Team News - 32 Golden Rams Named PSAC Scholar-Athletes

Thirty-two members of the Golden Ram football team have been named PSAC Scholar-Athletes for the 2020-2021 academic year. In order to qualify for the honor, athletes must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or better. There were 4,163 athletes from all 18 PSAC institutions of which 360 represented West Chester University.

Representing the football team are:

• redshirt freshman defensive back Micheal Alexander*
• redshirt freshman kicker/punter Chris Barbera*
• junior wide receiver Troy Brown
• sophomore linebacker Nick Chapman*
• redshirt freshman defensive back Matt Checchia*
• junior offensive lineman Jacob Colby*
• freshman wide receiver Junior Duffault
• freshman defensive back Dai-Jahn Dukes
• sophomore defensive lineman Michael Gobora*
• redshirt freshman fullback Mason Griffiths*
• redshirt freshman defenisve lineman Jake Hendershot*
• redshirt freshman tight end Stone Huffman*
• senior tight end Jalen Jackson
• redshirt freshman kicker/punter Derek Krug*
• junior defensive end Zach Liggitt
• freshman linebacker Marc Macione
• freshman defensive back Ben Marsico
• freshman offensive lineman Bill Martelon
• sophomore offensive lineman Jonathan Miller*
• freshman defenisve lineman Charley Mininger
• redshirt freshman wide receiver Matt Moody*
• redshirt freshman offensive lineman Logan O'Grady*
• redshirt freshman wide receiver Jahmair Rider*
• junior offensive lineman Brendan Ruskowski*
• student assistant Alexander Saionz
• junior defensive back Trael Seegars
• redshirt freshman offensive lineman Luke Stengel
• freshman offensive lineman Trey Wells
• junior linebacker Rashon Wiggins
• freshman running back Chasen Wint
• junior wide receiver Mari Wright
• junior defensive back Cole Zapf*

* Student-athletes who were also recognized as a PSAC Scholar-Athlete for the 2019-2020 academic year.

PSAC Site - PSAC Breaks Previous Scholar-Athlete Record With 4,163 in 2020-21

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Tops PSAC in Academic Honor Roll Recipients with 360

Alumni News - Former Linebacker Greg Smith Dies

Greg Smith

Former Golden Ram linebacker Greg Smith passed away on June 20. He was 34.

In his three years of football at West Chester University, Smith garnered 25 starts in 37 games including five playoff contests. In his career, he amassed 135 total tackles including 6.5 tackles for loss. He capped the 2008 playoff win over Southern Connecticut with a 30-yard interception return.

The Smith Family is using a GoFundMe to eastablish The Gregory Smith Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Greg Smith

Team News - Golden Rams win 2019 Lambert Trophy

The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the winners of the Lambert Trophy for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. After reaching the NCAA Division II playoffs and finishing the season with a 9-3 record, the West Chester University Golden Rams were declared the Division II winner of the Lambert Trophy for 2019. No trophy was awarded for 2020 since Division II did not play football that year.

Army was declared the FBS winner for 2020 while Penn State claimed the trophy for 2019. James Madison won the Lambrt Trophy for both 2019 and 2020. Muhlenberg was the Division III recipient for 2019, while there was no award for 2020. The Lambert Trophy recognizes supremacy in Eastern college football.

ECAC - ECAC Announces 2020 and 2019 Lambert Awards

Event News - DFRC Blue-Gold All★Star Football Game

A future Golden Ram will be participating in the 65th Annual DFRC Blue-Gold All★Star Football Game to be held at 7:00 pm on June 18 at University of Delaware Stadium. Lineman Patrick Methlie of Salesianum is slated to play for the Blue squad in the contest. Proceeds from the event benefit Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens with Intellectual Disabilities.

Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens - DFRC Blue-Gold All★Star Football Game

WDEL 1150AM - 2021 Delaware Blue-Gold All-Star Football Game rosters announced

Player News - Ruskowski Receives Preseason Honors

Junior left tackle and team captain Brendan Ruskowski has been named second team preseason All-Division II by Lindy’s Sports. Ruskowski was named second team All-PSAC East after the 2019 season.

The Golden Rams do not appear in Lindy's top 25, but two of this season's scheduled opponents do: Shepherd at #16 and Indiana at #20.

Left tackle Brendan Ruskowski anchors the Golden Ram offensive line

West Chester Athletic Site - Brendan Ruskowski Named To Lindy’s Division II All-America Squad

Team News - 2021 Captains Announced

The captains for the 2021 Golden Ram footbal team have been identified. They are wide receiver Rasheem James, tight end Dan Neuhaus, offensive lineman Brendan Ruskowski, and defensive lineman Omar Peterkin.

The 2021 season will open on Thursday September 2 at Bentley in Waltham, MA.

Team News - 2021 WCU Football Schedule

In some of the most promising news that we've seen in some time, the Golden Rams 2021 football schedule is now posted.

After not riding a bus at all in 2020, the team will have plenty of opportunity to do so right out of the gate in 2021. They’ll make the 6-hour trip up I95 to Waltham, MA on Labor Day weekend to open the season against Bentley. West Chester is 4-0 against the Falcons with all four games coming in the last five years.

