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Stonehill Tailgating Information
Tickets:
(Limited number of remaining tickets will go on sale at the ticket booth at 6 p.m.)
$7.00 All Tickets
Ticket & Parking Advisory
Stonehill students will be admitted free.
First 1,000 Stonehill students will receive a free commemorative t-shirt and rally rag.
| Pregame Highlight Video (Courtesy Northeast-10 Conference) |
| Coach Talley at New England Football Writers Luncheon |
| NE-10 Assistant Commissioner Jacob VanRyn at the New England Football Writers Luncheon |
The Game: The bright television lights have descended upon W.B. Mason Stadium as Stonehill College hosts the University of New Haven, ranked third in this week's American Football Coaches Assocation (AFCA) Division II poll, for a Northeast-10 Conference clash at Timothy J. Coughlin (COG-lin) Memorial Field tonight. The Skyhawks bounced back with a key 22-20 victory over Merrimack College here on Saturday, while the Chargers topped Bentley University on the road Saturday, 17-13.
Media Info: Tonight's game is being broadcast live in HD to 99-million homes nationwide on CBS Sports Network as part of its NCAA Division II "Game of the Week" schedule. Brad Johansen (play-by-play), Doug Chapman (analyst) and Lisa Byington (sideline) will have the call for CBS, with Sellers Shy producing and Mark Grant directing. The broadcast is also available via the internet at www.ncaa.com, with a link through www.stonehillskyhawks.com as well. WSHL 91.3 FM will also be broadcasting the game with Craig Riotto and Tim Culverhouse calling the action for the radio broadcast. WNHU 88.7 FM will be broadcasting the game back to New Haven with Pat Ryan and Craig Mortali on the call.
Broadcast History: While the Stonehill football team is playing its first televised game in program history, the College has some broadcast history, particularly with CBS Sports Network. The Skyhawks men's basketball team has appeared on the network three times, most recently at the 2012 NCAA Division II Elite Eight in Highland Heights, Ky., for its national semifinal matchup with eventual national champions Western Washington. Women's lacrosse also appeared on the network, then known as CSTV for its 2005 national championship win at West Chester University.
#skyhawknation #spiritweek: #SkyhawkNation, the go-to Facebook fan page for Stonehill students, is holding #SpiritWeek October 9-18. #SkyhawkNation is promoting a contest where students will earn preferred seating at "Midnight Madness" on Thursday, October 25, a pizza party prior to the event, free Stonehill gear and infinite residence hall pride. Residence halls will receive points based on attendance to all Stonehill athletic events held during #spiritweek as well as bonus points for "Fan of the Game" among other factors.
Against the Chargers: This afternoon marks just the fourth meeting all-time between these two programs. New Haven has won each of the first three encounters between the two after a 52-23 triumph in West Haven, Conn., last season. The Chargers claimed a 49-28 victory in their lone visit to W.B. Mason Stadium here in 2010. New Haven has averaged 41.3 points per game against Stonehill, while the Skyhawks have averaged 22.3 points in the series. Head Coach Robert Talley is 0-3 in his career against the Chargers.
Coaching History: Stonehill head coach Robert Talley and New Haven mentor Peter Rossomando are squaring off today for the third time as opposing head coaches, but the two have a bit of history between them. Both Staten Island natives, the two were teammates at Boston University during Talley's All-America senior season in 1990. In fact, Talley hosted Rossomando on a recruitingvisit, set up by Talley's mother who was a teacher at Rossomando's Port Richmond High School, to BU prior to attending. Coach Rossomando has gotten the best of his former teammate so far, winning each of the first three meetings in the all-time series. Click here for Brockton Enterprise story this week.
Defensive Player of the Week: Senior defensive back Jareed Gaines (Lumberton, N.J.) has been named the Northeast-10 Conference's Defensive Player of the Week for the first time this season (fourth career). He led a Stonehill defense which held Merrimack, the Conference's top offense, nearly 200 yards and 16 points below its season average in Saturday's 22-20 win. He posted his sixth double-figure tackle effort in seven games this season with a game-high 11 stops (nine solo) with three pass breakups and a forced fumble that helped clinch the win later in the fourth quarter.
Markus |
Rookie of the Week: Freshman running back Colin Markus (Monroe, Conn.) earned Northeast-10 Conference Rookie of the Week honors for the first time, marking the third Stonehill freshman to receive the award this season. Markus had a breakout performance for the Skyhawks in Saturday's 22-20 win over Merrimack as he posted a game and season-high 145 all-purpose yards, rushing the ball four times for a season-high 67 yards and a touchdown to go with two receptions for a team and season-best 78 yards. He averaged 24.2 yards per touch, with 16.8 yards per carry and 39 yards per reception. His 42 yard touchdown run midway through the first quarter was the first of his career and gave the Skyhawks a 10-0 lead. He added a 60 yard reception later in the first quarter that set up the Skyhawks second field goal of the day for a 13-8 advantage.
They're Honored: Junior quarterback Logan Meyer (Ventura, Calif.) and freshman placekicker Stephen Grzywacz (Manchester, N.H.) were both named to the Northeast-10 Conference's weekly honor roll on Monday. Meyer was an efficient 21-for-34 passing for 234 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in the 22-20 win over Merrimack. Grzywacz converted 3-of-4 field goals, including the gamewinner from 24 yards out with 5:26 to play. He added an extra point and field goals of 20 and 26 yards, while averaging 52.8 yards on six kickoffs.
