Player News - Rylan Zuk Named PSAC East Special Teams Athlete of the Week

For his efforts in West Chester's 30-13 win at Bentley, redshirt freshman kicker Rylan Zuk has been named PSAC East Special Teams Athlete of the Week.

Zuk was perfect on all six of his kick attempts, which included three PAT's and field goals of 25, 32 and 24 yards. His 32-yard field goal came as time expired in the first half and his final 24-yard field goal came with less than four minutes in the game to secure the Golden Ram victory.

Rylan Zuk was perfect on six kicks at Bentley (Photo Chuck Greco)

PSAC Site - PSAC Football Athletes of the Week: Week 1

West Chester Athletic Site - Rylan Zuk Named PSAC East Special Teams Athlete of the Week

Game Report - West Chester 30 - Bentley 13

The Golden Rams (1-0) started the 2025 season right with a solid 30-13 win over the Bentley Falcons (0-1) at Peter Yetten Field in Waltham, MA.

Quarterback Cooper Jordan looked like the reigning PSAC East Offensive Athlete of the Year by throwing for 134 yards, rushing for 136 yards, and accounting for all three West Chester touchdowns. But more than that, he looked like a three-year starter - taking care of the ball i.e. no turnovers in the game, picking the right times to scramble, and sliding safely when he had gained enough yards on a play.

There are so many new faces and questions for this season's team, so let's try to unpack as many as possible.

• In the first half, the West Chester defense surrendered 158 yards, 8 first downs and 13 points. After intermission, they allowed just 43 yards, 2 first downs, and 5 minutes of possession time with most of that coming on Bentley's final possession when the Golden Rams were in preservation mode. The second half consisted of four three-and-outs and a Kaleb Brown interception. And while it was a dominating defensive display, no player had more than five tackles, so it was a total team effort.
• What's with the new purple helmets? Three different WCU players lost their lids during play in the first five minutes of the game, including Jordan on a second down run. Reserve Ethan Kohler stepped in and completed a pass to tight end Thatcher Miller to move the chains.

Zack Gillen turns up field after a catch (Photo Chuck Greco)

• While there was a lot of preseason talk about VMI transfer receiver Ivan Thorpe making an impact, he was not dressed for the game.
• Captains were Cooper Jordan, Nate Desmond, and Thatcher Miller.
• There was some experimentation on kickoffs. In the first half, kicker Tommy Pajic was popping the ball up, which resulted in one out-of-bounds call, and all three Bentley possessions starting at the 30-yard line or better each time. In the second half, he boomed the kickoffs deep, forcing one touchback and worse starting field position for the Falcons. Hey, how cool is it that WCU kicked off six times in the game?

Jamir Robertson breaks a 15-yard run (Photo Chuck Greco)

• After four seasons of Sean Henry (143 PAT's, 33 FG's) handling the place kicking chores, head coach Duke Greco had to turn to someone new this year. R-FR Rylan Zuk was solid, converting all three PAT attempts, and field goals of 25, 32 (as time expired in the first half) and 24 (with less than four minutes left to seal the win).
• With last season's top three running backs gone, who, besides Jordan, was going to get the bulk of the carries? The answer is not one guy. Juke Peaker (16 carries, 54 yards), Ali Barkley (12 carries, 49 yards), and Jamir Robertson (5 carries, 27 yards) all ran the ball effectively, giving the Golden Rams options in the running game.

Connor Noble and Johnny Pergine join forces on a tackle (Photo Chuck Greco)

• Speaking of options, we saw a lot of the quarterback option play. With Jordan's running threat, defenses have to key on him - giving the pitch man good opportunities to get outside.
• The season preview article examined positions on both sides of the ball except the offensive line. Offensive line coach Nick Sama put together a group that also had a solid outing. From left to right - Jake Phipps, Cole Evans, Donovan Jones, Owen Chaffinch and Cole Kozlowski - paved the way for 417 yards of offense with just two holding calls. Center Jones has the most experience, having started 27 games over the past three seasons, but those were all at Lock Haven. Prior to Saturday, Evans started six games after Caelan Krasley got hurt last season, Phipps had made nine appearances in two seasons for the Golden Rams, while Chaffinch and Kozlowski had not played at their respective previous institutions.
• Also in the area of blocking, a big shout out to Mitch Ragni and Ryan Johnston. They were both involved in springing guys for big gains and Ragni "helped" Jordan on his third quarter, one-yard touchdown run.
• Monmouth transfer receiver Matthew Iuvara had a great leaping 36-yard touchdown reception on West Chester's first possession of the second half to give the Golden Rams the lead for good. Unfortunately he did have two drops in the game, one of which looked to be a sure 55-yard touchdown.
• It was a nice WCU debut for defensive tackle Anthony Delle Donne. He batted down a Bentley pass and registered three tackles, including an 8-yard solo sack. Also picking up sacks on the day were Debrick Johnson and Khalif Kemp.

