KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Coming off a Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division title and a trip to the conference championship game in 2015, West Chester University was selected to defend that PSAC divisional crown in a poll of the head coaches in the league released Monday afternoon.
The announcement came during PSAC Media Day for the Eastern Division schools inside the Georgian Room on the campus of Kutztown University. The only Eastern Division school to beat West Chester a year ago, Shippensburg, was selected second in the poll with one first-place vote to its credit. The Golden Rams garnered six first-place tallies to accrue the most points in the voting and take the first-place spot. Bloomsburg was picked to finish third while Kutztown was slated fourth. East Stroudsburg was selected fifth with the one remaining first-place tally. Lock Haven, Millersville and Cheyney rounded out the preseason poll, respectively.
Indiana (Pa.) was picked to win the Western Division on the strength of five first-place votes. Slippery Rock, the two-time defending conference champions, were picked second with a pair of first-place votes. California (Pa.) was slated third with Clarion picked fourth. The Golden Eagles garnered the final first-place tally in the voting. Gannon, Mercyhurst, Seton Hill and Edinboro rounded out the preseason poll in the West.
The Golden Rams won their 23rd PSAC Eastern Division title in 2015 and made a league-best 16th appearance in the "State Game" last fall. They return eight all-league players and a combined 14 starters on offense and defense, including the team's entire offensive line.
West Chester opens its 2016 campaign on the road at Bentley on Sept. 3 at 12 p.m.
