YANKEE CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

• The Sacred Heart University football team is gearing up for a momentous event to conclude the 2024 season. The Pioneers are set to clash with the Merrimack College Warriors in a high-stakes game in North Andover, Mass., on Saturday, November 16. Scheduled for a noon kickoff at Duane Stadium, the winner will be crowned as The Yankee Conference Champion and claim possession of the historic trophy.
• On August 21, Sacred Heart and Merrimack made a historic announcement. Their football programs will now compete for The Yankee Conference Championship, a prestigious title presented by LEONA, adding a new chapter to the rich history of this competition.
• Originally formed in 1946 and later transitioning to a football-only league in 1976, the Yankee Conference consisted of various members from New England to the Mid-Atlantic region competing at the Division I-AA level, now known as the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

LAST TIME VS. MERRIMACK
Brief Recap & Highlights:
Score: Merrimack 17 | Sacred Heart 7 (9/30/23 - Fairfield, CT)

• Sacred Heart broke open the scoring at the 5:55 mark of the first quarter as Arsheen Jiles scored the first touchdown of the game after recovering a Merrimack fumble at the SHU 38. Jiles returned the ball for a 62-yard touchdown, followed by a Sam Renzi extra point for the seven-point advantage, 7-0. 
• Shortly after, Merrimack trimmed the deficit to within four, 7-3, following a 26-yard field goal from Lliam Davis with 3:08 left in the quarter.
• Both teams were unable to capitalize offensively until the fourth quarter when Merrimack scored 14 points off a pick-six by Tre Jordan III and a 45-yard rushing touchdown from Donovan Wadley to push the advantage to 10, 17-7.
• The Pioneers' final rally came with 3:05 left on the clock. A forced fumble from Jordan Campbell and a fumble recovery by Nicholas Yanchuck ignited the sidelines and allowed the offense to go back to work. 
• From there, Sacred Heart moved up the field quickly, as two complete passes from Rob McCoy and back-to-back ruses from Malik Grant put the Pioneers in the red zone. However, Sacred Heart was unable to capitalize, falling to the Pioneers 17-7.

MADISON MOVING THROUGH THE RANKS
Jalen Madison, a key player for the SHU football team, continues to make significant strides in his career. He is tied for eighth in the career record books, along with Malik Grant and Evin Jones, with 4.8 yards per carry behind 393 attempts, a testament to his talent and dedication. 

Madison has totaled 1,901 career rushing yards, a testament to his dedication and skill, following a career and season-high 140 yards against Mercyhurst on October 26 at Campus Field.  

RUSHING THROUGH THE FCS RANKINGS
Not only is Jalen Madison moving up in the SHU football record book, but the Stratford, Conn. native is also moving through the FCS rankings. The grad running back ranks within the top 35 in rushing yards (35th - 778) while also ranking within the top 45 in rushing yards per game (44th – 77.8). 

BREAKING THROUGH THE DEFENSE
When analyzing the game film, it's clear that the Pioneers' offense is built around a strong running game. The team currently ranks within the top 40 in FCS in rushing offense (39th—169.9). This season, the Pioneers have scored 20 touchdowns, 15 of which were rushing touchdowns.

DYNAMIC DUO OF LEIGH AND MADISON
The Pioneers' backfield is a force to be reckoned with, led by the dynamic duo of Xavier Leigh and Jalen Madison. Their combined efforts have amassed over 1,300 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns, with six coming from Madison, which positioned him as the Pioneers' leading touchdown scorer.

A standout moment this season was their joint effort against Georgetown. They accounted for an impressive 223 of the Pioneers' 264 rushing yards, showcasing the strength of their partnership.

MULTIPLE THREATS DOWNFIELD
Looking down the field, the Pioneers have five wide receivers - Ethan Hilliman, Kevin McGuire, Payton Rhoades, Mason Stahl, and Elijah Ford - making crucial catches when needed. These players account for 983 of the Pioneers' 1,163 receiving yards thus far. Hilliman leads the way with 315 yards on 32 catches with a position-high three touchdowns. Following close behind is Kevin McGuire, who has totaled 15 catches for 208 yards and a touchdown. 

