LOCK HAVEN, Pa. – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference released the 2023 PSAC Football All-Conference Teams and Major Award winners for the Eastern Division on Wednesday afternoon. After a dominant victory in the 2023 PSAC Football Championship Game, Kutztown University garners a trio of awards: Tyler Whary named Defensive Athlete of the Year, Judd Novak named Freshman of the Year, and head coach Jim Clements named Coach of the Year. After an outstanding season running the ball, Lock Haven’s Chris Collier was selected as Offensive Player of the Year.
The All-Conference Teams and Major Awards were selected by a vote of the conference’s head coaches.
Lock Haven running back Chris Collier led the PSAC in four rushing categories: attempts (236), yards (1,393), touchdowns (12), and yards-per-game (126.6). He helped the Bald Eagles improve their record to 5-6 overall (3-4 PSAC) after a 2022 season in which they went 1-10 overall and 0-7 in conference play.
Kutztown linebacker Tyler Whary anchored a Golden Bear defense that was tops in the PSAC in scoring defense (14.0 points allowed per game) and yards allowed (254.5). Whary finished the regular season with 62 tackles (35 solo), 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble, one interception, eight QB hurries, and five pass breakups.
Golden Bears’ freshman quarterback Judd Novak was called into action in the second game of the season and never looked back. He completed 121 passes for 1,721 yards and 15 touchdowns in addition to rushing 83 times for 399 yards and another three scores, utilizing his dual threat ability and limiting mistakes.
Kutztown head coach Jim Clements earned his second PSAC title in the last three years (and Kutztown’s third all-time) with a 31-7 victory over previously unbeaten Slippery Rock in the 2023 PSAC Football Championship Game. The win was also Kutztown’s first over a top-five ranked opponent. After losing the first two games of the season, the Golden Bears rattled off nine straight wins and were perfect in PSAC East play.
As for the All-Conference Teams, many new faces are present in the lists, as just 11 student-athletes have earned repeat All-Conference honors:
2023 PSAC Football Eastern Division All-Conference and Major Awards
Offensive Athlete of the Year: Chris Collier, Lock Haven
Defensive Athlete of the Year: Tyler Whary, Kutztown
Freshman of the Year: Judd Novak, Kutztown
Coach of the Year: Jim Clements, Kutztown
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
Seth Morgan |
Shepherd |
Jr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Mount Lebanon |
| RB |
Chris Collier |
Lock Haven |
Gr. |
Elmhurst, N.Y. / Lawrence (Wagner) |
| RB |
Darryl Davis-McNeil^* |
Kutztown |
Gr. |
Roslyn, Pa. / Abington |
| RB |
Jaheim Morris^ |
Millersville |
R-Jr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Cedar Cliff |
| OT |
Tim Kinney |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Sr. |
East Stroudsburg, Pa. / East Stroudsburg South |
| OT |
Pat Methlie |
West Chester |
R-So. |
Avondale, PA / Salesianum (DEL) |
| OG |
Adam Kase |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Wernersville, Pa. / Conrad Weiser |
| OG |
Ty Lucas |
Shepherd |
R-So. |
Martinsburg, W. Va. / Martinsburg |
| C |
James Bell |
Shepherd |
R-Jr. |
Chesterfield, Va. / Manchester |
| TE |
Nas Jones |
Bloomsburg |
Jr. |
Williamsport, Pa. / Williamsport Area |
| WR |
Kurtis Ravenel Jr. |
Kutztown |
Gr. |
Carlisle, Pa. / Carlisle |
| WR |
D’Shaun Seals^ |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Philadelphia, PA / Imhotep Charter |
| WR |
Jeremiah Taylor |
Shepherd |
Jr. |
Upper Marlboro, Md. / Annapolis Area Christian School |
| RS |
Miles Greer |
Shepherd |
Fr. |
Springfield, Va. / South County |
| PK |
Jaxson Montross |
Shippensburg |
Jr. |
Tunkhannock, Pa. / Tunkhannock Area |
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE FIRST TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Jack Baxter |
