Stonehill Tailgating Information
New Haven Pregame Release & Notes
Tickets (Available game day at ticket booth):
$8.00 Adults
$5.00 (students & senior citizens)
12 and under are free
Stonehill students are admitted free with their HillCard
| Coach's Corner with Robert Talley |
The Game: Stonehill College looks to move above .500 for the first time this season and start to build some momentum as it hosts the University of New Haven for a Northeast-10 Conference matchup at Timothy J. Coughlin (COG-lin) Memorial Field at W.B. Mason Stadium tonight. Both teams are looking to build off solid week four wins as the Skyhawks scored twice in the final 2:15 to claim a 33-19 victory here over Merrimack last Saturday night, while the Chargers handed first year head coach Chris Pincince his first career win with a 38-35 decision at Bentley last weekend.
Media Info: Live video of tonight's game is available on a pay-per-view basis ($6.99) via www.stonehillskyhawks.tv. Charlie Bergeron, the voice of the Skyhawks, is in his 17th season of broadcasting the action powered by Pack Network. WSHL 91.3 FM will also be broadcasting the game with Stephen Conway and Matt Grant calling the action. WNHU 88.7 FM is broadcasting the game to the greater New Haven area with Craig Mortali and Pat Ryan on the call.
1989 Stonehill Football |
25th Anniversary: Stonehill is hosting its 1989 Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) Championship team for a 25th Anniversary reunion at tonight's game. Team captains Dan Smith, Kevin Webb and Jeff Reilly will join this year's Skyhawks captains as honorary captains for the opening coin toss and the team will be recognized at halftime with an introductory ceremony. Under the guidance of head coach Cliff Sherman, Stonehill posted a 6-3 record overall, in 1989, capped by a 24-12 victory over Bentley. Running back Frank Strachan earned league MVP honors, and he was joined on the All-Conference team by linebacker Brian Driscoll, defensive tackle Todd Oliveria and kicker Marc Vecchio. After a pair of losses to MIT and Merrimack to open the season, Stonehill reeled off back to back wins over Western New England and MIT, before a setback to Stony Brook would prove to be its last of the season. The squad claimed another victory over Western New England to bounce back and then reeled off victories over Merrimack and Assumption before the triumph over Bentley to cap the season.
Against the Chargers: Tonight marks the sixth meeting all-time between these two programs. New Haven holds a 4-1 advantage in the all-time series which dates back to 2009, but Stonehill posted a 29-26 triumph at New Haven last fall. The Chargers are 2-0 all-time here at W.B. Mason Stadium, including a 45-41 comeback win here in a game nationally televised on CBS Sports Network in 2012. The series has been relatively high scoring throughout, with the teams combining to average 66.4 points per game over the five game series and the last two meetings have come down to the last minute and been decided by an average of 3.5 points. Stonehill head coach Robert Talley is 4-1 in his career against New Haven.
Split Allegences: New Haven head coach Chris Pincince is a 1994 graduate of Boston University, but his two brothers, Tom and Jon Pincince, both graduated from Stonehill. Tom, a 1997 Stonehill graduate, was a quarterback on the football team and still ranks sixth all-time with his 2,411 career passing yards and 24 touchdown passes. Jon is a 1999 Stonehill grad.
1990 BU Football: Talley (#2), front row center; Pincince (#15), upper right corner. |
Terrier Bond: Despite former New Haven coach Peter Rossomando's departure to Central Connecticut State in the offseason, Stonehill head coach Robert Talley and New Haven head coach Chris Pincince maintain the Boston University connection between the two mentors at the school. Both Pincince and Rossomando were freshmen for the Terriers during Talley's All-America senior season in 1990.
Codrington |
Defensive Player of the Week: Stonehill senior safety Sterry Codrington (Freehold, N.J.) was named the Northeast-10 Conference's Defensive Player of the Week on Monday for his efforts in the Skyhawks 33-19 win over Merrimack. He led a defensive unit which yielded just 207 yards after the first quarter to key the comeback win with a career-high matching 11 tackles (career-best ten solo), a pass breakup and two blocked kicks. Codrington's two blocks came on the extra point tries of Merrimack's two first quarter touchdowns, holding them to just the 12 points, while the second was returned to the end zone for a safety to get the Skyhawks on the scoreboard. It marks the third time in his career that Codrington has been named the NE-10 Defensive Player of the Week, after being names twice in 2013.
