The Enduring Legacy of Kutztown University Athletics

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania, a public institution rooted in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, boasts a rich history extending back to its founding in 1866 as the Keystone Normal School. While initially focused on teacher education, the university has evolved into a comprehensive institution offering a wide array of programs in the liberal arts and sciences, visual and performing arts, business, and education. A vital component of the Kutztown University experience is its athletics program, which has undergone significant transformations and achieved notable successes throughout the years.

From Golden Avalanche to Golden Bears: A Nickname Evolution

The evolution of Kutztown's athletic identity is marked by a transition in team nicknames. From the mid-1930s until 1961, Kutztown's sports teams were known as the Golden Avalanche. In 1961, the university adopted the Golden Bears nickname, symbolizing a shift in the institution's athletic branding. In later years, Golden Bear mascots came into play. Before 2005, Goldie and Griz served as the KU Golden Bear mascots. However, they were both "graduated" to make way for a new mascot. The Raymond Entertainment Group of Newark, Delaware, helped KU create the new mascot. On October 1, 2005, at Kutztown's football game versus West Chester University, Kutztown University unveiled Avalanche as the school's new mascot. Avalanche is named in honor of the nickname of then Kutztown State College's sports teams from the mid-1930s to the early 1960s.

The Golden Bears in Action: A Diverse Sporting Landscape

The Kutztown Golden Bears represent the university in a diverse range of intercollegiate sports. As a member of NCAA Division II, Kutztown competes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC). The university sponsors eight men's and fourteen women's intercollegiate sports.

The Golden Bears' presence extends beyond the sports fields, with Golden Bear statues adorning the basketball courts on South Campus and North Campus near the Boehm Science Building. Residential areas are also named after the Golden Bear, further solidifying the mascot's connection to the university's identity.

Acrobatics & Tumbling: A New Era Begins

Kutztown's newest varsity sport, women's acrobatics & tumbling, made its debut during the 2022 season, going 3-3 under first-year head coach Karah Paull. Paull (formerly Naples) was an All-American as a student-athlete at Fairmont State and is working quickly to make the Golden Bears a contender.

Baseball

Ryan Vogelsong, a Golden Baseball alum, won a World Series title with the San Francisco Giants.

Basketball

The Kutztown University's men's basketball team was established in 1903. It is currently under the direction of head coach Bernie Driscoll, who has led the program since 2000. The team won the PSAC East regular-season title in 1988 and shared the division title in 2008. The Kutztown University women's basketball team was established in 1971. Head coach Janet Malouf has served in that position since 1994.

Cross Country

The Kutztown University men's and women's cross country teams are under the direction of head coach Ray Hoffman, who has led the program since 1998. The women's team has earned five trips to the NCAA Championship, including a best-ever 14th-place finish in 2006 after winning its first-ever NCAA East Regional title. The women's cross country team has competed in the NCAA Championships four times. In 2000, Megan Seefeldt won the individual PSAC title, being the first-ever in the program's history. The team has placed as high as second at the PSAC Championships and have not placed lower than fourth in the last six seasons.

Field Hockey

The Kutztown University field hockey team is led by head coach Marci Scheuing, who has served in that role since 2013. She was named the PSAC Coach of the year in 2015. Betty Wesner was named the NFHCA Division II coach of the year in 1997, the NHFCA South Region Coach of the Year in 2007, and the PSAC coach of the year in 1988, 1997, 2004 and 2007. In 2019, Kutztown advanced to the NCAA Division II national semifinals, before falling to eventual champion West Chester. The team finished as the NCAA Division II runner-up in 1997. Kutztown has been a perrenial nationally ranked powerhouse in the PSAC and Division II field hockey the past many seasons. In 2023, the Golden Bears won the NCAA Division II Field Hockey National Championship defeating East Stroudsburg University by a score of 2-1.

Football

The Kutztown University football team is led by coach Jim Clements. Clements led the Golden Bears to the 2021 PSAC East title and PSAC championship. In 2023, Kutztown made its deepest NCAA DII Championship tournament run in program history, reaching the national semifinals. Clements came to Kutztown after serving as the head coach at Division III Delaware Valley College for eight years. He is the winningest coach in Delaware Valley history with an overall record of 66-24 from 2006 to 2013, including a perfect 10-0 regular season in 2011.

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Women's Golf

The Kutztown University's women's golf team is led by head coach Robert Fisher, who has served in the role since January 2002.