Anthony Delle Donne registers an 8-yard sack (Photo Chuck Greco)

• Junior receiver Darrell Brown had an up-and-down day. In the second quarter, on one play he had a deep pass go right through his hands and on another play, he made the catch but fumbled it away. In the third quarter, he maintained his concentration and caught a deflected pass for a first down.
• Another purple and gold debut was cornerback Gus Ross. Ross made four solo tackles, including a six-yard tackle for loss.
• It appears that the Golden Rams are still trying to figure out punt returns. Zack Gillen let the first two roll harmlessly to a stop, caught the next one before getting hammered, and had a five-yard return on the fourth.

While it was a solid West Chester win and the team played very well, there are obvious areas to be improved. With that improvement, this could be the making of a very good season.

Sortable Box Score   

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Pulls Away in Second Half for 30-13 Win in Football Opener

Bentley Athletic Site - Osgood's 43-yard rushing touchdown highlights Bentley's season opener

Golden Rams Review - Photo Album - Bentley

Game Preview - Bentley

The West Chester Golden Rams travel to Waltham, MA to battle usual season-opening opponent Bentley on Saturday at noon at Peter Yetten Field.

Series History:
The Golden Rams lead the series 6-2 with the last three contests being decided by a total of five points. The Golden Rams had dominating wins in 2017 and 2018, while the Falcons won handily in 2021 in Waltham, MA.

After leading Bentley to a 14-6 record over the past two seasons, head coach Saj Thakkar has taken the head coaching position at Football Championship Subdivision Davidson in North Carolina. So the Falcons have turned to their former quarterback CJ Scarpa to take over the helm. Scarpa, a 2017 graduate of Bentley, had served as the Falcons' associate head coach and offensive coordinator the past two seasons. After starting his West Chester career 0-4, Golden Ram head coach Duke Greco (4-6) looks to get off to a better start in his second season.

Last 10 Meetings:

Year	H/A	W/L	Score	Year	H/A	W/L	Score
				2019	Home	Win	14-7
				2021	Away	Loss	41-17
2016	Away	Win	31-24	2022	Home	Win	17-6
2017	Home	Win	51-9	2023	Away	Win	20-19
2018	Away	Win	44-6	2024	Home	Loss	20-17

Last Meeting:

09/07/2024 Bentley 20 - West Chester 17

West Chester got off to a good start by scoring touchdowns on their first two possessions and taking a 14-3 lead into halftime. But leading 17-10 with under four minutes to play, the Golden Rams lost a fumble and the Falcons took advantage of a short field to knot the score at 17. West Chester's ensuing drive stalled at the Bentley 33 and the Falcons went 46 yards to kick the game-winning 38-yard field goal as time expired for the heart-wrenching loss.

Quarterback Cooper Jordan (9 of 17, 108 yards, 1 TD; 15 carries, 56 yards) paced the offense while Robby Longo made four catches for 68 yards. Top returning tacklers for West Chester were defensive tackle Jack Fry (9 tackles, 1 TFL), defensive back Jamir Reyes (7 tackles), and defensive end Seamus McCain (7 tackles, 1 TFL).

Scouting the Opponent:

Last season's starting quarterback, Brett Pullman, was second team All-NE10 but has finished his college career. The Falcons will likely turn to senior Billy Osborn (6 of 13 for 23 yards, 1 int) under center. Regardless of who's throwing, he'll be targeting graduate student and reigning Northeast-10 Most Valuable Player Rashon Bradford (74 catches, 1007 yards, 13 TD's). In addition to Bradford, the Falcons return their top five pass catchers from 2024 including tight end Pat Damon (38 catches, 411 yards, 6 TD's), receiver Jonathan Oriakhi (30 catches, 344 yards, 1 TD), receiver Isaiah Decias (22 catches, 309 yards, 1 TD) and receiver Nick Marciano (24 catches, 255 yards, 1 TD). While Bentley's five running backs are all upperclassmen - one graduate student, three seniors, and one junior - the most experienced among them is Joshua Compoh (30 carries, 130 yards, 1 TD). Left tackle Mike Boutros was second team All-NE10 a year ago.

Punter Matt Richardson (42 punts, 36.6 avg, 5 50+, 9 I20, 1 TB) returns for his senior season and may also be called on to place kick as well.

Defensively, Bentley returns All-NE10 players in linebacker Henry Schouten (103 tackles, 13.5 TFL) and defensive back Matt Duchemin (33 tackles, 6 PBU). Linebacker Christian Zamor (15 tackles, 3.5 sacks) was named to the league's all-rookie team.