Robitaille |
Special Teams Player of the Week: Stonehill senior Nate Robitaille (Attleboro, Mass.) was named the Northeast-10 Conference's Special Teams Player of the Week on Monday. His 52-yard punt return for a touchdown sparked the Skyhawks 33-19 win over Merrimack as it broke a 19-19 deadlock with 2:15 remaining in the fourth quarter. Robitaille finished with a team-high 181 all-purpose yards on his five punt returns for 69 yards to go with a 24 yard kickoff return that set up a scoring drive that gave the Skyhawks their first lead of the night (19-12) on the opening drive of the second half as well as five receptions for 88 yards. Robitaille, who was also named Ace's Champions Choice Stonehill Male Student-Athlete of the Week for the first time in his career, collects Special Teams Player of the Week honors for the first time in his career to go with an Offensive Player of the Week award in 2013.
They're Honored: Stonehill senior All-American linebacker Brian Harrington (Rockland, Mass.) and junior running back Colin Markus (Monroe, Conn.) were both named to the Northeast-10 Conference's weekly honor roll on Monday for their efforts in the 33-19 win over Merrimack. Harrington shared the team lead with his season-high matching 11 tackles (two solo), including 2.5 for a loss of 13 yards and 2.0 sacks for a loss of 12. Markus paced the Skyhawks offense with his career-high 32 carries for 113 yards and two touchdowns.
Grzywacz |
Mitchell Award: Stonehill junior Steve Grzywacz (Manchester, N.H.) is among 24 place-kickers across NCAA FCS, Divisoin II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA recognized for their excellence on the football field and in the community during the month of September. It marks the second time over his career Grzywacz has earned a monthly Fred Mitchell Award (October 2012) and he was also named to the Mitchell Award Preseason Watch List in August. Grzywacz scored 17 points in the first month of the season, converting 3-of-4 field goal attempts and all eight extra point attempts. He was 3-for-3 on field goal attempts inside the 30-yard line, including his season-long 28 yard field goal at American International that set a new career record at Stonehill with his 21st career field goal. His 26 yard field goal at Bentley pushed the Skyhawks lead to seven points midway thorugh the fourth quarter on their way to their first win in Waltham since 1995.
Saturday Night Fever: Since W.B. Mason Stadium opened in 2005, night football has been a regular occurance for Stonehill, adding a new wrinkle with Saturday night games starting in 2012. The Skyhawks are 8-9 all-time under the W.B. Mason Stadium lights after last Saturday's 33-19 win over Merrimack, including a perfect 4-0 clip on Saturday nights.
2,000 Yard Club: Stonehill senior wide receiver Nate Robitaille (Attleboro, Mass.) enters tonight's game just 16 yards shy of becoming just the third player in program history with 2,000 career receiving yards, joining Dan Cahill, '96 (2,245) and former teammate John Gomes, '13 (2,442).
Markus |
Carrying the Load: Stonehill junior running back Colin Markus' (Monroe, Conn.) career-high 32 rushing attempt against Merrimack last weekend are tied for the fourth-highest single game total in program history and the most by a Skyhawk in W.B. Mason Stadium history, surpassing the previous high of 31 carries by former teammate Jamal Johnson, '14, against Bentley last season. American International's Marlon Beckles (41) holds the W.B. Mason Stadium record, while Mike McSharry, '98 (43) holds the program single-game mark.
Top Target: Senior wide receiver Nate Robitaille (Attleboro, Mass.) enters tonight's game on the verge of becoming the program's all-time leader for touchdown receptions, needing one touchdown catch to surpass Dan Cahill, '96. Robitaille collected his program record matching 22nd career touchdown reception midway through the first quarter with a 46 yard scoring grab at Bentley in week two. He matched the program record with 13 touchdown receptions in 2013, setting program single-season marks for receiving yards (1,229), receptions (91) and receptions per game (8.27). Robitaille also enters today's game ranked third all-time with 1,984 career receiving yards - 458 yards shy of former teammate John Gomes, '13 record total of 2,442. Robitaille ranks second for career receptions with 142 - 31 behind Gomes record of 173.
Block Party: Stonehill senior captain Sterry Codrington (Freehold, N.J.) blocked two extra points for the second straight week against Merrimack last week, giving him a program-record four this season to break the previous single-season high of three set by Jabari Prince in 2006. Codrington's six career blocked kicks (he had two at New Haven last season) are currently tied for the program record set by former teammate and All-Ameircan Jareed Gaines, '13. Stonehill's ranks fourth as a team in Division II with their five blocked kicks for the season.
