West Chester Tabbed Favorite in PSAC Football Eastern Division
2017 PSAC FOOTBALL PRESEASON NOTES
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- The West Chester Golden Rams have been tabbed the favorite to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Football Eastern Division following the preseason poll as selected by the league’s head coaches, the league office announced Monday.
WCU received all eight first-place votes after the team averaged 35.9 points per contest in 2016. Under the direction of Bill Zwaan, the Golden Rams return nine all-conference players from a team that was in the top-five in all major categories and finished 8-3 last season.
Running back Jarel Elder will pace the offense after finishing fourth in the PSAC in rushing average (92.1).
Kutztown landed second in the poll after making an appearance in the PSAC Championship Game last season and posting a 7-4 overall mark. Redshirt junior running back Craig Reynolds returns after scoring 14 touchdowns and was one of three rushers to average more than 100 yards per game (108.1). Coach Jim Clements returns PSAC East Freshman of the Year Collin DiGalbo. DiGalbo threw 10 touchdowns while posting the third-best completion percentage in the league (62.6).
Shippensburg is slated third and returns five all-conference athletes after a 7-4 season. The Red Raiders defense impressed in 2016 while allowing the second-fewest points (17.0) and rushing yards (94.8) per game.
The Bloomsburg Huskies grabbed the No. 4 spot after their pass defense finished second in the league, allowing only 193.2 yards per contest. BU impressed with a 4-1 mark at home and will return 14 starters.
East Stroudsburg landed at No. 5 and returns four second-team all-conference representatives, including wide receiver Tim Wilson, who finished seventh in receiving yards per game (91.0).
Lock Haven, Millersville and Cheyney rounded out the poll.
WCU and ESU open their respective schedules on Thursday, August 31 while the other six teams in the East begin play on Saturday, September 2.
East (# of 1st place votes)
1) West Chester (8)
2) Kutztown
3) Shippensburg
4) Bloomsburg
5) East Stroudsburg
6) Lock Haven
7) Millersville
8) Cheyney