Other key returning defenders include defensive end Tommy DeMatteo (29 tackles, 5.0 TFL, 6 QBH), defensive tackle Isaiah Gomes (24 tackles, 5.0 sacks, 4 QBH), and defensive end Micye Duntin (10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, 6 QBH).

Analysis:

As usual, Bentley is very experienced with the roster boasting 25 graduate students and 22 seniors. The Falcons were picked to finish first in the NE10 Football Coaches’ Poll.

Oddly enough, the Bentley opener has served as a barometer for the season. West Chester had big wins over the Falcons in 2017 and 2018 and in both of those years, went on to capture a share of the PSAC East and qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs. Last season West Chester dropped the season opener as time expired, and would lose games three and four of the season in the waning moments of each of those contests.

Versus Sports simulates a 28-23 Bentley victory while Massey Ratings projects a similar 27-24 outcome.

Game Coverage:

Live Stats   Audio   Video  

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Opens 2025 Saturday at Bentley

PSAC Site - PSAC Football Week 1 Notes

Bentley Athletic Site - Coach Scarpa, MVP Bradford ready to lead Bentley football in 2025

Bentley Athletic Site - Scarpa announces captains for 2025 football season

KYW Newsradio's 1-On-1 with Matt Leon - 2025 College Football Preview: West Chester University Golden Rams

Daily Local News- Rams looking to continue momentum from last six games of ’24

Player News - Noble Named to 2025 Elite 100 Watch List

Senior linebacker Connor Noble has been named to the D2Football.com Elite 100 Watch List for 2025. Noble is one of eleven players from the PSAC to make the list.

After each of the last two seasons, Noble was named first team All-PSAC East, All-Super Region 1 by the Division 2 Conference Commissioner's Association, and honorable mention All-American by the Don Hansen Football Gazette. In 2024, Noble finished second in the PSAC in total tackles with 117. He also tallied 2.0 sacks, two forced fumbles, two interceptions, three quarterback hurries and four pass breakups.

Connor Noble (Photo Chuck Greco)

D2Football.com - 2025 Elite 100 Watch List

West Chester Athletic Site - Connor Noble Earns Preseason Plaudit From D2Football.com Watch List

Team News - 2025 Roster Changes

With camp in full swing, it's worth taking a look at the latest changes to the roster. On the bright side, all incoming freshman recruits and transfers appear except defensive back Shamarr Joppy (Wayne St), tight end Kristen McAdams (Monroe), and running back Nasir Robinson (Pace).

Departures:

The most notable departures from the roster are defensive lineman Dan Hicks (Mercer) and offensive lineman Patrick Methlie (Delaware). In the secondary, players with apparent eligibility remaining but no longer on the roster include Matt Marshall (10 starts, 46 tackles, 2 int in 2024), Jaleel Davis-Shabazz (21 tackles in 2023), and Zaire McLaurin (15 tackles in 2024). And West Chester's rushing attack will look very different as running backs Dayshawn Jacobs (4 starts, 213 yards, 3 TD's, 10 catches, 56 yards, 1 TD in 2024) and Jayden Williams (2 starts, 114 yards, 3 TD's, 3 catches, 57 yards in 2024) are not on the roster. Also, Anthony Leonardi (98 yards, 1 TD, 62-yd TD catch vs Shepherd in 2024) is on the roster, but without a number.

Additions:

In addition to the previously announced transfers, others that newly appear are running back Jamir Robertson (1 carry for 4 yards at Central Connecticut in 2023), defensive back Andrew Garwo (redshirted at Temple in 2021), running back James Fisher (All-DelCo Football Player of the Year in 2023), defensive end Ronnell McCorn (13 tackles in 12 games in 3 seasons at Albany), kicker Dylan Shank (6 punts, 2 kickoffs in 2 seasons at Rhode Island), tight end Liam Besecker (limited action at Temple and Florida Atlantic), defensive tackle Isaiah Oduro (2 seasons at Lackawanna, did not see game action in 2 seasons at Monmouth), and defensive tackle Amara Yobouet (3 tackles in 3 games at Monmouth in 2022).

One other significant change is that All-American linebacker Connor Noble returns after being in the transfer portal with offers reportedly from Football Championship Subdivision schools Stony Brook, Maine and Western Illinois.

Player News - Six Golden Rams Receive D2 ADA Academic Achievement Award

Six West Chester Golden Ram players have received honors for their performance in the classroom for the 2024-25 academic year.

Recipients of the Division 2 Athletics Directors Association Academic Achievement Award are:

• sophomore receiver Troy Corson
• sophomore defensive lineman Jack Fry
• sophomore receiver Zack Gillen
• junior quarterback Ethan Kohler
• junior H-back Brody McAndrew
• freshman offensive lineman Richard Pohorilenko

Gillen, Kohler and McAndrew appeared on this list after last academic year as well.