Shepherd |
Jr. |
Sykesville, Md. / Marriotts Ridge |
| DL |
Dasean Dixon |
East Stroudsburg |
R-So. |
Washington D.C. / Archbishop Carroll |
| DL |
DeShawn McCarthy ** |
East Stroudsburg |
5th |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Northeast |
| DL |
Jacoby Sherard |
Shippensburg |
Sr. |
Lawrenceville, N.J. / Lawrenceville |
| DL |
Nigel Wilson |
Kutztown |
R-Sr. |
Bound Brook, N.J. / Bound Brook |
| LB |
Garrett Cox* |
Millersville |
R-Jr. |
Avondale, Pa. / Kennett |
| LB |
Connor Noble |
West Chester |
Jr. |
Chester Springs, PA / Downingtown East (Temple) |
| LB |
Cody Romano |
Lock Haven |
Gr. |
Newton, N.J. / Blair Academy (Penn State) |
| LB |
Tyler Whary^^ |
Kutztown |
Gr. |
Hereford, Pa. / Upper Perkiomen |
| DB |
Jahmere Crumpton |
East Stroudsburg |
5th |
Philadelphia, Pa. / West Catholic |
| DB |
Quentin Gaskill*^ |
Bloomsburg |
Sr. |
Waynesboro, Pa. / Waynesboro |
| DB |
Justin Harris |
Kutztown |
R-Sr. |
Deptford, N.J. / Salem |
| DB |
Omari Terry |
Shepherd |
So. |
Baltimore, Md. / St. Frances Academy |
| P |
Nate Millard |
Kutztown |
So. |
Birdsboro, Pa. / Daniel Boone |
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
Judd Novak |
Kutztown |
R-Fr. |
Manheim, Pa. / Manheim Central |
| RB |
Malakai Brown |
Shepherd |
R-Jr. |
Martinsburg, W.Va. / Martinsburg |
| RB |
Tyriq Lewis |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Jr. |
Downingtown, Pa. / Downingtown West |
| RB |
Kaleb Monaco^ |
Bloomsburg |
Jr. |
Pocono Pines, Pa. / Pocono Mountain West |
| OT |
Chandler Brown^ |
Shepherd |
R-So. |
Gainesville, Va. / Patriot |
| OT |
Brandon Carr |
Shepherd |
R-So. |
Reisterstown, Md. / Franklin |
| OG |
Billy Everitt |
Kutztown |
R-So. |
Abington, Pa. / Abington |
| OG |
Joe Turek |
Lock Haven |
Sr. |
Armagh, Pa. / United |
| C |
Raymond Christas |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Sr. |
York, Pa. / Dallastown |
| TE |
Jonathan Post |
East Stroudsburg |
R-Sr. |
Sellersville, Pa. / Pennridge (New Hampshire) |
| WR |
Mekhi Alexander |
Millersville |
Gr. |
Coatesville, Pa. / Coatesville |
| WR |
Redd Douglas^ |
Shippensburg |
Jr. |
Youngstown, Ohio / Wooster |
| WR |
John Siggins |
East Stroudsburg |
Jr. |
Allentown, Pa. / Parkland |
| RS |
Justin Cook |
East Stroudsburg |
So. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Harrisburg |
| PK |
James Bozek (!) |
Shepherd |
So. |
Alexandria, Va. / Hayfield |
| PK |
Dawson Evitts (!) |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Auburn, Pa. / Schuylkill Haven (Erie CC) |
PSAC FOOTBALL EASTERN DIVISION ALL-CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE SECOND TEAM
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Giovanni Cancro |
Bloomsburg |
Jr. |
Pequannock, N.J. / Pequannock Township |
| DL |
Ayyub Dail |
West Chester |
5th |
Easton, PA / Easton (IUP) |
| DL |
Nathan Muhle |
Shepherd |
R-So. |
Harpers Ferry, W.Va. / Jefferson |
| DL |
Randy Okungu |
Millersville |
R-Jr. |
Whitehall, Pa. / Whitehall |
| DL |
Earl Volz |
Kutztown |
R-Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Father Judge |
| LB |
Sergei Felizor |
East Stroudsburg |
5th |
Hightstown, N.J. / Hightstown |
| LB |
Tom Goetz |
Bloomsburg |
Jr. |
Wenonah, N.J. / Gateway Regional |
| LB |
Harold O’Neal |
Shepherd |
Jr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. Harrisburg |
| LB |
Kam Wolfe |
Kutztown |
Sr. |
Reading, Pa. / Governor Mifflin |
| DB |
Isaiah Gilmore |
Shippensburg |
R-Jr. |
West Lawn, Pa. / Wilson |
| DB |
Nasir Greer |
Shippensburg |
R-Sr. |
Upper Darby, Pa. / Upper Darby |
| DB |
Kasir Henry |
Lock Haven |
Jr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Anna Marie College |
| DB |
Nadir McLeod |
Bloomsburg |
Jr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Martin Luther King |
| P |
Zach Banta* |
Millersville |
R-Sr. |
Lancaster, Pa. / Penn Manor |
* Indicates previous All-PSAC First Team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC Second Team selection
(!) Indicates tie