LH’s Collier named PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year, 1 of 4 Bald Eagles to land on All-Conference Football Team
LOCK HAVEN, PA – Record-breaking running back Chris Collier (Lawrence, N.Y./Lawrence) of the Lock Haven football team has been named the 2023 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Offensive Athlete of the Year and he was one of four Bald Eagles to land on the All-Conference Team following the historic 2023 season.
Collier (All-PSAC East First Team, offense) was one of two Lock Haven players named to the All-PSAC First Team. Standout-linebacker Cody Romano/Blair Academy) earned First Team defensive honors.
Both Joe Turek (Armagh, Pa./United) and Kasir Henry (Philadelphia, Pa./Anna Marie College) earned Second Team honors.
Collier is the program’s first player in history to be named PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year.
Collier led the PSAC is total rushing yards (1,393), rushing yards-per-game (126.6) and ranked second in rushing touchdowns (12). He became Lock Haven’s first 1,000-yard rusher since 1981. In the final game of the season, Collier rushed for 160 yards, pushing his season-total to 1,393, which now stands alone at the top of Lock Haven’s single-season rushing record book.
Collier broke Lock Haven Hall of Famer Joe Speese’s record of 1,321yards, set back in 1979 when the Bald Eagles won the PSAC title.
Romano, who was named to the First Team Defense at linebacker, finished the season with a team-high 81 tackles including 60 solo stops. He added 14 tackles-for-loss, three sacks, one interception, four breakups, three quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. Romano’s 60 solo tackles led the PSAC and he ranked among the top-10 in the league in tackles-for-loss.
Turek was named to the All-PSAC East Second Team Offense on the offensive line. His tremendous play and leadership up front paved the way for the Bald Eagles’ potent run game and high-scoring offense.
Lock Haven’s offense averaged 154.8 rushing-yards per game, the fifth-best mark in the PSAC. The Bald Eagles ranked top-10 in scoring and passing offense as well.
Henry earned All-PSAC East Second Team honors on defense. The defensive back finished the season with 53 tackles (40 solo), an interception, and two breakups.
Led by Romano and Henry, Lock Haven’s defense ranked second in the PSAC in sacks.
These four All-Conference selections played a pivotal role in the 2023 success and will be remembered forever for their efforts in the program’s remarkable and quick turnaround.
Lock Haven finished the season with five wins which served as the first five-win season since 1982.
Collier’s Offensive Player of the Year award marks Lock Haven’s first major PSAC football postseason player award winner since Maurice Walker was named PSAC West Rookie of the Year in 2001. The PSAC football award list dates back to 1985 and with that, Collier is Lock Haven’s first-ever player to be named Offensive Player of the Year, an award voted on by the league’s coaches.