MAKING A DEFENSIVE STANCE
The Pioneers' defensive unit has been a force to be reckoned with, currently ranking within the top 50 in FCS in five different categories - 
- First Downs Defense (41st - 174)
- Red Zone Defense (3rd - .656)
- Scoring Defense (31st - 21.5)
- Team Passing Efficiency Defense (12th - 112.81)
- Total Defense (46th - 346.4)

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME
Isaiah Bishop and Jordan Campbell have been in the right place and time for the Pioneers this season when a ball is loose. The duo currently ranks sixth in FCS, leading the Pioneers with two fumble recoveries.

Along with Campbell and Bishop, four other Pioneers – Myles Talley, Quinn Hart, Aboubakare Dabo, and Tyler Jameson – have been in the right place and time as the quartet has tallied a fumble recovery for the defense. 

SACKING THE COMPETITION
It's a testament to the Pioneers' unity in defense that any team's offensive line struggles to stop them. Seven players — Nate Chandler, Tyreke Brown, Isaiah Bishop, Janier Armstead, Nick Verbitsky, Caleb Dennis, and Stanley Dennis II — have each recorded at least one sack, showcasing the team's collective strength. This has contributed to a season total of 16 sacks for a loss of 78 yards. 

Chandler, a standout player, currently ranks within the top 50 in FCS in sacks (48th - 0.56), with 4.5 sacks for a loss of 17 yards. Brown, another key player, follows close behind with 4.0 sacks for a loss of 20 yards.

PIOS SECONDARY STEALING THE BALL
SHU's defense, led by the secondary, sacks the quarterback and compels the opponent to turn the ball over, whether through an interception or a fumble.

This season, the secondary has been the driving force behind the Pioneers' success, contributing four of the seven interceptions, six of the 10 forced fumbles, and breaking up an impressive 19 passes. 

FOOTBALL NOTCHES HOME WIN AGAINST MERCYHURST
Score: Sacred Heart 31 | Mercyhurst 14
Brief Recap & Highlights:

• The Pioneers racked up four touchdowns on the afternoon spread between four scorers - Kevin McGuire, Jalen Madison, Xavier Leigh, and John Michalski. 
• The defensive unit finished with a pair of forced fumbles from Nick Verbitsky and Tyreke Brown, while Isaiah Bishop recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter and recorded a 38-yard return. 
• Bishop and Brown also recorded a pair of sacks for the Pioneers.
• The Pioneers controlled the first two quarters, outscoring the Lakers 21-7 behind a pair of rushing touchdowns from Madison and Leigh and a passing touchdown from John Michalski to Kevin McGuire. 
• Facing a second and four on the Mercyhurst four-yard line, Michalski — the fourth different touchdown scorer for the Pioneers—took the snap and dashed into the end zone untouched, extending their lead to 28-7 with 1:56 left in the third quarter.
• With 7:55 left in the fourth quarter, Mercyhurst trimmed the deficit to 28-14 after a 13-play drive culminating in their second touchdown.
• Unfortunately for Mercyhurst, their comeback efforts stopped when Matt Kling split the uprights for a 36-yard field goal. This extended the Pioneers' lead to 31-14, which was all they needed to solidify their fourth home win of the season.

THIRD TIMES THE CHARM FOR MADISON
On October 26 against Mercyhurst, Jalen Madison shined in the backfield, achieving a significant milestone. The grad running back recorded over 100 rushing yards for the third time this season, finishing with a career and season-high 140 yards behind 16 attempts and a touchdown.

Madison's tally marked his third consecutive game, finding the endzone, tying the longest stretch for a Pioneer this season along with Leigh, who started off the season with three straight touchdowns over a three-game span.