Raise Talley's Tally: Fans can now vote for head coach Robert Talley for the NCAA Division II Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year program at coachoftheyear.com. The Liberty Mutual Coach of the Year Award recognizes college football coaches who demonstrate Sportsmanship, Integrity, Responsibility and Excellence both on and off the field. Endorsed by the College Football Hall of Fame, the program awards one winning coach from each NCAA division (I-FBS, I-FCS, II, and III) with $50,000 to donate to a charity of their choice, a $20,000 grant to each school's alumni association, and the Coach of the Year trophy. Remember to #votetalley every day!
Tough Stretch: Tonight's game caps a stretch of three games over 14 days for Stonehill against teams with winning records. The Skyhawks three opponents are a combined 14-4 during this stretch. The Skyhawks will receive a hard earned bye week after tonight's game before closing out the regular season at Pace University on November 3.
Grzywacz |
Nobody Beats the Grz: Freshman placekicker Stephen Grzywacz (Manchester, N.H.) has tied the program's single season record with a Conference-leading eight field goals this season on 13 attempts (62-percent), matching the record set by Pat Matthews in 1993 and matched twice by Joe Crowley in 2002 and 2003. Grzywacz is second (to UNH's Chris Scifo) for kicker scoring with a team-high 40 points in his first collegiate season and ranks seventh overall in the NE-10 for scoring.
Movin' On Up: Several Stonehill players are marching up Stonehill's career and single-season leader lists in program history: • Senior Jareed Gaines (Lumberton, N.J.) moved into fourth place on Stonehill's career tackles list with 291. He will likely finish his career there as he is currently 85 tackles behind Darren Shaughnessy's (1999-02) total of 376 tackles for second all-time.
• Gaines is currently tied for fifth all-time with 152 career solo tackles - one behind Mike Debye (2004-07) for fourth place.
• Gaines' 37.0 career tackles for loss rank fifth all-time - 1.5 behind Tony Pires (2003-06) for fourth.
• Senior Jermetrius Troy (Mattapan, Mass.) is tied for seventh in program history with 13 career rushing touchdowns, two shy of moving into the top five.
• Troy ranks sixth all-time with 1,513 career yards rushing - 56 yards behind Rob Olivar (2000-03) for fifth place.
• Senior John Gomes (Hyannis, Mass.) became Stonehill's second 2,000 yard receiver in program history at Bentley, joining Dan Cahill (1992-95) as the only two 2,000 yard receivers in program history. Gomes' 2,105 career yards are 140 yards behind Cahill's school-record total of 2,245.
• Gomes is fifth all-time with 14 career touchdown receptions - one shy of Mike Plitchka (2004-05) for fourth place.
• Gomes has also moved into the program's career top ten for all-purpose yards with 2,872, ranking eighth all-time. He is 53 yards behind Mike McLucas (1991-94) for seventh all-time.
Gaines |
Turn 'Em Over: Stonehill enters tonight's game ranked sixth nationally in Division II for turnovers forced with a Northeast-10 leading 21. The Skyhawks lead the NE-10 with 11 interceptions (21st nationally) and ten fumble recoveries (9th), while ranking third for fourth down defense (24th) at 27.8-percent (5-for-18). Senior Jareed Gaines (Lumberton, N.J.) leads the NE-10 with three forced fumbles (9th), while classmate Mickey Miela (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) and Kevin Anderson (Topsfield, Mass.) and junior Tim Bennett (Fillmore, Calif.) have all intercepted a team-high three passes.
Aye, Aye, Captains: Head Coach Robert Talley named seniors Chris Bolte (OL) and Jareed Gaines (DB) as team captains for the 2012 season after a vote of the returning players last spring.
Back-to-Back-to-Back: Stonehill captured its third-straight Northeast-10 Presidents' Cup for the 2011-12 academic year, marking the eighth-straight year the Skyhawks have finished in the top three for the final standings. Stonehill captured its fourth Presidents' Cup overall by accumulating a program-best 189.5 points during the academic year to edge second place Southern Connecticut State University (177.0) by over 12 points.
Academic Success: Stonehill College has been recognized for its academic performance with regard to graduation rate by earning a 98-percent Academic Success Rating (ASR) for the second-straight year as released by the NCAA. The ASR considers the academic success rate of the institution based on the graduation rate of student-athletes while also giving credit for any student-athletes that transferred from the institution while in good academic standing. In addition to Stonehill's overall ASR of 98%, ten of Stonehill's 16 athletic programs (cross country and indoor and outdoor track & field are combined by the NCAA) received perfect scores of 100%. Stonehill's 98% ASR ranks second among NE-10 institutions behind just Saint Michael's College (99%) and is tied for third overall in NCAA Division II. The football team maintained an ASR of 96% for the second-straight year - signifigantly higher than the federal rate of 84%.
Getting Social: Fans and media members of Stonehill athletics now have two social media outlets to get updates on all 20 varsity programs. The department's Facebook page is www.facebook.com/stonehillskyhawks, and you can also follow @SkyhawkTalk on Twitter!
On Deck: After a stretch of three games in 14 days, Stonehill will get its much needed bye week next weekend before wrapping up the regular season at Pace University on Saturday, November 3, at noon. The Skyhawks have clinched a spot in the inaugural NE-10 Championship weekend on Saturday, November 10, and are presently in position to host its game here at W.B. Mason Stadium (1 p.m.).