PSAC coaches don’t believe Golden Bears can win a third straight East football title
Kutztown University has won 15 straight PSAC East games and back-to-back division titles. The league’s coaches don’t think the Golden Bears can keep either of those streaks going.
Kutztown has been picked second in the East behind Shepherd in a preseason coaches poll.
The Golden Bears received four first-place votes, their most since 2012 when they collected five and were the East preseason pick.
Kutztown wasn’t picked to win the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East title a year ago, either, but did, going unbeaten in league play and posting an 11-2 record for the second straight season (2019 and 2021; the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19).
If the Golden Bears put together another double-digit win season it will mark the first time in program history they’ve registered three straight.
| East | Team | 1st place |
| 1 | Shepherd | 4 |
| 2 | KUTZTOWN | 4 |
| 3 | West Chester | |
| 4 | Shippensburg | |
| 5 | East Stroudsburg | |
| 6 | Bloomsburg | |
| 7 | Millersville | |
| 8 | Lock Haven |
Despite the graduation of some key players Kutztown’s returning core should be strong on both sides of the ball.
The Bears return seven all-conference players, with seven starters back on offense and five on defense, including red-shirt senior junior wide receiver Jerry Kapp, a Boyertown grad.
Coach Jim Clements’ roster could include as many as eight Berks players.
The list includes Conrad Weiser’s Adam Kase and Alex MacKenzie; Gov. Mifflin’s Kam Wolfe, Brandon Strausser and Eden Johnson; Daniel Boone’s Nate Millard; and Wyomissing’s Ja-Mhi Jackson.
Kase, a junior, was a starting tackle before being knocked out with a knee injury last season. Wolfe started three games at linebacker as a sophomore and is expected to play a key part on special teams this year, as is Strausser, a sophomore who is also in line for playing time at linebacker. MacKenzie, a red-shirt junior is in the tight end mix.
Millard, Johnson and Jackson are true freshman. Millard has a chance to see time as either a punter or placekicker, or both.
Shepherd claimed the remaining four first-place votes in the East poll. The Rams fell to the Golden Bears during the 2021 regular season before prevailing on a last-second touchdown pass when the teams met in the NCAA Division II quarterfinals in December.
They’ll meet Sat. Sept. 24 at Kutztown, the league opener for both.
The Golden Bears open their season Sept. 3 vs. Assumption at Worcester, Ma.
In the Western Division Indiana and three-time defending division champion Slippery Rock share top honors in the preseason poll with three first-place votes apiece.
Kutztown defeated The Rock 38-32 in the 2021 PSAC championship game. Slippery Rock and Kutztown also played for the 2019 conference title.
California picked up two first-place votes to rank third in the poll. The Vulcans will be in Kutztown for the Bears’ home opener Sept. 10. Gannon is fourth, with Edinboro and Seton Hill tied for fifth. Mercyhurst and Clarion round out the poll.