FOOTBALL STOPPED BY LAFAYETTE
Score: Lafayette 31 | Sacred Heart 17
Brief Recap & Highlights:

• The Leopards controlled the opening quarter, as the hosts outscored the Pioneers, 14-7, for the early lead. 
• Like the first, the Leopards started the second quarter by scoring first, taking a 21-7 lead following Curtis's second touchdown of the afternoon.
• Less than five minutes later, the Pioneers showed their resilience by marching up the field after starting on the SHU22. They put the ball in the hands of Jalen Madison, who battled through defenders and found the outside for the 27-yard touchdown. 
• The visitors held the hosts scoreless in the third quarter while SHU capitalized on a 42-yard field goal from Matt Kling to trim the deficit to seven, 24-17.
• Unfortunately, Lafayette controlled the narrative in the fourth quarter by keeping the Pioneers off the board, forcing a fumble and interception of a John Michalski pass to secure the home victory.  
• Madison finished the afternoon tallying a season-high two touchdowns, improving his season total to five. 
• Myles Talley recorded a team-best 10 tackles for the second straight game. 

PIOS CLIPPED BY BISON
Score: Howard 21 | Sacred Heart 14
Brief Recap & Highlights:

• Showing their resilience, the Pioneers headed into the halftime break with a one-possession lead, 14-7, behind a pair ofrushing touchdowns. 
• However, Howard surged back in the second half, scoring 14 unanswered points over the final two quarters to secure the home win. 
• The Pioneers' final attempt to even the score came on a third-and-nine. John Michalski threw the ball into the air before getting hit by a Bison defenseman. The ball found the hands of Elijah Ford, who made a diving catch in the endzone. The determination and effort in this play were evident, but unfortunately, the touchdown was called an incomplete pass.
• Jalen Madison and Xavier Leigh recorded both first-half touchdowns for the Pioneers.
• Myles Talley and Tyreke Brown led the defensive unit with 10 tackles each, while Brown recorded 0.5 tackles-for-loss.
• Marques Mason tallied the Pioneers' lone interception of the game. 
• Jordan Campbell picked up a fumble recovery. 

BACK-TO-BACK FOR TALLEY
Myles Talley is one of many forces to be reckoned with on the Pioneers' defense, as the fifth-year linebacker has recorded back-to-back games with 10 tackles. 

PIOS STOP NORFOLK STATE ON FAMILY WEEKEND
Score: Sacred Heart 10 | Norfolk State 3
Brief Recap & Highlights:

• The Pioneers wasted no time asserting their dominance in the first quarter. A 36-yard Matt Kling field goal put the hosts up by three, 3-0, with 1:43 left on the clock.
• The second quarter saw the Pioneers extend their lead to double-digits, 10-0, after the hosts put together an 80-yard drive that resulted in a Michalski rushing touchdown, followed by a Kling extra point.
• Coming out of the halftime break, the Spartans were ready to turn the tide, trimming the deficit to within seven, 10-3, after a field goal from Grandin Wilcox. 
• Norfolk State continued to grind offensively and threatened the Pioneers by finding themselves in the red zone, but threestraight incomplete passes ended the Spartans' rally and secured the Pioneers' win. 
• The Pioneers' defensive unit, working in perfect harmony, kept the Spartans off the scoreboard until the third quarter by forcing the visitors to go for a 55-yard field goal. 
• SHU's defense also tallied three sacks for a loss of eight yards, an interception, and a forced fumble and broke up a pair of passes.
• SHU's offense finished the afternoon with 243 total yards behind 184 rushing and 59 passing yards, respectively. 
• Quarterback John Michalski recorded the Pioneers' lone touchdown of the afternoon and extended his season total to three rushing touchdowns.

