ranked tenth in the Football Gazette preseason poll, eleventh in the Street & Smith’s preseason poll, 16th in the I-AA.com preseason poll and 25th in the Lindy’s preseason poll. For a complete listing of the polls, click on “Preseason Polls” under the files available for download section on the football main page. Coming off its most successful season on the I-AA level, Fordham finished the 2002 season with a 10-3 overall record, 6-1 in the Patriot League. They tied with Colgate for the Patriot League championship and received the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA I-AA playoffs. In the first round of the playoffs, the Rams defeated Northeastern, the Atlantic 10 champion, before falling to Villanova in the quarterfinals. Fordham finished the 2002 season ranked 12th in the final Sports Network poll and 15th in the final ESPN/Sportsticker poll. Head coach Dave Clawson, who was named the 2002 Schutt Sports/American Football Monthly I-AA National Coach of the Year, returns eight starters on offense and seven more on defense, including eight All-Patriot League selections. On the field, the Rams will be led by senior running back Kirwin Watson, the 2003 Preseason Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year. Watson, the 2002 Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year and two-time First Team selection, returns after finishing tenth in the voting last year for the Walter Payton Award, presented to the top I-AA Offensive Player. He was also named Third Team All-America by The Sports Network, the Associated Press, and the Football Gazette last fall. The Rams open the 2003 season on Saturday, August 30th, when they host C.W. Post College on Jack Coffey Field at 1:00 PM. Season tickets as well as individual game tickets are available through the Fordham ticket office at 718-817-4300 or they can be ordered online at www.fordham.edu/athletics.