WACO, Texas - West Chester University's football squad climbed two spots to No. 14 in the latest American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II poll that was released Monday afternoon.
The Golden Rams (4-0) are off to a blistering start and travel to Shippensburg on Saturday for a 1 p.m. contest against the Red Raiders at Seth Grove Stadium.
West Chester opened the 2019 campaign at No. 22, before moving up to No. 19 following a season-opening win against Bentley at home. The Golden Rams continued their journey up the coaches poll two weeks later when they moved up to No. 19 following a 3-0 start.
West Chester's top ranked defense in Division II is averaging just one touchdown and extra point allowed through four games and has held the opposition to under 20 yards rushing as a team in each of its last two contests. Additionally, punter
George Lambritsios (Newtown Square, Pa./Marple Newtown) leads the country in net punting with a 43.81 average net per punt. He ranks second overall in punting, averaging 46.5 yards per boot. He has three punts that have gone more than 60 yards this fall.
Offensively, Ja'Den
McKenzie (Morton, Pa./Springfield-DELCO) ranks eighth in Division II with six rushing touchdowns. He is second in the conference, behind East Stroudsburg's Devante Robinson.
2019 American Football Coaches Association Division II Coaches' Poll – September 30, 2019
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Rank  School (1st votes)               Rec.    Pts.   Prev.     Week 4                                                                                                Next Game
    1.   Valdosta St. (Ga.) (30)            4-0     774          1     D. Shorter (Ga.), 44-7                                        Oct. 5 vs. Mississippi College
    2.   Ferris St. (Mich.) (1)                 4-0     761          2     D. Northern Michigan, 38-10                                 Oct. 5 at Davenport (Mich.)
    3.   Minnesota St.                            4-0     723          3     D. Winona St. (Minn.), 20-6                    Oct. 5 vs. No. 12 Minnesota-Duluth
    4.   Tarleton St. (Texas) (1)           4-0     705          4     D. Texas-Permian Basin, 49-7             Oct. 5 vs. No. 23 Angelo St. (Texas)
    5.   Notre Dame (Ohio)                  4-0     636          5     D. Urbana (Ohio), 40-20                            Oct. 5 vs. West Virginia Wesleyan
    6.   Ouachita Baptist (Ark.)            4-0     627          6     D. Southwestern Oklahoma St., 26-21     Oct. 5 vs. Southeastern Oklahoma St.
    7.   Northwest Missouri St.            4-0     621          7     D. Central Oklahoma, 59-10                                Oct. 5 at Emporia St. (Kan.)
    8.   Lenoir-Rhyne (N.C.)                4-0     581          8     D. Mars Hill (N.C.), 56-28                                            Oct. 5 vs. Virginia-Wise
    9.   Grand Valley St. (Mich.)          4-0     539          9     D. Michigan Tech, 21-16                                           Oct. 5 vs. Ashland (Ohio)
 10.   Slippery Rock (Pa.)                  4-0     498        10     D. Seton Hill (Pa.), 55-14                                         Oct. 5 at Mercyhurst (Pa.)
 11.   Indianapolis (Ind.)                    4-0     481        12     D. Southwest Baptist (Mo.), 49-6                      Oct. 5 at William Jewell (Mo.)
 12.   Minnesota-Duluth                     4-0     457        13     D. Bemidji St. (Minn.), 42-7                                Oct. 5 at No. 3 Minnesota St.
 13.   Colorado School of Mines      4-0     437        14     D. New Mexico Highlands, 42-13                             Oct. 5 at Colorado Mesa
 14.   West Chester (Pa.)                  4-0     350        16     D. Millersville (Pa.), 48-7                                     Oct. 5 at Shippensburg (Pa.)
 15.   Pittsburg St. (Kan.)                  4-0     322       18t     D. Nebraska-Kearney, 37-14                                       Oct. 5 vs. Lincoln (Mo.)
 16.   Wingate (N.C.)                          4-0     305        17     D. Catawba (N.C.), 13-10                                      Oct. 5 at Tusculum (Tenn.)
 17.   Central Missouri                       4-0     283       18t     D. Washburn (Kan.), 55-27                             Oct. 5 at Missouri Southern St.
 18.   Colorado St.-Pueblo                3-1     270        20     D. No. 11 Texas A&M-Commerce, 24-17       Oct. 5 at South Dakota Mines
 19.   Indiana (Pa.)                             4-0     232        21     D. Mercyhurst (Pa.), 56-24                                       Oct. 5 vs. California (Pa.)
 20.   Bowie St. (Md.)                         4-0     161        23     D. St. Augustine's (N.C.), 54-6                Oct. 5 at Winston-Salem St. (N.C.)
 21.   Texas A&M-Commerce           2-1     120        11     Lost to No. 20 Colorado St.-Pueblo, 24-17  Oct. 5 at Texas A&M-Kingsville
 22.   Harding (Ark.)                           3-1     118        22     D. Henderson St. (Ark.), 14-13           Oct. 5 vs. Southern Nazarene (Okla.)
 23.   Angelo St. (Texas)                   4-0     116       NR     D. No. 15 Midwestern St. (Texas), 28-6      Oct. 5 at No. 4 Tarleton St. (Texas)
 24.   Kutztown (Pa.)                          4-0       90       NR     D. Shepherd (W.Va.), 34-27                                  Oct. 5 at Bloomsburg (Pa.)
 25.   West Alabama                          3-1       70        24     D. Tuskegee (Ala.), 36-16                           Oct. 5 vs. North Greenville (S.C.)
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Dropped Out: Midwestern St. (Texas) (15), Saginaw Valley St. (Mich.) (25)
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Others Receiving Votes: Midwestern St. (Texas), 49; Truman St. (Mo.), 44; Virginia Union, 9; Florida Tech, 5; West Florida, 5; Delta St. (Miss.), 4; West Texas A&M, 4; Henderson St. (Ark.), 2; California (Pa.), 1.
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