LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Brayden Pohlman (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Mainland Regional), the 2025 PSAC Football Championship Game Most Valuable Player, was named the season's final PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week on Monday.

Pohlman registered four tackles for loss and two sacks as the Golden Bears won their third straight league title with a 28-23 victory over IUP last Saturday.

The graduate student from Egg Harbor Township, N.J., got his big afternoon started with a third-down sack of IUP quarterback Matthew Rueve late in the first quarter that halted the Crimson Hawks' drive.

Pohlman added two tackles in the third quarter, including one for loss, before making two critical plays late in the fourth.

With KU holding a 28-23 lead in the final three minutes, Pohlman sacked Rueve for a 6-yard loss to force third and long. IUP then faced 4th-and-1 from their own 28-yard line, but Pohlman broke into the backfield to drop running back Tavion Banks for a 3-yard loss to force a turnover on downs and seal the victory for the Golden Bears.

Pohlman's five tackles and two sacks both tied career-highs, while his 4.0 tackles for loss were a new career-high.

The weekly award is the first of Pohlman's career. He becomes the fourth Kutztown student-athlete to receive PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Week honors this season, joining Austin Leyman (Elmer, N.J./Woodstown) (Week 3), Zach Perta (Swoyersville, Pa./Holy Redeemer) (Week 8) and Jhaisir Harden (Glassboro, N.J./Glassboro) (Week 9).

The Golden Bears will host Bentley in a NCAA DII Championship first round game at Andre Reed Stadium this Saturday, Nov. 22, at noon.