Charleston, W. Va – Quinn Sanders, in his second year as head coach, has made quite the impression on campus with a football team that has yet to be defeated in the 2023 season, going on a remarkable five-game winning-streak to start the campaign. They have outscored their opponents 241-89 and average 48.2 points per game, the 5^th highest rate in all of Division II football.
 
A high-scoring offense is a culture that the Golden Eagles have been accustomed to over the last two years under second-year offensive coordinator Luke Barker. 
 
"I am extremely impressed with our offense and the physicality we are playing with. Javonte Howard is the leader of our offense and he's doing a great job of distributing the football. This offense is a very tight knit group and we are excited to continue to work together and get better through the second half of our season."
 
In a 6-5 season in 2022, Charleston averaged nearly 40 points in each contest; however, their opponents had averaged 32.64. 
 
This season, the Golden Eagles have limited their opponents to 17.8 points per game.
 
Charleston's defense has been outstanding in the first five games of the year with a large improvement coming from the defensive line, ranking 9^th in the country with 17 total sacks for 115 yards lost. This unit has also totaled eight interceptions on the year with three of them being returned for touchdowns. 
 
Defensive coordinator Jalen Hairston had nothing but encouraging words for his unit's success. 
 
"I'm very impressed with how consistent our players are on and off the field. They are the same people. They play with great effort, which is easily displayed. They each have a piece of stock in our program and our culture. They want to be dominant in everything that they do."
 
The Capital City has seen high-quality football come from the University of Charleston over the years, with one of those incredible seasons coming from the 2009 Charleston football squad. Under head coach Tony DeMeo, the Golden Eagles would start the year 8-0, receiving votes to put them as high as 10^th in the Division II rankings. In the WVIAC, that team would be led offensively by quarterback DaRante Hunter who racked up 1,846 passing yards and 15 touchdowns through the air; Hunter would also lead the team in rushing with 918 yards and 23 rushing scores. 
 
Despite the monstrous numbers from Hunter, the team's season would be cut short with back-to-back losses in two of the last three games of the year to #18 West Liberty in double-overtime and a 12-14 loss at home to Glenville State. 
 
Charleston has had one playoff appearance in the last 20 years of the school bringing back the program. In 2015, the Golden Eagles hosted Indiana (Pa.) for the first round of the NCAA Playoffs where they would lose 47-21. Charleston has come close to sneaking into the Super Region One rankings over the last few seasons, but they have not had the opportunity to play post-season football in eight years. 
 
In 2023, the Golden Eagles are the only undefeated team left in the Mountain East Conference, with a tough second-half schedule staring directly at them. In less than a week, they will face the five-time reigning Mountain East Conference Champions, Notre Dame College. Although the Falcons are having a less-than-ideal start to their year, they always guarantee to put up a tough fight when they take on the Golden Eagles. 
 
With the second half of his schedule coming up, Quinn Sanders plans to approach each week with the same philosophy. 
 
"We just need to keep handling business one week at a time, and one day at a time." 
 
Kickoff against Notre Dame is set for this Saturday October 14^th at 12:00 PM.