Kutztown men’s basketball picked to finish fifth in PSAC East; women picked third
| PSAC East men’s preseason rankings |
| 1. Shippensburg (7) |
| 2. East Stroudsburg |
| 3. West Chester (1) |
| 4. Millersville (1) |
| 5. KUTZTOWN |
| 6. Shepherd |
| 7. Lock Haven |
| 8. Bloomsburg |
| 9. Mansfield |
Kutztown University’s men’s basketball team has been picked to finish fifth in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division preseason poll.
The Golden Bears’ leading scorer from 2018-2019, Reading High grad Wesley Butler, returns to lead the team.
Shippensburg received seven of nine first-place votes and is picked to win the PSAC East.
Indiana received seven of nine first-place votes and is picked to win the West.
Kutztown did not play in the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19.
Butler averaged 18.2 points per game as a freshman in 2019-20 and was an All-PSAC East second-team selection.
| PSAC West men’s preseason rankings |
| 1. Indiana (7) |
| 2. Mercyhurst |
| 3. Pitt-Johnstown |
| 4. California |
| 5. Gannon |
| 6. Slippery Rock |
| 7. Clarion |
| 8. Edinboro |
| 9. Seton Hill |
Also returning for KU is graduate student Moe Williams, who missed the 2019-20 season due to injury. Williams has averaged 11.3 points and 8.7 rebounds in his KU career.
Shippensburg finished 2019-20 with a 24-7 record, 18-4 in the league. It has has won at least 20 games in five consecutive years. It returns one All-League player in Jake Biss and 10 players from its 2019-20 season, including three starters.
East Stroudsburg was selected to finish second in the East following a 20-9 season. It finished second in 2019-20 and has seven of its top 10 scorers back.
Indiana, the defending PSAC champ, opens the season at No. 18 in the NABC National preseason poll. It’s the 13th straight time the Crimson Hawks begin the season in the Top 25. They return three starters from their 2019-20 championship squad: Armoni Foster, Ethan Porterfield and Dave Morris.
Kutztown opens the season with an exhibition at Rider Nov. 6, followed by a season-opening PSAC/CIAA Challenge at Keystone Arena Nov. 12-13.
The Kutztown women have been picked to finish third in the PSAC East, behind Shippensburg and Shepherd. Gannon is the preseason women’s favorite in the West.