KUTZTOWN, Pa. – For the second year in-a-row, Kutztown Football has been selected at the top of the division to begin the season, as KU appears first in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's Eastern Division preseason poll, as voted on by the head coaches.
 
The Golden Bears, who finished 2024 with an 11-1 overall record and won their second straight PSAC championship, third in the last four seasons and fourth overall in program history, received seven first place votes. Teams can not vote for themselves.
 
Kutztown earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Championships for the second consecutive season and fifth in the last six, winning a program-record 11 games in-a-row to begin the season.
 
The Maroon and Gold are looking to become first team to win three consecutive titles since the PSAC Championship Game was reintroduced in 2008 and second all-time in a championship game format (Slippery Rock, 1972-74). They have finished with a winning record in all 10 seasons under head coach Jim Clements, including four 10+ victories in four of the last five seasons. Clements, a four-time AFCA DII Region 1 Coach of the Year (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024), is already the winningest coach in program history and is just 10 wins shy of 100 with KU entering 2025.
 
The Golden Bears return seven starters on a defense that led the PSAC and NCAA Division II by allowing just 10.2 points per game. It was the fewest points per game allowed by KU since moving to a 10-game schedule in 1976 and fewest allowed overall dating back to 1964 (8.6 ppg in 8 games). Kutztown ranked in the top three of the PSAC in the four major defensive categories last season: scoring (10.2 ppg, first), rushing (68.4 ypg, first), overall defense (234.0 ypg, first) and passing (165.6 ypg, third).
 
Redshirt junior defensive lineman Freddie Retter (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) is coming off a successful 2024 season that saw him earn PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year and D2CCA Super Region 1 Defensive Player of the Year honors. Retter led Kutztown with 13 tackles for loss (TFL), 7.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and three blocked kicks last season. In two seasons, Retter has amassed 89 tackles (42 solo), 19 TFL and 12.5 sacks. In addition to Retter, KU welcomes back a pair of All-PSAC East First Team defenders in defensive lineman Brayden Pholman and linebacker Eden Johnson (Philadelphia, Pa./Governor Mifflin). Pohlman was also a D2CCA All-SR1 Second Team pick.
 
On offense, the Bears are bolstered by the return of All-PSAC East and D2CCA All-SR1 First Team lineman Ryan Schernecke (Hatboro, Pa./Upper Moreland), All-PSAC East First Team lineman Billy Everitt (Abington, Pa./Abington) and a pair of PSAC East Second Team selections in quarterback Judd Novak (Manheim, Pa./Manheim Central) and running back Jaedyn Stewart (Newfield, N.J./Delsea Regional).
 
Novak enters his third year as KU's starting quarterback with a record of 23-3 in 26 games since making his debut Sept. 9, 2023. The Manheim, Pa., native has surpassed 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air in each of his previous two seasons. Novak has completed 322-of-559 passes (58%) for 4,243 yards, 41 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He has also rushed for 1,077 yards and 10 touchdowns.
 
After KU, East Stroudsburg was selected second with one first place vote, followed by West Chester in third, Shepherd in fourth and Bloomsburg in fifth. Lock Haven, Shippensburg and Millersville round out the eight East teams in the poll.
 
Kutztown's 2025 regular season begins on Thursday night, Sept. 4, with a non-conference matchup against Assumption from Andre Reed Stadium at 7 p.m.