Image Credits: Via @wcugoldenramsfb on Instagram
West Chester University football entered 2026 with plenty of room for improvement. After finishing 4-7 last season, the Golden Rams wasted little time getting their new campaign started in the win column.
West Chester opened the season on Sept. 5 with a 21-13 road victory over Lincoln University. The win gives the Golden Rams a 1-0 record as they prepare for their home opener against No. 14 IUP on Sept. 12.
The ground game led West Chester’s offense against Lincoln, producing all three of the team’s touchdowns. Freshman Running Back, Mikhail Johnson, led the way, rushing for 103 yards and a touchdown on just 11 carries. His performance was highlighted by a 67 yard run, and he finished the game averaging 9.4 yards per carry.
Johnson was not the only Golden Ram to find the end zone. Junior Quarterback, Tyler Douglas, rushed three times for 25 yards and a touchdown, including an 18 yard run. Junior Quarterback, Jack Pellicciotti, added the third rushing touchdown.
Pellicciotti accounted for all of West Chester’s passing yards in the opener. He completed nine of his 15 attempts for 67 yards, finishing with a 60 percent completion rate. He did not throw a touchdown or an interception, and his longest completion went for 13 yards.
West Chester spread those nine completions among five different players. Junior Wide Receiver, Dylan McKenzie, led the group with three receptions for 27 yards. Junior Wide Receiver, Adrien Mosley, followed with two catches for 19 yards. Maurice Clark had one reception for 12 yards, while Senior Running Back, Isaiah Wright, caught one pass for seven yards. Johnson added two receptions for two yards.
On the other side of the ball, West Chester’s defense held Lincoln to 13 points and had contributions throughout the lineup.
Junior Defensive Back, Jamir Reyes, led the Golden Rams with eight total tackles, including five solo tackles. He also recorded 1.5 tackles for loss for six yards.
Senior Defensive Lineman, Solo Bambara, finished just behind Reyes with seven total tackles, all assisted. He added 1.5 tackles for loss, half a sack and a quarterback hurry. Senior Linebacker, Luke Trunell, recorded five tackles and came away with West Chester’s interception. Freshman Defensive Lineman Eddie Bowen also recorded half a sack.
The opening victory comes after a 2025 season in which West Chester finished 4-7 overall and 2-5 in conference play. The Golden Rams went 2-3 at home and 2-4 on the road before ending the year with two consecutive losses.
Head Coach, Duke Greco, now leads West Chester into the remainder of an 11 game regular season schedule. The next game comes at home against No. 14 IUP at 6 p.m. on Sept. 12 at Farrell Stadium.
Following the home opener, West Chester will travel to Edinboro on Sept. 19 before hosting Millersville for Homecoming on Sept. 26. The Golden Rams will also face East Stroudsburg, Shepherd, Lackawanna College, Kutztown, Bloomsburg and Shippensburg before finishing the regular season at Gannon on Nov. 14.
With one game completed and 10 still ahead, West Chester’s 2026 season is only beginning. After a four win campaign last year, the Golden Rams have already taken their first step into the new season with a road victory.
Andrew Cappello is a third year Secondary Education major. ac1033580@wcupa.edu