KUTZTOWN - While making the trip to Kutztown University for Monday's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference East Division preseason media football conference, one of the topics of conversation in the Bloomsburg University van was certainly on target.
Head coach Danny Hale and senior players quarterback Pat Carey of Loyalsock and defensive back Oscar Rivera of Bethlehem Liberty talked about how the Huskies figured to be the team to beat in the division. Well, it turns out they are much more than that; all eight of the division's head coaches voted them No. 1, making them the unanimous choice to successfully defend their title a year after they were one of four teams to receive first-place votes.
"Well, considering the alternative, from my perspective, I'd rather have the votes than not have the votes because it says a lot of positive things about how people see our program," Hale said. "So, the fact we have that bull's eye on our backs really doesn't upset us, but we all know that preseason polls are one thing and the regular season is something else."
This is the second time in three years that the Huskies have been picked to win the East, and they are also ranked No. 10 by "The Sporting News" in its Division II preseason poll and No. 15 in the Division II preseason poll. For the sixth straight year California is the favorite to win the West, but the Vulcans and defending PSAC champion Mercyhurst both have four first-place votes.
Bloomsburg is looking for its second straight trip to the PSAC championship game, and the Vulcans will try to return to the "State Game" after missing it last year for the first time since the title game was reinstated in 2008. California, which is ranked No. 11 in the D2 poll and No. 17 by "The Sporting News," won the title in 2008 and was runner-up in 2009.
Bloomsburg is seeking its third trip to the NCAA playoffs in four years and for the fourth time in seven years. Kutztown, which finished second to the Huskies and made its first NCAA playoff appearance, is projected to finish second in the East and the Golden Bears are No. 20 in the D2 poll and No. 21 in "The Sporting News" poll.
Perennial East power West Chester is seen as the dark horse, receiving six second-place votes and finishing No. 3. Following the Golden Rams are C.W. Post, East Stroudsburg, Shippensburg, Millersville and Cheyney.
Here are the PSAC preseason coaches polls with first-place votes in parenthesis.
1. Bloomsburg (8)
2. Kutztown
3. West Chester
4. C.W. Post
5. East Stroudsburg
6. Shippensburg
7. Millersville
8. Cheyney
1. California (4)
2. Mercyhurst (4)
T3. IUP
T3. Slippery Rock
5. Gannon
6. Edinboro
7. Clarion
8. Lock Haven