WEST CHESTER, Pa. – The preseason praise keeps coming in for West Chester University’s football squad and senior tri-captain Mike Washington. The Golden Rams gridiron gang was ranked 20th in the D2Football.com preseason poll, and Washington was named a second team All-American at wide receiver.
Washington, a Harlon Hill hopeful, highlights the returners on the offensive side of the ball. He has caught for at least 1,000 yards in each of his previous three seasons in college and is trying to become just the third player at any level to register four 1,000-yard seasons in college football. Washington ranks tied for ninth all-time in Division II in touchdown receptions and is within 1,500 yards of the NCAA all-time receiving yardage mark heading into the fall.
Washington was also named a preseason first team All-American by Lindy's College Football Preview magazine earlier this month.
The Philadelphia native is on pace to set a plethora of school, conference and NCAA records if he remains healthy. He is already the institution’s all-time leader in receiving yards and is three TD catches away from that mark as well. Washington is seventh in the PSAC in career TDs on the conference level.
West Chester came in 20th on the preseason poll. The Rams were also ranked 16th in the AFCA coaches’ poll earlier this month and picked to win the PSAC Eastern Division in a vote of the loop’s head coaches. WCU will take on sixth-ranked California (Pa.) in its season opener Saturday afternoon.
The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) was well-represented in the preseason coaches’ poll, landing three teams in the preseason rankings. Cal was the highest at No. 6. Indiana (Pa.) was just above West Chester at 18th.
D2Football.com Preseason Poll
Pl. School
1) Valdosta St.
2) Grand Valley St.
3) North Alabama
4) Northwest Missouri St.
5) Carson-Newman (Tenn.)
6) California (Pa.)
7) Nebraska-Omaha
8) Abilene Christian (Texas)
9) West Texas A&M
10) Delta St. (Miss.)
11) Central Washington
12) Chadron St. (Neb.)
13) Shepherd (W. Va.)
14) Catawba (N.C.)
15) Ashland (Ohio)
16) Tuskegee (Ala.)
17) Pittsburg St. (Kan.)
18) Indiana (Pa.)
19) Newberry (S.C.)
20) West Chester (Pa.)
21) Mesa State
22) Washburn
23) Saginaw Valley St.
24) Minnesota-Duluth
25) Winona St.
