Event News - Killinger Foundation Banquet

The 36th Annual Killinger Foundation Football Banquet will be held on Friday, April 24, 2015 at 6:00 pm at the Concord Country Club in Concordville, PA. The 2015 Hall of Fame inductees are:

- Jay Buchanon '88
- Osagie Osunde '06
- Jason Sims '88
- Steve Weaver '92

The Foundation will also be honoring the 2006 team that finished 9-4 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

Buchanon was a two-time All-PSAC East and ECAC Division II All-Star at offensive tackle. For his efforts in guiding the Golden Rams to their first NCAA Division II playoff appearance, he was named Associated Press All-American and Don Hansen Football Gazette All-American in 1988. Buchanon also served as an assistant coach for the Golden Rams from 1992-2000.

Osunde was a four-time first team All-PSAC East selection, as a return specialist as a freshman, and at running back his final three years. On the West Chester career rushing lists, he ranks first in touchdowns with 51, third in yards per attempt with 6.4, and fourth in total yardage with 3,846. Also a weapon as a receiver and in the return game, Osunde is third on the West Chester career all-purpose yardage list with 5,844, third in points scored with 342, and second in touchdowns scored with 57. "O" just completed his third season as running backs coach for the Golden Rams.

Sims was a three-time All-PSAC East selection at running back, twice named to the second team and a first team selection as a senior. From 2004-2007, he rushed for 3,058 yards including 272 yards in a 30-3 win over American International in 1987 which was a single game West Chester record at the time. Sims eclipsed 1,000 yards rushing in both his junior and senior seasons and is currently fifth in career rushing yards per attempt with 5.5 and fourth in rushing touchdowns with 40.

Weaver was a first-team All-PSAC East selection at wide receiver as a senior when he notched 59 receptions for 1,157 yards and 13 touchdowns. He finished his Golden Ram career with 101 catches for 1,710 yards and 17 touchdowns. Among his nine 100-yard receiving games was a ten catch, 162 yards and three touchdown effort in a 35-34 win at Kutztown on Halloween in 1992.

On a cold and rainy night at Slippery Rock on the last game of the 2006 regular season, the Rock missed a 48-yard field goal with 43 seconds left to give the Golden Rams a 21-20 victory and the sixth seed in the NCAA playoffs. It was West Chester's third consecutive trip to the postseason under head coach Bill Zwaan. In the first round of the playoffs, the Golden Rams defeated then Northeast-10 member Bryant 31-29 in Rhode Island before falling at Bloomsburg 21-20 the following week. The team was also named ECAC Division II Team of the Year.

Anyone interested in attending or sponsoring the event is asked to use the online ticket sale center.

Player News - Derr, Keyser Arrested

Andrew Derr

Golden Ram quarterback Andrew Derr was arrested and charged with several misdemeanors Sunday evening after an incident at Landmark Americana. Also charged in the incident were former wide receiver Tim Keyser and his younger brother and current defensive back Kyle Keyser. Not involved in the altercation but cited for public drunkenness was former Golden Ram wide receiver Pete Hurley.

Last season, Derr played in ten of West Chester's 13 games as the backup and wildcat quarterback. He was 15 of 27 for 243 yards and four touchdowns on the season to go along with his 60 yards rushing on 20 carries. However his most significant contribution was leading West Chester to a 32-29 comeback victory over Shippensburg in 2013. He entered that game with the Golden Rams trailing 29-21 in the fourth quarter and was 7 of 9 for 105 yards and a touchdown, including 25-yard and 12-yard completions on the final 52-yard drive to setup the game-winning 26-yard field goal. He was expected to be the starting signal caller going into the spring with two years of eligibility left. Derr also received several charges as a result of an incident in May 2013.

The elder Keyser graduated in 2014 after notching 34 catches for 561 yards and four touchdowns as a senior. The younger Keyser played primarily on special teams this past year, logging 16 solo and 8 assisted tackles on the season. Hurley last appeared on the roster in 2012 as a sophomore.

Daily Local - WCU quarterback charged with assault, escape

WCHE 1520 AM Radio - facebook posting

Daily Local - West Chester QB had earlier brush with law

Team News - 2015 Spring Game

The Golden Ram spring football game is scheduled for Saturday, April 25, 2015 at noon in Farrell Stadium. The Spring Game will be the culmination of four weeks of practice and two scrimmages. The first day of spring practice will be Monday, March 30 with scrimmages tentatively set for Saturday, April 11 and Saturday, April 18.

Alumni News - Leo Still in PIFL, Now with Steelhawks

Next week, former Golden Ram kicker Shawn Leo enters his second season in the Professional Indoor Football League, but he has moved his allegiance back to Pennsylvania. After having a successful 2014 season for the Trenton Freedom, last fall he signed with the Lehigh Valley Steelhawks.

The Steelhawks open their season on Sunday, March 29 at the Erie Explosion. Lehigh Valley has their home opener on Sunday, April 12 when they host non-PIFL opponent Marion Blue Racers at the PPL Center in Allentown. The Steelhawks' regular season runs through June 13 with the top four teams in the league qualifying for the playoffs on the weekend of June 26.

With Trenton last season, Leo was fifth in the league in kick scoring with 6.8 points per game. He converted 47 of 57 PAT attempts (82.5%) which was third in the PIFL. He was 7 of 23 on field goal attempts with a long of 36 yards against goal posts that are 15 feet high and only ten feet wide. Leo is the best kicker in West Chester history and was awarded the Bill Vansant Memorial Special Teams Award the past three years.

Leo spent last season with Trenton (Photo Steelhawks facebook page)

Lehigh Valley Steelhawks - Steelhawks Announce Early 2015 Roster Signings