No. 17 West Chester Earns Third Seed In Super Region 1; Hosts AIC Saturday

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – West Chester University's 17th-ranked football squad learned Sunday night that its 2013 campaign will continue as the NCAA revealed its brackets for the Division II national tournament. West Chester is the third seed in Super Region 1 and will host sixth-seeded American International College Saturday at 12 p.m.
 
West Chester (10-1) moved up one spot from its No. 4 ranking of a week ago while AIC (9-2) also slid up one spot into the sixth and final spot of the regional. The winner of Saturday's West Chester-AIC contest will travel to Bloomsburg on Saturday, Nov. 30 for a second-round matchup against the second-seeded Huskies. Shepherd (11-0) earned the top seed in the region and the subsequent bye into the second round. The Rams will play the winner of fourth-seeded Winston-Salem State (9-1) vs. fifth-seeded Slippery Rock (9-2).
 
The Golden Rams are making their 10th appearance in the NCAA Division II Tournament and first since 2008. Saturday's home contest will mark the seventh time that West Chester will play in front of its home crowd this fall – the most since playing seven home games in 2007. The Golden Rams are 5-9 in their previous playoff appearances. West Chester's 10 postseasons are the 13th-most among current NCAA Division II participants.
 
"I'm just really happy to be back in the playoffs," West Chester head coach Bill Zwaan said. "It was tough getting these kids back and getting them ready to play (Saturday vs. Clarion). But, they took care of business and got into the playoffs. Now, it's a brand new season.
 
"Playing at home in the playoffs is a big deal. I'll talk to (the team) this week about how they should approach it. Most of my staff has been in the playoffs, but (for our players) this is their first time. So, they will find out how emotional it is. We just want to keep playing, no matter who it is."
 
"This is the first time we are going to the playoffs," running back Rondell White said. "I'm just excited that, finally, all our hard work over the past four years is paying off. Good teams get hot at the right time of the year. So, hopefully, we will get hot and make it to Alabama (site of the NCAA Division II national championship game)."
 
"It's great to have a home game, and to see all our fans come out and support us. It's also great for the University to host an event like that," senior defensive lineman Anthony McCloskey said. "It's a brand new ballgame now. Everybody starts all over again. (The team) is excited, and we have worked so hard to get to this exact point that we are happy to be in the playoffs and anxious to get back to the grind on Tuesday."