Top 10 Football Players in West Chester University History

1920 was the official inaugural year of West Chester’s football program. The program has been going on for one hundred and six years now, with over three thousand players bearing the iconic purple and gold.  

West Chester has captured nineteen PSAC Conference Championships, with the most recent being in 2018. The Rams have also won six PSAC Eastern Conference Championships and two Regional Championships and have had fourteen players drafted into the NFL!  

In this article, I will break down the top ten best players in the program’s history based on their impact on and off the field, statistics and what they accomplished in their time as a Golden Ram.

After that, we’ll also get to some honorable mentions.

Number 10. Al-Hajj Shabazz, DB/CB (2011-2014) 

Coming in at the 10 spot is Al-Hajj Shabazz, a standout cornerback for the Golden Rams in the early 2010s. Shabazz made opposing quarterbacks avoid throwing his way. In 47 games for the Golden Rams, he totaled 152 tackles, 101 of those being solo, 10 interceptions, 2 of those being returned for touchdowns, and 33 pass deflections.  

Shabazz has numerous first-team All PSAC and All Super Region honors under his belt. In his final two seasons for the Rams, he helped their strong defense and team to a 24-4 record and ECAC team of the year honors. In 2014, he was a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award, which recognizes the top small college defensive player.  

Shabazz was productive at his position and was a shutdown corner, putting fear into those he covered. His productivity, intensity, stats and awards helped Al-Hajj Shabazz reach the NFL, where he played for The Colts, Buccaneers, Steelers, Texans and Ravens.  

Shabazz was inducted into the Golden Rams Hall of Fame in 2023, where his legacy is one of the best cornerbacks in the program’s history.  

Number 9. Ralph Tamm, OL (1984-1987) 

Ralph Tamm started in his junior year at West Chester, where he received major honors.  

Tamm was a Kodak. All American, member of the AFCA All American first team (1987), Associated Press All American second team (1987) and multiple All Conference honors. He helped The Golden Rams reach back-to-back PSAC championship games in 1986 and 1987. He also helped lead the team to the number 2 ranked Division II football team.  

At 6’4″ and 280 lbs, Tamm was a strong, explosive player. He was a versatile guard and powerful run blocker who got defenders away from the ball.  

Besides the football field, Tamm also became a track star for the Rams. He was an All-American and school record holder for shot put with a 58-9 and discus as well with a 174-4.  

After his collegiate career, Tamm carved out a ten-year NFL career. He played for several teams but most notably, he became a two-time Super Bowl champion: First, during Super Bowl XXVI as a member of the Washington Redskins, Tamm won his first ring and two years later, in Super Bowl XXIX as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, he won his second ring. 

Number 8. Carl Gersbach, LB (1968-1969) 

After transferring from Duke in the late 1960s, Carl Gersbach quickly became a star and standout Linebacker for the Rams defense and was a key contributor to their 1969 PSAC championship season.  

Gersbach was an extremely physical linebacker who was a wrecking ball for run schemes. His intensity, toughness, and leadership earned him a spot as a team captain in the 1969 season, where the Golden Rams went 8-2 and won the championship that year. In that 1969 season, Gersbach was a Kodak College Division All American honorable mention, a member of the ECAC All East Division II team and earned a spot on the ALL PSAC team.  

After his collegiate career, Gersbach went on to play multiple seasons in the NFL, most notably for the Philadelphia Eagles, Vikings, Chargers and Bears. In 1985, he was inducted into the Golden Rams Hall of Fame, where his leadership, impact and legendary 1969 will live on. 

Number 7. Osagie Osunde, RB (2003-2007) 

During his time at WCU, Osagie Osunde was an explosive, star running back and is one of the program’s all-time greats, especially in the rushing and scoring categories.  

Osunde ranks 4th all-time in rushing yards with 3,846. He also ranks 4th all-time in all-purpose yards with 5,844, holds the school record for rushing touchdowns with 51, comes second all-time in total touchdowns with 57, and ranks second all-time in total points scored with 342.  

Osunde has multiple All PSAC and Regional honors, including being named the 2004 All PSAC First Team running back and a division II all-star in 2004.  

Osagie Osunde’s excellence went beyond the football field: He was a member of the Athletic Directors Academic Honor Roll and served as president of the student-athlete Advisory Council.  

Number 6. Joe Senser, TE (1975-1979)

Just like Ralph Tamm, Joe Senser was a two-sport star at West Chester, playing both football and basketball.  

As a football player, Senser was a physical and dominant tight end for the Golden Rams. He holds the school records for tight ends in receptions and yards, logging 155 career receptions and 2,186 yards. For 4 consecutive seasons (1975-78) Senser led the team in receptions; he was appointed team captain in 1978 and was inducted into the Golden Rams Hall of Fame in 1999.  

On the basketball court, he played 96 games. He was a member of the 1,000-point club, ranked 9th all-time in rebounds with 738, and led all the NCAA Division II with a 69% field goal percentage in the 1976-77 season.   