The following week, West Chester will have another 6-hour ride to the northwest corner of the state as they take on Mercyhurst. The last time the Golden Rams took on the Lakers in Erie was in 2015, a 37-35 loss.

The 2021 home opener will be September 18 when West Chester hosts Edinboro. The Golden Rams romped over the Fighting Scots in their last meeting in 2017. Then West Chester will play its usual seven-game PSAC East schedule, traveling to Millersville on September 25 before hosting Bloomsburg for homecoming on October 2. A trip to Shippensburg on October 9 is followed by a home game against East Stroudsburg on October 16.

West Chester has two more treks: to Shepherdstown, WV to take on the Rams in their homecoming on October 23 and then to Lock Haven on October 30.

The Golden Rams division season closes at Farrell Stadium with a game against nearby Kutztown on November 6. The final home game of the regular season is set for November 13 against either IUP or possibly another PSAC West team if West Chester is in the PSAC championship game.

Day	Date	Opponent	Time	Notes
Friday	September 3	at Bentley	6:00 pm
Saturday	September 11	at Mercyhurst	12:00 pm
Saturday	September 18	vs Edinboro	12:00 pm	Family Weekend
Saturday	September 25	at Millersville	4:00 pm
Saturday	October 2	vs Bloomsburg	2:00 pm	Homecoming
Saturday	October 9	at Shippensburg	1:00 pm
Saturday	October 16	vs East Stroudsburg	12:00 pm
Saturday	October 23	at Shepherd	12:00 pm	Shepherd Homecoming
Saturday	October 30	at Lock Haven	1:00 pm
Saturday	November 6	vs Kutztown	12:00 pm
Saturday	November 13	vs Indiana	12:00 pm	Senior Day

Alumni News - Jarey Elder to Play in The Spring League

Former Golden Ram safety Jarey Elder is playing with the Blues of the The Spring League. The Blues will play this season at Rice Stadium in Houston with their first game on Friday at 9:30pm against the Sea Lions and will be broadcast on FS1.

Elder finished his West Chester University playing career in 2019. After that season, he was named WCU's Defensive Player of the Year and WCU Football Athlete of the Year, ECAC Defensive Player of the Month for October, first team All-PSAC East, PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year, second team Division 2 CCA All-Super Region 1, first team Don Hansen Football Gazette Super Region 1, second team D2Football.com All-American, honorable mention All-American by the Don Hansen Football Gazette, and was a Cliff Harris Award nominee. Earlier his year, Elder played briefly in Italy for the Milano Seamen.

Jarey Elder had two interceptions in the 2018 PSAC Championship Game
(Photo Ron Hockman)

First look at the rosters for the #TSLBlues 🦈 at #TSL2021!

In Week 1, the Blues will face the Sea Lions from Rice Stadium in #Houston at 9:30 pm ET on Friday, May 7!

The game will be aired on @FS1 and is not open to the public. pic.twitter.com/X0sNXrLt1a

— The Spring League 🏈 (@TheSpringLeague) May 6, 2021

American Football International - Milano Seamen put championship run back on track in Bologna

Alumni News - Erick Brundidge to Play in The Spring League

Former Golden Ram wide receiver Erick Brundidge is playing with the The Aviators of the The Spring League. The Aviators will play this season at Lucas Oil Stadium with their first game on Thursday at 7:00pm against the Alphas and will be broadcast on FS1.

The speedster was named second team All-PSAC East after his junior year in 2014, a season in which he made 46 catches for 759 yards and 10 touchdowns for a Golden Ram team that advanced to the second round of the NCAA playoffs. He played in all 50 games of his West Chester career, finishing with 121 receptions for 2,372 yards and 27 touchdowns. Brundidge played in the Indoor Football League with the now defunct Colorado Crush in 2017 and with The Green Bay Blizzard in 2016.

Erick Brundidge with an over the shoulder catch (Photo Bert Garbutt)

First look at the #TSLAviators 🛩️ roster at #TSL2021!

The Aviators will take on the Alphas in the first game of #TheSpringLeague season from @LucasOilStadium at 7 pm ET on Thursday, May 6! The game will air on @FS1.

Tickets can be purchased here: https://t.co/qsEH1IockC pic.twitter.com/jgbLFCl9kM

— The Spring League 🏈 (@TheSpringLeague) May 3, 2021

XFL News Hub - The Spring League: Aviators 2021 Spring Roster Breakdown

Team News - Spring Football

The Golden Rams concluded their sprnig practice schedule with an intrasquad scrimmage on Friday. While there was no annual Purple-Gold game this spring, at least practices were held and scrimmages were played. Without knowing what players remain from the 2019 team combined with everyone wearing practice jerseys, it was hard to tell who was who out there, but it was just good to have some semblance football being played again. The one notable standout was Dan Neuhaus who made a great one-handed catch along the sideline and pulled down multiple touchdowns regardless of which quaterback was chucking the ball to him. Due to John A. Farrell Stadium being readied for numerous graduation ceremonies, the scrimmage was held on the practice field.