LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- The defending Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division champion Kutztown Golden Bears were selected third in the 2021 PSAC East Preseason Poll by the league's coaches. The conference office released the results of the polls Wednesday afternoon.

Kutztown's 2020 season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, marking the first time since 1945 (World War II) without football action on campus. The program is embarking on its 105th season in 2021.

Though the Golden Bears were able to get their full complement of spring practices and spring game in, it'll have been more than 21 months since they last played a regulation game --a 20-17 defeat to Notre Dame College in the second round of the 2019 NCAA Division II Championship tournament. There's been turnover on both sides of the ball and two classes of incoming student-athletes who have yet to put on the pads for their first collegiate game.

Jim Clements, now in his seventh season leading the program, has guided Kutztown to increased win totals in each of its last four years, culminating with last year's 11-2 record. He'll have to replace numerous contributors on offense both at the skill positions and in the trenches to continue that trajectory this fall.

The Golden Bears graduated a plethora of high impact players on offense from the 2019 team, notably All-American tight end Jack Pilkerton, PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year and four-year starting quarterback Collin DiGalbo, All-PSAC East First Team running back Abdul-Hassan Neblett and All-PSAC East First Team offensive linemen Justin Tindull, Jayson Williams and Matt Cella.

There's more continuity on a strong defensive unit, where three of four starting linemen return along with a couple of linebackers and safeties. However, the Bears also graduated both of their starting cornerbacks from 2019.

Shepherd, which posted a 10-3 record and suffered its only conference loss at the hands of Kutztown back in 2019, topped the 2021 preseason poll with six first-place votes. The Rams are led by a Harlon Hill candidate at quarterback and due to unique scheduling with the loss of the 2020 season to COVID-19, will once again host the Golden Bears Saturday, Sept. 25.

West Chester tallied one first-place vote and holds the second spot in the poll. The Golden Bears defeated the nationally-ranked Golden Rams on the road, 30-17, to clinch the PSAC East title back on Nov. 2, 2019, and will travel to West Chester this coming Nov. 6.

Following Kutztown in the poll are Bloomsburg, Shippensburg, East Stroudsburg, Millersville and Lock Haven.

In the Western Division, defending PSAC champion Slippery Rock leads the way with four first-place votes. IUP, who will host Kutztown, Sept. 11, is second with three first-place votes. Cal U received the final first-place vote and sits third in the poll ahead of Mercyhurst, Edinboro, Seton Hill, Gannon and Clarion.

For the sixth consecutive season, Kutztown will open with a non-conference game against Northeast-10 power Assumption, in what has become a competitive rivalry. The Golden Bears will host the Greyhounds, Saturday, Sept. 1, at 12:05 p.m.

 

2021 PSAC EAST FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
Rank		Team (First-Place Votes)
1.		Shepherd (6)
2.		West Chester (1)
3.		KUTZTOWN (1)
4.		Bloomsburg
5.		Shippensburg
6.		East Stroudsburg
7.		Millersville
8.		Lock Haven

 

2021 PSAC WEST FOOTBALL PRESEASON POLL
Rank		Team (First-Place Votes)
1.		Slippery Rock (4)
2.		IUP (3)
3.		Cal U (1)
4.		Mercyhurst
5.		Edinboro
6.		Seton Hill
7.		Gannon
8.		Clarion