Stonehill's Oct. 7 visit to Merrimack will be broadcast live on ESPN+ as part of the NEC's 2023 Football Broadcast Schedule (PHOTO BY Jan Volk/SportsPix) |
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EASTON, Mass. (August 9, 2023) – The Northeast Conference announced that its October 7 matchup between its two Massachusetts members will kickoff its 2023 Football Broadcasting package live on ESPN+ when Stonehill College visits Merrimack College at Duane Stadium in North Andover, Massachusetts, at 1 p.m.
The game starts the NEC's five-game broadcasting package this fall includes three games on ESPN+, marking the 11th-straight year the Conference has broadcast football on ESPN. The NEC football broadcast package also includes the first two nationally televised linear games on CBS Sports Network on Thursday nights. Long-time NEC play-by-play announcer Paul Dottino returns to the broadcast booth, alongside former National Football League head coach Kevin Gilbride as color analyst, who won two Super Bowls in his time coaching with the New York Giants.
The Stonehill/Merrimack matchup will be delivered through ESPN streaming services on the web and via the ESPN App across smartphones, tablets and connected devices. The games will be available to fans who receive their video subscription from an affiliated provider. It will mark the 26th meeting all-time between the two programs dating back to 1996 and the two program's NCAA Division II days as members of the Eastern Football Conference (EFC). Merrimack has won the last two encounters to take a 13-12 edge in the all-time series after notching a 17-10 decision at W.B. Mason Stadium in Easton last October.
Stonehill has been picked sixth in the NEC preseason coaches' poll and features three preseason All-NEC selections in postgrad offensive lineman David Satkowski and senior running back Jermaine Corbett, along with senior linebacker Sam Murphy. Head Coach Eli Gardner, in his eighth year as head coach (15th year at Stonehill overall) returns eight starters from an offense that led the NEC in rushing (207.7 ypg), while ranking second in scoring (30.6 ppg) and third in total offense (385.8 ypg) in 2022. The Skyhawks return seven starters from a defense that ranked third in scoring defense (23.0 ppg) and fourth in total defense (351.9 ypg).
Stonehill opens its 2023 season on September 2, when it hosts the University of New Hampshire, ranked No. 8 in the Athlon Sports preseason NCAA FCS preseason poll and 14th in the HERO Sports preseason poll, at W.B. Mason Stadium at 1 p.m. The Skyhawks will play three programs that reached the 2022 NCAA I FCS playoffs, including New Hampshire, Fordham University (Sept. 23) and Saint Francis (Sept. 30), the latter of which is the Skyhawks NEC home opener as part of Family Weekend at the College which will also serve as the kickoff to the College's 75th Anniversary celebration. Stonehill will open its second NEC season on the road at Central Connecticut State University on September 9.
For the latest on Stonehill Athletics, follow the Skyhawks via social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Fans can also download the Stonehill Skyhawks "Front Row" mobile app, powered by PrestoSports, on iTunes and the Android Market.