SHU FALLS TO DELAWARE
Score: Delaware 49 | Sacred Heart 0
Brief Recap & Highlights: 

• The Pioneers suffered their second straight road loss of the season against the Blue Hens of the University of Delaware. 
• Jalen Madison accounted for 30 of the Pioneers' 51 rushing yards.
• Ethan Hilliman posted a team-leading four catches after being targeted seven times by John Michalski.
• Tyler Jameson finished with a team-high seven tackles, while Isaiah Bishop collected five tackles and 2.0 tackle-for-loss.
• Ryan Moore tallied an interception for the Pioneers. 

PIOS COME UP SHORT TO STONEHILL
Score: Stonehill 35 | Sacred Heart 21
Brief Recap & Highlights:

• Stonehill controlled the opening quarter, outscoring the Pioneers 14-0, thanks to two touchdowns from Jarel Washington and Chase Miller.
• Sacred Heart finally got on the scoreboard as Jalen Madison recorded a 23-yard rushing touchdown to cut the deficit in half, 14-7, with 8:57 left on the clock.
• The Skyhawks closed the quarter by scoring two additional touchdowns, giving them a 28-7 advantage at the half.
• Neither team could not score until the 2:54 mark of the third when John Michalski held onto the ball and ran into the endzone for the two-yard touchdown.
• On the next Pioneer drive, Michalski found the hands of Hilliman, who then pushed through three defenders and found himself in the endzone, earning the visitors six points. From there, Kling secured the extra point and made it a one-possession game, 28-21, with 1:44 on the clock. 
• Unfortunately, SHU could not stop Stonehill's Zavion Woodard from recording the 31-yard rushing touchdown that put the game out of reach for the visitors, 35-21.
• The Pioneers were led offensively by three different scorers – Michalski, Madison, and Hilliman.
• Madison recorded back-to-back 100-yard rushing games. 
• Matt Kling went 3-for-3 in extra-point attempts.
• Defensively, Myles Talley finished with a team and season-high nine tackles.
• Caleb Dennis and Nate Chandler led the Pioneers with a sack each for a total loss of seven yards. 

BACK-TO-BACK FOR MADISON
Running back Jalen Madison recorded another solid offensive performance for the Pioneers last Saturday at Stonehill, tallying his second straight 100+ rushing yard game. 

Against the Skyhawks, Madison finished with 110 yards behind 20 carries while also collecting an additional 24 yards on three receptions. He also has recorded back-to-back rushing touchdowns for the Pioneers, increasing his season total to two and career total to 10. 

FOOTBALL SHUTS DOWN GEORGETOWN
Score: Sacred Heart 40 | Georgetown 14
Brief Recap & Highlights:

• A nine-yard rushing touchdown from John Michalski and a six-yard touchdown pass from Logan Lyson gave the Pioneers a 13-7 advantage at the end of the first quarter. 
• The second quarter saw the Hoyas battle back to within one, 14-13, following a nine-play, 71-yard drive, but a turnover by the visitors gave the Pios the edge needed to close out the quarter. 
• With 66 yards to go and only 1:11 to do it, the Pios wasted no time marching down the field and finding themselves in the red zone. Hilliman brought in a lofted pass by Michalski in the back of the endzone, giving SHU a 20-14 advantage with 25 seconds remaining in the half.
• The Pioneers' defense was ready and waiting, as Myles Talley picked off Georgetown's QB Danny Lauter with 15 seconds on the clock, setting up a Matt Kling 21-yard field goal as time expired to send SHU into halftime up 23-14.
• Georgetown was held scoreless for the remainder of the game, while the Pioneers scored an additional 17 points to put the game out of reach for the Hoyas.
• Leigh stole the show in the third quarter as he found paydirt on a 37-yard carry up the middle, juking a defender in the process, to stretch the margin to 30-14.
• Jalen Madison got his chance to shine in the fourth, breaking an 84-yard run up the middle and scoring on the next play after being tripped up at the two.
• Leigh recorded his third straight game with a touchdown, while Lyson, Madison, and Michalski tallied their first of the season. 
• On the defensive side of the ball, Myles Talley recorded four tackles, a fumble recovery for 19 yards, and an interception for 25 yards. 
• Along with Talley, Nick Verbitsky registered an interception and collected four tackles. 
• Teammate Ryan Moore also served as a defensive threat, tallying a team-high nine tackles and a forced fumble. 
• Isaiah Bishop recorded the Pioneers' lone sack of the afternoon for a loss of five yards.

