PSAC Announces Preseason Football Coaches’ Poll; Bald Eagles open season at home
LOCK HAVEN, PA – The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) released the 2023 Preseason Coaches’ polls today (Aug. 10) and the Lock Haven football team was picked eighth in the PSAC Eastern Division.
Shepherd received five of eight first-place votes and was tabbed by the coaches as the preseason-favorite in the Eastern Division. Kutztown grabbed two first-place votes and was picked second overall in the eight-team division. West Chester earned the final first-place vote and sits third in the preseason rankings. Rounding out the East was: East Stroudsburg, Millersville, Shippensburg, Bloomsburg and Lock Haven.
In the Western Division, IUP earned six of eight first-place votes and was selected as the preseason favorite. Slippery Rock grabbed two first-place votes and was picked second. California (Pa.) rounded out the top-three in the West and was followed by Gannon, Edinboro, Seton Hill, Clarion and Mercyhurst.
For Lock Haven, the 2023 season will mark the second for the Bald Eagles under head coach Dan Mulrooney, and his talented and energetic staff.
Mulrooney was named Lock Haven’s head coach on Jan. 31, 2022. Coach Mulrooney joined The Haven family after leading a remarkable turnaround at NCAA Division III Anna Maria College in Paxton, Massachusetts. A historic 7-3 record led Anna Maria to the 2021 NCAA Division III playoffs, the school’s first-ever NCAA tournament appearance.
Lock Haven will open the 2023 season at home on Saturday, Sept. 2 vs. Post University (Waterbury, Conn.).
It marks the second straight season where the two teams will meet during Week-1 action. A year ago, the Bald Eagles opened the 2022 season at Post and came away with a thrilling 35-34 victory.
The Week-1 home game is one of six home games scheduled at Hubert Jack Stadium. Lock Haven will host PSAC East opponents East Stroudsburg, Shepherd, Kutztown and West Chester before a Week-11 home game vs. PSAC West foe Edinboro.
Lock Haven’s 2023 Homecoming and Hall of Fame Game is set for Saturday, Sept. 23 vs. East Stroudsburg.
All six home games will kick off at 1 p.m.
Lock Haven will hit the road during Week-2 and Week-3 PSAC East-West Crossover action as the Bald Eagles travel to Mercyhurst and Clarion, respectively.
The Haven’s 2023 PSAC East road games will be at Millersville, Bloomsburg and Shippensburg. The full 2023 schedule is available at GoLHU.com.
The Bald Eagles return a pair of standouts on offense including running back DeAndre Wakefield, and wide receiver Marquon Williams. Wakefield ranked fifth in the PSAC last season with nearly 70 rushing yards per game. In nine games, he ran for 626 yards and three touchdowns. Williams recorded 600 yards receiving and hauled in seven TDs. He ranked among the top-12 in the PSAC in total receiving yards and receiving yards per game. Defensively, Kasir Henry (DB) returns after recording 60 tackles last season.
Overall, the Bald Eagles return six starters on offense and six starters on defense.
Lock Haven celebrated National Signing Day 2023 with the announcement of over 40 new Bald Eagle signees.
Rounding out the new-look roster was the recent addition of eight talented transfers including players from Division I Alabama and Penn State.
The Bald Eagles returned to camp this week and practice is underway. For updates, follow the team on social media – @LHU_Football.
