GAMEDAY CENTRAL: Stonehill Visits #11/14 Bloomsburg for Stern Opening Day Test

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Full Stonehill Game Notes

Bloomsburg Pregame Release & Notes

BROCKTON ENTERPRISE: "Stonehill set for opener"

BROCKTON ENTERPRISE: "Sophomore Matt Foltz starting at quarterback for Stonehill"

Tickets:
Football tickets are sold on game day, and in advance in the Bloomsburg University Athletics Office at Nelson Field House, Room 265.
Call 570-389-4050 for more information.
Gates open 90 minutes prior to event start time.
All tickets are general admission.
Adults: $10
Students/seniors: $5

Tailgating Information

The Game: The Stonehill College football program opens its 2015 season with a big test at Bloomsburg University, ranked 11th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II preseason poll and 14th in the D2Football.com preseason poll. The Skyhawks are coming off a 2014 season in which it boasted the top defense in the Northeast-10 Conference, but was unable to equate that to wins on the scoreboard as they finished with a 5-6 record overall, including a 4-5 mark in the NE-10, winning three of its last five games. The Huskies are a perennial NCAA Tournament team and 2014 was no different, finishing with an 11-2 mark overall and 9-0 in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), advancing to the Super Region 1 title game.

Media Info: WHLM News Radio 930, 94.7, 104.3 has the audio broadcast of this afternoon's game, which is also streamed live online at whlmradio.com and also available via the Tune In app by searching for WHLM. Jim Doyle and Andy Ulicny will be calling the action. A free live video stream is also expected and live stats are available via www.stonehillskyhawks.com.

Preseason Predictions: Stonehill has been picked fifth in the Northeast-10 Conference's preseason coaches' poll. Stonehill is tied for fifth in the NE-10 preseason poll with Saint Anselm, which the Skyhawks defeated twice last season, with 41 points. Defending NE-10 Champions LIU Post is picked first with less than half of the ten first place votes (four) and 74 points. Reigning NE-10 regular season champions American International also collected 74 points, but just two first place votes. Assumption (65 points) is picked third with a pair of first place votes, while New Haven (62) is slated fourth with the remaining two first place votes. Rounding out the preseason poll behind Stonehill and Saint Anselm are Bentley (38) in seventh, Merrimack (29) eighth and Southern Connecticut State (20) ninth and Pace (10) in tenth spot.

Chiocco Among Allstate AFCA Good Works Nominees: Senior defensive lineman Nick Chiocco (Mansfield, Mass.) has been named one of a record 197 nominees for the 2015 Allstate American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team, which recognizes student-athletes whose charitable involvement and community service contributions stand out among all others participating in the sport. It marks the second straight year Stonehill has had a Good Works nominee after recent graduate and All-American Brian Harrington '15 represented the College last season. Chiocco is also the lone nominee from the Northeast-10 among the Combined Divisions nominees from NCAA Football Championship Subdivision, Division II, III and the NAIA. Chiocco, who has appeared in 13 career games over his three year career, has an impressive list of charitable and community service endeavors to his credit. He hosted his third annual Home Run Derby to benefit the Hearts for Hope Foundation in memory of Fallon Finnegan, a classmate at Mansfield High School, who passed away from cystic fibrosis in 2010 at the age of 16. Chiocco's Home Run Derby has raised nearly $10,000 over the first three years. Chiocco also helped plan, execute and host a charity benefit concert for Sabrina Kelly, the daughter of Stonehill criminology instructor Pamela Kelly, which raised $3,000 for medical expenses and was held just days before Sabrina's passing from cystic fibrosis in April.

New Home of Stonehill Athletics and Recreation: As the football team was returning to preseason training camp, Stonehill unveiled its 50,000-square foot Rev. Mark T. Cregan, CSC, Athletic and Fitness Center as part of the renovated Sally Blair Ames Sports Complex adjacent to W.B. Mason Stadium. The new Sports Complex includes:

• Locker rooms for 12 teams, as well as visiting intercollegiate athletic teams
• Additional group exercise and dance rooms
• Weight and fitness rooms for community members and varsity student-athletes
• Enhanced space for athletic training and equipment
• Program offices for recreational sports, athletics and football as well as team meeting rooms
• A multipurpose room that can serve a variety of campus groups
• The Lou Gorman '53 Pavilion

Preseason All-American: Senior running back Colin Markus (Monroe, Conn.) has been named a preseason All-American by USA College Football. Markus returns for his senior year after earning first team All-Northeast-10 honors last fall when he led the NE-10 with 712 rushing yards on 158 carries (4.5 yds/att), scoring five touchdowns in just seven games played. Markus enters the 2015 season ranked sixth in program history with 1,585 career rushing yards.

Aye, Aye, Captains: Head Coach Robert Talley named seniors Anthony Masucci (S) and Gordon McLeod (WR) as team captains for the 2015 season after a vote of the returning players last spring. The team will also typically have one game day captain chosen for his hard work during the week.

Championship Defense: Stonehill boasted the No. 7-ranked defensive unit in Division II in 2014, leading the Northeast-10 in total defense, allowing just 284.5 yards per game. The Skyhawks also led the NE-10 for both passing defense (35th nationally) at 189.3 yards per game and rushing defense (10th) at 95.2 yards per game. The Skyhawks ranked second in the NE-10 for scoring defense (31st nationally) at 19.6 points allowed/gm. Stonehill also finished the season leading the NE-10 (14th nationally) for third down defense, limiting opponents to just 30-percent (46-for-155). The Skyhawks return six starters from that defensive unit this season.

Leaders of the Pack: For the seventh-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 is back on the road with a short week as it opens its Northeast-10 Conference schedule at Merrimack College in North Andover, Massachusetts, next Friday, September 11, at 7 p.m. The Skyhawks home opener is the following Saturday, September 19, when it hosts Pace University as part of Kickoff Weekend and Presidents' Cup Celebration at W.B. Mason Stadium at 6 p.m.