Movin' On Up: Members of the Stonehill football team climbing the career record lists at Stonehill include:
• Colin Markus (Monroe, Conn.): 8th on career rushing list with 1,335 yards (28 shy of Jeff Payne for 7th all-time)
• Nate Robitaille (Attleboro, Mass.): 3rd on career receiving list with 1,984 yards (261 shy of Dan Cahill for 2nd); Tied for 4th for total touchdowns scored with 23 (one shy of Cahill for 3rd); 9th for career all-purpose yards with 2,493 yards (432 yards shy of Tyrone Jefferson and Mike McLucas for 7th)
• Gordon McLeod (Weymouth, Mass.): 8th on career receiving list with 1,142 yards (22 shy of Dan Smith for 7th)
Sydeski |
Solid Debut: Sophomore Tom Sydeski (Brockport, N.Y.) made his collegiate debut when he got the start at quarterback last weekend against Merrimack. He completed 15-of-28 passes (53.6-percent) for 231 yards and a touchdown, but most importantly didn't throw an interception one week after the Skyhawks committed seven turnovers at American International. He is the second Stonehill quarterback to make his first collegiate start this season after junior Moe Regan (West Roxbury, Mass.) started at Bentley in week two.
Making an IMPACT: The Stonehill College football team is proud to have Nick Claudio (Mattapoisett, Mass.) as a part of its program through Team IMPACT (Inspire, Motivate, Play Against Challenges, Together) for his second season. Team IMPACT is a New England based non-profit that aims at improving the quality of life for kids facing life-threatening illnesses by creating unparalleled team based support systems with area college athletic teams. Nick is the latest from Team IMPACT to join the Skyhawk family as the football team joins the men's and women's basketball, field hockey and ice hockey teams to be involved with the program. Nick, 13-years old, was diagnosed with a brain tumor on his optic nerve in July, 2010, that put so much pressure on his optic nerve that it led to losing his vision. He has remained upbeat, being quoted as saying in a recent news article, "A loss of sight is never a loss of vision, you need to be able to look forward and keep moving." After losing his vision, he has adapted to life being blind by teaching himself braille, learning to ski and graduating from his elementary school at the top of his class. In July 2012, doctors found two additional tumors, one on his auditory nerve. In an effort to save his hearing, doctors opted to treat it with chemo and radiation rather than doing surgery which carries the threat of him going deaf.
Academic Success: Stonehill College has been recognized for its academic performance with regard to graduation rate by earning a 97-percent Academic Success Rating (ASR) as released by the NCAA last December. 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 97%, 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 97% ASR ranks second among NE-10 institutions behind just Saint Michael's College (98%) and ranks fifth overall in NCAA Division II. The football team maintained an ASR of 92% - signifigantly higher than the federal rate of 79%. For its performance, Stonehill earned the NCAA Division II Presidents' Award for the third straight year.
For Henry: The Stonehill football team continues to maintain locker in a place of prominence in the team lockerroom for Henry Thevenin, '14, who passed away due to complications from leukemia in June 2011 after his freshman season. In week one of the 2011 season against Curry, the team honored Thevenin by playing its first defensive play with ten players. Thevenin appeared in seven games for the football team, starting the last six, as a freshman in 2010. He totaled 18 tackles, eight solo, with a pass breakup for the Skyhawks. Thevenin was a 2009 graduate of nearby Brockton High School and prepped one year at Suffield Academy in Connecticut.
Leaders of the Pack: For the sixth-straight year, Stonehill College is partnering with Pack Network to provide live "Packcasts" of all home football and men's and women's basketball games along with other select athletic events. Fans can access the webcasts via www.stonehillskyhawks.tv. Viewers can opt to purchase single-game passes for $6.99 or purchase an "All-Access" pass for $59.99. All-Access pass members can view all Stonehill webcasts for the entire year, while also gaining access to the archives and be able to watch the webcasts at any time. Games can also be viewed on your iPad or iPhone.
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: Stonehill hits the road for the next two weekends, heading to Long Island to visit LIU Post next Saturday at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks return home on Saturday, October 25, for its Hall of Fame Weekend matchup with Southern Connecticut State University at 1 p.m.