After college, Senser went on to be an extremely successful NFL player for the Minnesota Vikings. In his 49-game NFL career, Senser totaled 165 receptions, 1,822 yards and 16 touchdowns. In 1981 he was selected to the Pro Bowl, which was the NFL’s version of the All-Star Game. In his legendary 1981 season, he set records for Vikings tight ends with 79 receptions, 1,004 yards and 8 touchdowns.  

His impact stretched way beyond football. After he retired, he served as a color commentator for the Vikings for many years and owned several sports restaurants in the Twin Cities area.  

Sadly, on May 7th, 2026, Joe Senser passed away at the age of 69. His legacy as a player, father, commentator and active member of every community he touched will live on forever in his family.  

Number 5, Derrick Price, Rb (1987-1990) 

Kicking off the top 5 is Derrick Price, who was the Rams star running back from 1987 to 1990. Price was the first player in Golden Rams history to surpass 4,000 career rushing yards and held that record for 23 years. Price’s 4,008 rushing yards put him in second place on the all-time rushing yards list for the school.  

Price holds two other number 2 spots: the second most all-time rushing attempts at 812 and second all-time in 100-yard games at 21. Price was the first player in the program’s history to have over 20 games with 100 rushing yards or more. To this day, he holds the school record for most career yards on kickoff returns with 2,173.  

In 1988, 1989, and 1990, Price became the first Golden Ram to rush for 1,000 or more yards in three consecutive seasons. Those monster rushing seasons helped him earn multiple All PSAC East Team selections.  

Price wasn’t just a weapon as a back, but he was a multidimensional special teams’ player and held the record for most all-purpose yards for over two decades. He helped set the foundation for future Golden Rams running backs, and in 2007, he was inducted into the Golden Rams Hall of Fame.  

Number 4. Joe Lacone, RB (1960-1962) 

To say Joe Lacone was ahead of his time as a running back would be quite the understatement. He set multiple national, conference and school records that stood unchallenged for decades. In just 27 regular season games for the Golden Rams, Lacone totaled 3,983 rushing yards, which put him third all-time at West Chester, and scored 288 points.  

In the 1960 season, Lacone was the NCAA Division II National Rushing Champion with an insane 160 yards per game.

Following that season in 1961, Lacone led West Chester to the PSCC Championship game against Slippery Rock, in which West Chester won. 

Then, in 1962, he set the single season record for touchdowns with 16. That record stood for decades until broken by a player we’ll mention soon. In that same season, he set the single season rushing record with 1,486 rushing yards. That record stood for 40 years before being broken in 2002.

His 1962 season with 1,468 rushing yards and his 1960 season with 1,438 still ranks as number 2 and 4 on West Chester’s single season rushing list.  

Lacone’s 288 points scored in a single season was the all-time PSAC scoring record until broken in 1993. Lacone was a two-time Little All American First Team member (1961-1962) and a three-time All PSAC First Team member in all his seasons at West Chester. 

Lacone was inducted into the Golden Rams Hall of Fame and played a brief stint in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles. After he retired from football, he would go on to become a physical education teacher and coach.  

Number 3. Lee Woodall, LB/S (1989-1993) 

Lee Woodall is regarded as one of the most dominant and complete defensive players in the Golden Rams’ history. Woodall was a wrecking ball on defense, and he remains one of the only Golden Rams to surpass 135 or more tackles in a season: his 140 tackles in 1993 is the second highest in a season by a Golden Ram. This record was held for 14 years.  

From 1991 to 1993, Woodall led the team in tackles with over 100 each season. In all three of those seasons, Woodall was recognized as the team’s defensive MVP.

His accolades don’t stop there and include 1992 First Team All American, 3-time member of the All PSAC First Team (1991-1993), number 1 in solo tackles in program history with 240, PSAC East title winner in 1992, and 2007 Golden Rams Hall of Fame inductee.  

After college, Woodall went to the NFL and has had the most successful professional football career with any former Golden Ram. Drafted in 1994. Woodall became an immediate starter for the San Francisco 49ers, where in his first season, they won Super Bowl XXIX. He was also a member of the 1994 All-Rookie team.  

Woodall would earn two Pro Bowl selections in 1995 and 1997, becoming one of the few Division II players to earn multiple Pro Bowl appearances in her era.  

Over the course of his NFL career, Woodall played 124 games, started 104 of them, and recorded 469 tackles, 10 sacks and 6 interceptions. He truly represents what a Golden Ram can be, as his impact and story inspires many Rams and Division II football players alike.  

Number 2. Mike Washington, WR (2005-2008) 

Taking the number 2 spot is an explosive big play threat who rewrote the receiving and offensive record books. Mike Washington is considered by many to be the greatest Wide Receiver in West Chester history. Washington holds the record for most receiving yards in West Chester History at 4,715, which also puts him at number 3 all time in NCAA Division II receiving yards.  