WHAT A CATCH!
Ethan Hilliman's amazing endzone catch against the Georgetown Hoyas landed him at No. 1 on Sports Center's Top 10 and earned Best Catch. 

With 66 yards to go and only 1:11 to do it, the Pios wasted no time marching down the field to end the half. The first two plays of the drive led to 16 yards for Sacred Heart before Michalski found Hilliman with a back-shoulder strike that the senior turned into a 44-yard gain. 

Hilliman's heroics were not done with the long catch-and-run, as he brought in a lofted pass by Michalski in the back of the endzone, just tapping his right toe in bounds for a circus touchdown to give SHU a 20-14 advantage with 25 seconds remaining in the half.

PIOS EARN FIRST WIN OF 2024
Score: Sacred Heart 10 | Saint Anselm 3
Brief Recap & Highlights:

• The Pioneers opened the scoring in the second quarter. The hosts put together a 7:15 drive that resulted in a 29-yard field goal from Matt Kling with one minute left on the clock. 
• SHU then capitalized on a mishandled snap by the Saint Anselm punter, putting the Pioneers in prime position with four seconds remaining in the half. 
• The next play saw Xavier Leigh push through the Hawks' defensive line for the three-yard touchdown with no time on the clock.
• Saint Anselm countered the Pioneers' final drive of the game with a pair of plays that could have resulted in a comeback tie, but the Pios' defense held firm to help secure the win. 
• With Saturday's win, Coach Mark Nofri earned his 70th career win after taking over the reins in 2012. 
• John Michalski earned his first collegiate win as a Pioneer after going 10-of-16 with 86 passing yards to go along with 81 rushing yards behind 17 attempts. 
• Tyreke Brown and Maximus Mongelli paced the defense with a team-high six tackles, while Brown recorded 1.0 sacks for a loss of five yards. 
• Leigh posted his second straight touchdown of the season and finished with 40 yards on 12 attempts. 

NOFRI COLLECTS 70TH CAREER WIN
Following the Pioneers' win against the Saint Anselm Hawks, Head Coach Mark Nofri, who took over the program in 2012, collected his 70th career win. 

DEL STATE TOPS SHU IN HOME OPENER
Score: Delaware St 17 | Sacred Heart 15
Brief Recap & Highlights:

• Trailing 17-9 in the fourth quarter, the Pioneers put together a 5:21 scoring drive that resulted in a four-yard rushing touchdown from Xavier Leigh to trim the deficit to within two, 17-15. 
• However, SHU could not convert the two-point attempt to tie the game with 1:53 remaining in regulation and could not secure the ball on Matt Kling's on-side kick attempt.
• John Michalski went 12-for-23 with 104 passing yards and recorded 11 rushing attempts for 84 yards. 
• Kling finished the evening 3-for-3 in field goal attempts.
• Leigh tallied the Pioneers' first touchdown of the season.
• Nate Chandler led the defensive unit with two sacks, while Tyreke Brown and Stanley Dennis II posted a sack apiece. 

BRIEF LOOK AHEAD TO 2024
The Pioneers, in their first season as an FCS Independent, begin 2024 with three straight home games against Delaware State (August 31), Saint Anselm (September 7), and Georgetown (September 14). The Pioneers then close out September with road games against Stonehill (September 21) and the University of Delaware (September 28). 

October opens with a home date against Norfolk State (October 5) before a two-game road stint with Howard (October 12) and Lafayette (October 19). One week later, the Pioneers resume play on the road against Mercyhurst (October 26). SHU's final season home game comes against LIU (November 9). 

