The Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference football coaches voted IUP No.2 in the West division in today’s 2025 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference’s Western Division Football Preseason Poll.
IUP received three first-place votes. The Crimson Hawks finished 7-3 in 2024 and featured the West’s best defense in many categories including scoring (14.4 PPG) and total yards allowed (258.9 per game.)
IUP’s offense will get a boost with new offensive coordinator Frank Cignetti Jr. returning to the IUP fold. Cignetti sat down for a conversation with Renda Media’s Jack Benedict this week.
IUP returns seven All-PSAC players in head coach Paul Tortorella’s eighth season at the helm of the Crimson Hawk program. The Hawks welcome the home-heavy schedule for the season, as the team went 3-1 at home in 2024.
The Crimson Hawks offense will be led by a new quarterback in 2025, as former three-star recruit and No. 1 ranked pro-style passer in the state of Ohio in 2020, Matthew Rueve, will be QB1 going into the new season. Rueve threw for 2,646 yards and 26 touchdowns last season at Findlay.
Slippery Rock received four first-place votes and finished at the top of the poll for the West. The Rock posted a 12-2 overall record and advanced all the way to the NCAA semifinals. Slippery Rock has plenty of talent returning, including All-American left tackle Joe Cooper.
Here is the entire 2025 PSAC Football West Division Preseason Poll, followed by the East poll.
1. Slippery Rock (4)
2. IUP (3)
3. California
4. Gannon
5. Seton Hill
6. Edinboro
7. Clarion
1. Kutztown (7)
2. East Stroudsburg (1)
3. West Chester
4. Shepherd
5. Bloomsburg
6. Lock Haven
7. Shippensburg
8. Millersville
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