Women's Lacrosse

The Kutztown University women's lacrosse program returned to varsity status in 2008. The program was instituted in 1975 and discontinued in 1990. he program, which won the PSAC title in 1982, is responsible for the first PSAC Championship by a women's team in KU history.

Women's Soccer

The Kutztown Women's Soccer Team is under the direction of Erik Burstein, who became head coach in 2007. Burstein came to Kutztown from Bowling Green State University, where he served as an assistant coach during the 2006 season. Players from Kutztown were selected to the All-PSAC Women's Soccer Team 28 times since 1994.

Softball

Kutztown University's softball team is led by head coach Judy Lawes, who has served as head coach since 1987. Lawes has led the Golden Bears to appearances in the NCAA Division II Tournament in 1994-96 and then every year from 2000 to 2008. Lawes has also guided Kutztown to 13 PSAC playoff appearances, including four runner-up finishes (1988, 1989, 1996, 2007). Lawes has been named PSAC East Coach of the Year in 1989, 1994, 2000 and 2007. Lawes also garnered the Dr. Dorothy Moyer Award in 1994, 1995, 2000, 2007 and 2008, which is presented to the KU Coach of the Year for women's athletics. Other accomplishments include setting the school record for overall wins (48) in 2008 and wins in the Eastern Division (22) in 2007.

Swimming

The Kutztown University men’s and women's swimming program is guided by head coach Tim Flannery, who has served in that position since 1996-97. The men's team was discontinued following the 2008-2009 season. The team was reinstated for the 2024-25 season.

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Tennis

Kutztown University's men's and women's tennis teams are under the direction of head coach Wyatt Pauley, who completed his first season in 2021-22. The men's team has won the PSAC title in 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2001-02, 2003-04, 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07.

Track and Field

Kutztown University's Men's and women's indoor and outdoor track and field teams are under the direction of head coach Ray Hoffman, who has led the program since the 2006-07 season. The men's team won the PSAC outdoor title in 1983, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2001 and 2002; and the Eastern College Athletic Conference indoor title in 1995, 1997, 1998, 2000 and 2001. The women's team has won the PSAC outdoor title in 1997, 2000 and 2005; the PSAC indoor title in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2019; and the ECAC indoor title in 2001.

Volleyball

The Kutztown women's volleyball team was formerly led by head coach John Gump, who retired following the 2021-22 school year. Before coaching at Kutztown, he was head coach of Division III Allentown College, later renamed DeSales University. Gump is the winningest coach in Kutztown University volleyball history.

Wrestling

The Kutztown University wrestling team is led by head coach Robert Fisher, who has served in that role since 2000-01. The program was established in 1940, but was discontinued three years later due to World War II. In 1965, Dan Hinkel was the head coach when the program was reinstated. In 2007, Joe Kemmerer won the first NCAA championship, winning the 133 pound title at the Division II Championships. Kemmerer repeated his feat by becoming a two-time national champion at 133 lbs. in 2009. Since then, heavyweights Ziad Haddad (2014 and 2015) and Andrew Dunn Jr.

Rugby Football Club

Founded in 1984 by Andrew Lewis, the Kutztown Rugby Football Club represents Kutztown in college rugby competitions, and has been a member of USA Rugby since 1988. Kutztown plays in the East Conference of Division 1-A Rugby. There have been multiple tournament wins, international tours, and playoff appearances. Kutztown has also been successful in rugby sevens and in May, 2022, the Golden Bears captured their first Collegiate Rugby Championship Men's Premier Division national championship with a 17-12 victory over Dartmouth in New Orleans. In February 2012, Kutztown beat Missouri and Miami-Ohio en route to reaching the semifinals at the Las Vegas Invitational. Kutztown began the fall 2012 season ranked as the #1 team in college rugby sevens. Kutztown reached the semifinals of the 2013 Collegiate Rugby Championship, the highest profile competition in college rugby sevens, played at PPL Park in Philadelphia and broadcast live on NBC.

A Tradition of Excellence: The Dixon Trophy and Beyond

Kutztown's commitment to athletic excellence is exemplified by its victory in the 2006 Dixon Trophy. Kutztown won the Dixon Trophy in 2006, which is awarded to the PSAC school with the best overall athletic program that year. This prestigious award recognizes the university's comprehensive success across its athletic programs.

Intramural and Club Sports: Fostering Participation and Community

Beyond its intercollegiate offerings, Kutztown University provides an array of intramural and club sports programs for students. These programs encourage participation, foster a sense of community, and provide opportunities for students to engage in athletic activities outside of the varsity level.

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