In order to be recognized, each player must have completed a minimum of four semesters of college work, have been an active member of an intercollegiate team during the past academic year, and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.5.

Overall, 151 student-athletes from West Chester University received recognition. The PSAC was the most represented conference in the country with 2,035 student-athletes honored.

National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics - Academic Achievement Recipients Announced

PSAC Site - 2,051 PSAC student-athletes recognized with 2024-25 Division II ADA Academic Achievement Awards

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Lands 151 Student Athletes on D2 ADA Academic Honor Roll List

Team News - Golden Rams Picked To Finish Third in 2025

The West Chester University Golden Rams were picked to finish third in the eastern division by the conference coaches at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Football Virtual Media Day. Prior to last season, the Golden Rams were predicted to finish fourth and actually finished in a tie for third place with Bloomsburg.

Predicted order with first place votes in parentheses:

Eastern Division
1. Kutztown (7)
2. East Stroudsburg (1)
3. West Chester
4. Shepherd
5. Bloomsburg
6. Lock Haven
7. Shippensburg
8. Millersville

The No. 3 team in the East poll is West Chester, which won four of its last six contests in 2024 and returns QB Cooper Jordan for his fourth and final season under center. On defense, seven starters are back – in addition to LB Connor Noble, who recorded 117 tackles last fall. pic.twitter.com/fVIlo1pQsY

— PSAC Sports (@PSACsports) August 7, 2025

PSAC Site - Kutztown earns No. 1 spot in 2025 PSAC Football Eastern Division Preseason Poll

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Picked to Finish Third in PSAC Eastern Division

Alumni News - Erik Pratt Named to Gannon Staff

Former Golden Ram offensive lineman Erik Pratt has been named the offensive coordinator of the Gannon Golden Knights. Pratt replaces last year's OC Blake Stone who has assumed the role of running backs coach at Emporia State. Pratt will have his work cut out for him as last year among the 15 PSAC schools, Gannon's offense ranked 14th in scoring, 14th in rushing, 6th in passing and 13th in total yards.

After his Golden Ram playing career from 2009-2012, Pratt played for three seasons in the Professional Indoor Football League. He then served as a graduate assistant at PSAC East rival East Stroudsburg before assuming coaching roles at Wingate, Chowan, Bucknell and, most recently, North Carolina at Pembroke.

Gannon Athletics - Pratt Named Offensive Coordinator / Offensive Line Coach

Team News - 23 Golden Rams Named PSAC Scholar-Athletes

Twenty-three players that were on the Golden Ram football roster last season have been named PSAC Scholar-Athletes for the 2024-2025 academic year. In order to qualify for the honor, athletes must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.25 or better. There were 3,922 athletes from all 17 PSAC institutions of which 289 represented West Chester University.

Representing the football team are:

• sophomore receiver Troy Corson
• sophmore defensive lineman Jack Fry $
• sophomore receiver Zack Gillen $*
• senior kicker Sean Henry $
• redshirt freshman receiver Griffin Huffman $
• redshirt freshman offensive lineman Brody Jacobs $
• freshman defensive back Chris Kohlbrenner
• junior quarterback Ethan Kohler $*
• redshirt sophomore kicker Zack Liberatore $*
• junior H-back Brody McAndrew $
• junior tight end Thatcher Miller $*^
• freshman tight end Sean Moskowitz
• senior defensive back Shane Mosley $
• freshman kick Tommy Pajic
• senior running back Juke Peaker
• sophomore offensive lineman Richard Pohorilenko $
• redshirt freshman defensive back Jamir Reyes
• freshman linebacker Brenn Scott
• freshman linebacker Jayden Trace
• freshman offensive lineman Tucker Valoczki
• junior long snapper Luke Vereb $*^
• freshman defensive back Dan Vogelsong
• junior running back Jayden Williams

$ Student-athletes who were also recognized as a PSAC Scholar-Athlete for the 2023-2024 academic year.

* Student-athletes who were also recognized as a PSAC Scholar-Athlete for the 2022-2023 academic year.

^ Student-athletes who were also recognized as a PSAC Scholar-Athlete for the 2021-2022 academic year.

PSAC Site - PSAC honors 3,922 as Scholar-Athletes for 2024-25 academic year

West Chester Athletic Site - West Chester Lands 289 Student-Athletes on PSAC Academic Honor Roll

Event News - Popcorn Fundraiser

The Golden Rams football team is holding a popcorn fundraiser to raise money for practice gear, team apparel and travel essentials. Choose from a dozen different flavors available in five different collections. But hurry. The Pop-Up Store closes on Saturday June 14 at 5:00pm!

WCU’s Pop-Up Store