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College sports

Kutztown University Football Tops Preseason Poll for Second Straight Year

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Kutztown University Athletics has secured the number one spot in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's Eastern Division preseason poll for the second consecutive year. The Golden Bears, who finished the 2024 season with an 11-1 overall record and won their second straight PSAC championship, received seven first-place votes. The team's success has been largely attributed to head coach Jim Clements, who is already the winningest coach in program history and is just 10 wins shy of 100 with KU entering 2025. The Golden Bears return a strong defense, led by redshirt junior defensive lineman Freddie Retter, who earned PSAC East Defensive Athlete of the Year and D2CCA Super Region 1 Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2024.

Key Takeaways:

  • Kutztown University Football has been selected as the top team in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's Eastern Division preseason poll for the second consecutive year, receiving seven first-place votes.
  • The Golden Bears have finished with a winning record in all 10 seasons under head coach Jim Clements, including four 10+ victory seasons in the last five seasons.
  • KU returns seven starters on a defense that led the PSAC and NCAA Division II in allowing just 10.2 points per game in 2024, the fewest points per game allowed by the team since moving to a 10-game schedule in 1976.
  • The team is bolstered by the return of All-PSAC East and D2CCA All-SR1 First Team lineman Ryan Schernecke, All-PSAC East First Team lineman Billy Everitt, and a pair of PSAC East Second Team selections in quarterback Judd Novak and running back Jaedyn Stewart.
  • Head coach Jim Clements is just 10 wins shy of 100 with KU entering 2025 and has been named AFCA DII Region 1 Coach of the Year four times (2019, 2021, 2023, 2024).

Statistics:

  • Kutztown's defense allowed just 10.2 points per game in 2024, the fewest points per game allowed by the team since moving to a 10-game schedule in 1976.
  • Freddie Retter led Kutztown with 13 tackles for loss (TFL), 7.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries, and three blocked kicks in 2024.
  • The Golden Bears have earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Championships for the second consecutive season and fifth in the last six, winning a program-record 11 games in a row to begin the season.

Sources:

  • Kutztown University Athletics news release
  • Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference's Eastern Division preseason poll

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