Just as the Kutztown University football team dominated in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Championship Game, so too did the Golden Bears in voting for awards by the league’s coaches.
Kutztown, which beat No. 4 Slippery Rock 31-7 in the conference title game, earned three of the four major awards in the PSAC East and had seven players named to the all-conference first team and another five named to the second team.
Linebacker Tyler Whary, a grad student and Upper Perkiomen grad, was named Defensive Athlete of the Year; quarterback Judd Novak was named Freshman of the Year; and Jim Clements was named Coach of the Year.
Earning first-team honors from the Golden Bears were running back Darryl Davis-McNeil, a grad student; offensive guard Adam Kase, a senior and Conrad Weiser grad; wide receiver Kurtis Ravenel Jr., a grad student; defensive end Nigel Wilson, a redshirt senior; Whary; defensive back Justin Harris, a redshirt senior; and punter Nate Millard, a sophomore and Daniel Boone grad.
Second-team selections from KU were Novak, a redshirt freshman; offensive guard Billy Everitt, a redshirt sophomore; kicker Dawson Evitts, a senior; defensive lineman Earl Volz, a redshirt senior; and linebacker Kam Wolfe, a senior and Gov. Mifflin grad.
In addition, Wilson grad Isaiah Gilmore, a redshirt junior safety at Shippensburg, earned a spot on the second team.
In the PSAC West, Wilson grad Jack Wagner, a junior punter at Seton Hill, was named to the second team.
Whary, a second-team pick in 2021 and 2022, helped lead a unit that led the PSAC scoring defense (14.0 points per game) and yards allowed (254.5). He has 62 total tackles, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception, eight QB hurries and five pass breakups.
Novak, who became the starting quarterback in Week 2 due to an injury to Donny Blaine, has completed 121-of-230 passes for 1,721 yards and 15 touchdowns with seven interceptions. He also has run for 399 yards and three TDs. KU is 9-1 with him as the starter.
Clements led the Golden Bears to their second PSAC title in three years and third overall. Kutztown’s victory over Slippery Rock was its first over an opponent ranked in the top five. KU has won nine straight following an 0-2 start.
He also was named Coach of the Year in 2019 and 2021.
Kutztown hosts No. 13 Virginia Union in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs Saturday at noon.
Davis-McNeil, who earned all-conference honors for the third straight year, has run for 668 yards and seven TDs on 138 carries. He was MVP of the PSAC title game after running for 146 yards and two touchdowns on 26 carries. He also made the first team last year.
Kase and Everitt have helped the Golden Bears average 160.5 rushing yards per game and allow just 1.55 sacks per game.
Ravenal has 41 catches for 659 yards and four touchdowns.
Wilson leads Kutztown with 8.5 tackles for loss and is tied for the team lead with five sacks. He has 35 total tackles.
Harris has 34 tackles, one interception and five passes defended.
Millard leads the PSAC and ranked third in the NCAA at 44.1 yards per punt. He is the only punter in the conference with 10 or more 50-plus yard punts; he has 11. He also has placed 10 punts inside the opponent’s 20.
Evitts has made 11-of-15 field goals this season.
Volz has made 25 tackles, including two for loss and one sack.
Wolfe has set career highs in total tackles (58), tackles for loss (6.0) and interceptions (two).
Gilmore has made 52 total tackles, including a team-leading 34 solo, for Shippensburg.
Wagner averaged 39 yards per punt for Seton Hill. His 26 punts inside the 20 led the PSAC.
Source: Berkshire mont