LOCK HAVEN, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) released its first poll of the 2026-27 season, announcing the results of the football coaches' preseason votes as the season gets underway. After finishing third in 2025, ESU was picked to jump up to second place in the PSAC East this season.
 
The Warriors went 8-3 in 2025, winning at least eight games for the third consecutive year, marking the first time in two decades ESU football achieved that level of high-end consistency. 19 starters return for the Warriors in 2026 across the offense, defense, and special teams, including two All-Americans, two All-Region standouts, and nine All-PSAC honorees.
 
On the offensive side of the ball, ESU averaged the second-highest scoring offense in the division, putting up 32.8 PPG against its opponents. The bulk of the Warriors' success came from their ground game, as they averaged 203.9 rushing yards per game and scored 33 touchdowns. ESU is bringing back its top two leading rushers, QB Harrison Susi and TB Ajani Walker. The tandem combined for 1,298 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, as Susi is knocking on the door of setting a new program record for career rushing touchdowns by a QB, needing two more.
 
Defensively, ESU is bringing back the same defensive line it started in 10 of its games, led by All-Super Region 1 Second Team DE Ashton Blose. Blose, who was an All-PSAC First Team member as well last season, will be lined up opposite Terrell Reynolds. Between them will be Jake Williamson and Ryan Epps, a pair of All-PSAC Second Team defensive linemen from the previous year. The group totaled 22.0 sacks and 33.0 TFLs, leading the way for ESU to allow the second-fewest PPG, 24.5, and YPG, 331.2. In the secondary, Everette Dingle assumes his place as the free safety going into his redshirt senior season. Dingle received plenty of accolades for his 2025 season, making the D2Football.com Elite 100 Second Team, D2CCA All-Super Region 1 First Team, and All-PSAC East First Team.
 
When games were close, the Warriors made it a habit of winning on the margins by executing on special teams. ESU had three specialists earn All-PSAC honors in K Ty Quintois, P Adam Noll, and KR Elijah Carroll. The former, in addition to making the division's First Team, was also an AFCA All-America Second Team selection after going 45-46 on PATs and 8-13 on FGs. Noll and Carroll were some of the top performers in all of Division II as well, as Noll's 44.1 average yards per punt would have ranked fourth, and Carroll's 757 total kick return yards were the second-most in the country.
 
ESU opens its season on the road in back-to-back weeks, beginning at Seton Hill at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 27, before travelling to Pace for another night game at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 4. The Warriors welcome Slippery Rock for their home opener the following week, with kickoff at 6:35 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 12, and begin PSAC East play at Eiler-Martin Stadium versus West Chester at 1:05 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 3.

PSAC Preseason Poll (Eastern Division)

Rank	School (# of 1st Place Votes)
1	Kutztown (6)
2	East Stroudsburg
3	Shepherd (1)
4	West Chester
5	Bloomsburg
6	Shippensburg
7	Millersville

PSAC Preseason Poll (Western Division)

Rank	School (# of 1st Place Votes)
1	Indiana (Pa.) (5)
2	Slippery Rock (3)
3	California (Pa.)
4	Edinboro
5	Clarion
6	Seton Hill
7	Lock Haven
8	Gannon