The Pioneers finish the season with an away game against Merrimack (November 16).

OH CAPTAINS, MY CAPTAINS
Head football coach Mark Nofri announced his 2024 team captains at the end of spring camp. Tyreke Brown, Marques Mason, Myles Talley, Jalen Madison, and Payton Rhoades, all of whom have demonstrated exceptional skills and leadership, have earned that honor.

NEW ADDITIONS TO THE COACHING STAFF
Over the summer break, SHU football head coach Mark Nofri announced new additions and appointments to his 2024 coaching staff. 

DeMarcus White, Mike Kennedy, Kyle Wiggins, and Nate Marr have joined the Pioneers. White will serve as the new safety coach, while Kennedy will be the new coach for outside linebackers. Wiggins will take over as the corners coach, and Marr will serve as the Director of Football Operations/Recruiting Coordinator. 

Kevin Duke, who previously coached the outside linebackers, has transitioned to quarterback coach. Doubling up on his duties is Pat Saporito, who will oversee both special teams and wide receivers for the Pioneers. 

WELCOME TO PIONEER FOOTBALL
The SHU coaching staff was busy during the off-season, signing 27 players, including 14 offensive players, 12 defensive players, and one special teams player. 

Ten of the 27 players are transfers from Bates College, Iowa Central Community College, Sierra University, Monmouth University, Florida State University, Trinity (CT), Youngstown State, the University of Rhode Island, Rutgers University, and the University of San Diego. 

CHESTNUT RE-SIGNS WITH THE TENNESSEE TITANS
Former SHU standout Julius Chestnut re-signed with the Tennessee Titans on a one-year contract. Chestnut joined the Titans before the 2022 season. 

Chestnut first caught the attention of NFL teams during the spring season of 2021 when he finished third in the Walter Payton Award voting after leading the FCS with 205.2 all-purpose yards per game and a program-record 171.0 rushing yards per game. A consensus First-Team All-American, he finished his career second in school history with 3,467 yards, and his 34 touchdowns are third all-time.

CHESTNUT SECURES SPOT ON 53-MAN ROSTER FOR TITANS
After a strong preseason performance, Julius Chestnut earned a spot on the Tennessee Titans' 53-man roster. 

In his first two NFL campaigns, Chestnut carried the ball nine times for 12 yards and caught three passes for 41 yards. He has also returned 10 kickoffs for 215 yards. He was a reserve on the Titans for the first three games last season but was placed on injured reserve on September 26 and missed the final 14 games.

LAST SEASON RECAP
The Pioneers finished the 2023 season with an overall record of 2-9 and a NEC mark of 2-5.

SHU's first win of the season came on the road against NEC foe Saint Francis (Pa.). With the game tied at 34-34, following a Red Flash touchdown, the Pioneers maintained their composure offensively, moving the ball from the SHU 45 to the SFU 23 over the final 2:20 to set up Sam Renzi for the game-winning field goal with two seconds left on the clock. 

The Pioneers' next win came on Senior Day, when they topped Central CT State by a final score of 31-24, snapping a five-game losing skid. SHU was led offensively by Malik Grant, who tallied two rushing touchdowns, while defensive back Maximus Mongelli recorded a career-high 13 tackles.

Sacred Heart had six NEC All-Conference bids, including a pair of First Team selections. Linebacker, team captain DeAndre Byrd, and defensive back Arsheen Jiles earned placement on the First Team All-NEC list. Four Pioneers were named to the Second Team All-NEC list, including defensive linemen and team captains Tyreke Brown and Carson Primrose, defensive back Mike-Lee Joseph, and kicker Sam Renzi.

Byrd also was recognized by the New England Football Writers Association as being named to the All-New England Team. The Lawrenceville, Ga. native finished with a team-leading 79 tackles behind 31 solo and 48 assisted stops.