He also holds the record at West Chester for most receiving touchdowns at 58, also putting him second all-time in PSAC receiving touchdowns.  

Only four players in college football history have had 1,000 or more yards in all four seasons played. Washington is not only a part of that list but is the only Division II player on it. He also holds the NCAA Division II record for 50 consecutive games with at least one catch.  

His records don’t end there. In 2008, he was a Harlon Hill Trophy finalist, which is the Division II equivalent of the Heisman trophy. In 2008. 

Washington also became an AFCA First Team All American, was named the PSAC East Offensive Player of The Year and was the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Amateur Athlete of The Year. That last award honors regional athletes across all collegiate sports in the Philadelphia area. In 2009. Washington was selected for the senior all-star game The Cactus Bowl.  

Because Washington was a true game changer and a lethal offensive weapon for the Golden Rams, his dominance gets him the silver medal on this list.  

Number 1. Rondell White, RB (2010-2013)

Taking the number 1 spot on the list is the legendary Rondell White; White is considered the greatest offensive player in Golden Rams history.  

White broke Derrick Price’s rushing record with 4,336 yards and holds the record for most all-purpose yards in program history (7,668). This also puts him second in PSAC history.

White holds the most rushing yards in a season for the Rams with his 2013 season. where he totaled a monstrous 1,989 yards. In 2013, he became second all-time in Division II history for the most single season all-purpose rushing yards with 3,107.  

Rondell White was a workhorse running back, dominant all over the field and extremely versatile. He holds the NCAA Division II record for most carries’/rushing attempts with 406 in 2013. He also tallied 21 touchdowns in his legendary 2013 season.  

White is also a member of the exclusive Brian Westbook, being the first Division II member in it; The Brian Westbrook club is for college players who record 4,000 plus rushing yards, 2,000 plus receiving yards and 1,000 plus return yards.  

In 2013, he finished as a Harlon Hill trophy finalist, was a consensus First Team All American, the PSAC East Offensive Player of The Year, and was the Philadelphia Sports Writers Association Amateur Athlete of The Year.  

In the playoffs. White would turn it up a level and in 2013 he was a major part of the Rams 13-win season, helping them reach the NCAA Division II National Semifinals.  

White’s pure dominance and record setting ranks him at the number one spot among the best Golden Rams football players of all time.  

Honorable mentions 

WCU Golden Rams’ long, rich history of 81 winning seasons, includes many more notable players. Here are three honorable mentions.  

Honorable mention number 1 – Kevin Ingram, WR (1990’s)  

Kevin Ingram was a wide receiver for the Golden Rams in the mid-to-late 1990s. In his time here. Ingram set numerous records for the program. He has the most receptions with 235, the most receiving yards in a single season with 1,674 yards, ranks second in touchdowns with 45 and holds the single game receiving record with 401 yards.

Ingram was an explosive, deep ball and big play threat in his time at West Chester and ranks just behind other top receivers in the school’s history in several stats. After his collegiate career, Ingram had a brief stint playing Arena Football.  

Honorable mentions number 2 – Mike Eckmeyer, RB (2000-2003)  

Mike Eckmeyer was a standout running back for the Golden Rams in the early 2000s. Eckmeyer was a consistent high-volume rusher who ranks 5th all time in rushing yards for the school with 3,698. He is top 10 in both rushing and total touchdowns. He also holds the school record for most 100-yard rushing games at 23. 16 of those games were consecutive, which is another school record.  

Eckmeyer received numerous accolades in his West Chester career, including the PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year award in 2002. That year, Eckemeyer totaled 1,539 rushing yards, which is the schools’ single season record; he also added 14 touchdowns on top of that.  

Eckmeyer followed up his award-winning season by tallying 1,133 yards and 9 touchdowns. He finished college as one of the most productive running backs in the program’s history.  

Honorable mention number 3 – Michael Horrocks, QB (1981-1984)  

In his time at West Chester Michael Horrocks was a strong leader and team captain of the Golden Rams. Completing 226 of his 458 passes for 3,236 yards, which puts him 8th on the school’s all-time passing yards list. Horrocks also threw 27 touchdowns in his time at West Chester and broke the 23-year losing streak to Delaware in 1983.  

After he graduated, Michael was inducted into the Golden Rams for all of fame and went to serve as a military aviator and flight instructor, passing his leadership onto a new generation.  

On September 11th, 2001, Horrocks served as the First Officer and Co-pilot for United Airlines Flight 175. He tragically passed away later that day after the flight crashed into the South Tower of the World Trade Center.  

A statue of Michael Horrocks was erected at Farrell stadium to honor a hero, teammate, friend and father, Michael’s legacy lives on in his family, the Michael Horrocks Leadership Institute and the Michael Horrocks Football Scholarship Endowment, where “His leadership and character continue to inspire students”.  

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank West Chester University Athletics and West Chester University Libraries Special Collections for providing images of athletes featured in this article.