Player News - Morrissey Receives Another All-American Nod

Senior linebacker Tyler Morrissey has been named second team NCAA Division II Preseason All-American by national publication Lindy's Sports. Last month, Morrisey was named to Street and Smith's Division II Preseason All-American Team.

Last season, Morrissey was named first team All-PSAC East, first team All-ECAC, first team CCA All-Super Region 1, second team CCA All-American, second team AP All-American and honorable mention All-American by the Don Hansen Football Gazette. He was also named PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year, ECAC Defensive Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award. He finished the season with 137 tackles which was the most in the nation, including 14.0 tackles for loss (sixth in the PSAC), five quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles (both in the playoffs).

Tyler Morrissey was involved in 137 tackles last season (Photo Ron Hockman)

After finishing 9-4 and advancing to the second round of the NCAA playoffs, the Golden Rams are not ranked in Lindys' Division II Preseason Top 25 Poll. Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference teams that appear in the poll are #2 Indiana, #14 California, and #18 Edinboro.

West Chester opens the 2018 season at Bentley on August 30.

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

A future Golden Ram will be participating in the 63rd Annual DFRC Blue-Gold All★Star Football Game to be held at 7:00 pm on June 23 at University of Delaware Stadium. Defensive back Julian Trammell of Caesar Rodney High School is slated to play for the Gold squad in the contest. Proceeds from the event benefit Delaware Foundation Reaching Citizens with Intellectual Disabilities.

WDEL - 2018 DFRC Blue-Gold Football Rosters Announced

Event News - Annual McDonald's Lehigh Valley All-Star Football Classic

A future Golden Ram will be participating in the 48th Annual McDonald's Lehigh Valley All-Star Football Classic to be held at 7:30 pm on June 14 in Nazareth's Andrew Leh Stadium. Tight end Zach Liggitt of Northampton High School will suit up for the Gold squad.

Current Golden Rams who have played in this game include defensive end David Simmons and offensive lineman Patrick Ferry. Former West Chester running back Eddie Elliott participated in this game in 2012.

Proceeds from the event benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities.

Team News - Shepherd to Join PSAC

Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, WV is reportedly joining the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference as a full member effective in the 2019-2020 season. As of now, the only official announcement has come from the Mountain East Conference which has only stated that Shepherd is leaving the Mountain East. This move will restore the PSAC to 18 schools after Cheyney University, which initially ended their football program in December, announced the end of all athletic programs in March.

Shepherd has been in the Mountain East since the conference formed in 2013. Prior to that, they were members of the now defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. From a football perspective, the Shepherd Rams are the only Super Region I team since 2004, when regionalization was instituted in the NCAA Division II playoffs, that has played more playoff games (21) and has more playoff wins (12) than West Chester. Shepherd won the region in 2010, 2015 and 2016 and played in the national championship game in Kansas City in 2015. In their only meeting in 2013, the Golden Rams defeated the Rams in Shepherdstown by a score of 28-7 to win the region championship. Shepherd's long-time head football coach Monte Cater (245-93-1) retired earlier this year after 31 years at the helm. He was replaced by Ernie McCook who was an assistant on Cater's staff for the past 18 years.

Charleston Gazette-Mail - Shepherd to leave Mountain East Conference for PSAC

Mountain East Conference - MEC Statement Regarding Shepherd University