ERIE, Pa. -- Mercyhurst College head football coach Marty Schaetzle and players Fred Hale and Garrett Kensy will represent the Lakers at the annual Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Media Day, Aug.2 in Slippery Rock, Pa.

The luncheon will include the release of the Eastern and Western Division preseason coaches' polls as the league prepares for its 77th season of football and third season with Mercyhurst and Gannon University as full-time members. Interviews with print and electronic media will take place as part of the festivities.

Mercyhurst football is entering its 30th year of competition in 2010 and 16th year as a conference member. The Lakers finished 4-7 overall last year and went 3-4 in the PSAC West.

Entering his ninth year at the helm of the Mercyhurst program, Schaetzle ties current director of athletics Joe Kimball for longest tenured coach in program history.

Hale is a first-team All-PSAC West honoree, earning the selection a year ago for the first time in his career. Hale's tough play made a significant impact on a stingy Laker defense from his spot at defensive end. The junior started all 11 contests for Mercyhurst and ranked seventh on the team in tackles (41). He also ranked second on the squad with 13 tackles for loss (-50 yards), including 5.5 sacks. The Mentor, Ohio native was one of the league's best in those categories, finishing the regular season ranked sixth in the PSAC for tackles for loss and eighth in sacks, collecting a tackle in every game but one. In Hale's breakout season, he set a new personal best with six stops on two occasions (vs Cheyney 9/5 and vs Edinboro 10/24) and recorded the team single-game season highs in tackles for loss (4) and sacks (2) against Gannon. 

In 2008, Kensy started at quarterback for the Lakers and completed 111 passes for 1,276 yards. Kensy threw 100 yards in seven of the100 games and added nine touchdowns. Garrett moved to wide receiver in 2009, catching 10 balls for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Kensy showed his versatility when he took the role of a punt returner in the final four games of the season. With last year's starter Joe Laffey deciding to forego his final season of eligibility, Kensy is the projected quarterback for the Lakers in 2010

The Lakers' 2010 schedule kicks off on Aug. 28 when Mercyhurst travels to Notre Dame College to play the Falcons first-ever varsity game. From there, its two-straight road contests facing Kutztown and C.W. Post in league-mandated crossover play before hosting Lock Haven on Sept. 25 in the Lakers home opener and Homecoming contest. After three more consecutive road games (the Lakers open with six of seven on the road) at Gannon, Indiana (Pa.) and Edinboro), Mercyhurst closes out the season with four straight home games against California, Slippery Rock, Clarion and Shippensburg, respectively.