BACK HOME FOR FAMILY WEEKEND

• The Sacred Heart football team aims to keep its momentum going in Week 5 as the Pioneers welcome Delaware State on Family Weekend, Saturday, September 27, at 12 p.m. on Campus Field.
• The matchup marks the third all-time meeting between the programs, with the series currently even at 1-1. 
•  SHU enters the game on a two-game win streak, having narrowly defeated LIU and Norfolk State by a field goal. 
•  Delaware State arrives to Fairfield on a three-game winning streak, defeating UAlbany, Bowie State, and Saint Francis (PA).
•  Saturday's game will be streamed on ESPN+ with commentary from Randy Brochu and Freddie Coleman. 

LAST TIME VS. DSU
Date: August 31, 2024
Final Score: Delaware State 17 | Sacred Heart 15
Brief Recap: The Pioneers narrowed a 17-9 fourth-quarter deficit with a 5:21 scoring drive, capped by a four-yard Xavier Leigh touchdown. SHU missed the two-point conversion with 1:53 left and did not recover the ensuing onside kick.
Brief Stats: John Michalski totaled 188 yards, passing for 104 and rushing for 84. Xavier Leigh added 91 yards and a touchdown, while Ethan Hilliman led the receivers with nine catches for 75 yards. On defense, Maximus Mongelli tallied 11 tackles, Nick Verbitsky added eight, and Nate Chandler posted two sacks among his five stops.
 
SHU CLAIMS BACK-TO-BACK WINS
Final Score: Sacred Heart 31 | Norfolk State 28
Brief Recap: Sacred Heart built a 24–14 advantage early in the second half before Norfolk State rallied to pull within a field goal. With just over five minutes to play, Jack Snyder's touchdown run pushed the lead to 31–21. The Spartans answered quickly with a 29-yard touchdown strike, but the Pioneers' defense forced a missed field goal in the closing seconds to preserve the victory.
Brief Stat: Jack Snyder fueled the attack, passing for 92 yards and rushing for 79, and powered through the defense for two rushing scores. Mitchell Summers led the ground game, amassing 122 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries. Trey Eberhart III provided an additional spark with 89 rushing yards and a score. On defense, Kyle Hall and Tyler Jameson each tallied six tackles, while Maximus Mongelli stood out with five tackles, a six-yard TFL, an interception, and a pass breakup.
 
BEST START SINCE 2020
Heading into week five, the Pioneers are off to their best start since 2020, sitting at 3-1 overall and riding plenty of momentum into Saturday's showdown with the Hornets. 
The 2020 season began with a close 30-27 loss to Duquesne, but the Pioneers quickly bounced back with wins over LIU (35-7), Merrimack (26-9), and avenged its season-opening loss with a thrilling 34-27 victory over the Dukes. 
 
DEFENSE DELIVERS
The Pioneers' defense is firing on all cylinders, ranking second in the FCS by limiting opponents to just .175 on third-down conversions. They're also fifth in kickoff return defense, allowing only 10.75 yards per return, and 16th in red zone defense, keeping opponents out of the end zone 70% of the time.
 
LEADING THE CHARGE
The Pioneers' defense is anchored by standouts across positions. Maximus Mongelli sets the tone in the secondary, leading the team in tackles, while Nick Verbitsky leads the linebackers with 3.0 tackles-for-loss. This mix of linebackers, defensive backs, and safeties fills the top five in tackles, each recording 14 or more stops and highlighting the team's depth of talent.
 
TWO IN A ROW
Rookie Mitchell Summers has become a consistent presence in the Pioneers' backfield, posting consecutive 100-yard games and touchdowns against LIU and Norfolk State. Through four games, he leads the team with 260 rushing yards on 60 carries, averaging 4.1 yards per attempt and 61.3 yards per game.
 
SNYDER MOVES FROM BACK-UP TO STARTER
Jack Snyder has settled into the starting role with steady growth across three games. The sophomore quarterback completed 36 of 51 passes (70.6%) for 379 yards, highlighted by a 193-yard outing at LIU. While he has yet to throw for a touchdown, Snyder has proven dangerous on the ground, rushing for 189 yards and two scores—both coming in the win over Norfolk State. 
 
SHARP AND ACCURATE
As Jack Snyder steps into the starting role, he's also climbing within the FCS ranks, currently 14th with a 70.6% completion rate.
 
KLING HELPS KEEP PIOS ROLLING
Matt Kling has been a steady presence on special teams, leading the Pioneers in scoring with 21 points through four games. He's converted 4-of-5 field goals with a long of 32 yards and is a perfect 9-for-9 on PATs. Kling delivered a season-high seven points in the win at Norfolk State, knocking through a 19-yard field goal and all four extra points.
 
HANGEY AMONG NATION'S BEST
Dean Hangey has been a spark plug on special teams, ranking second in FCS with 38.4 yards per kickoff return. His highlight moment came at Lehigh, where he broke free for a 91-yard touchdown on the Pioneers' opening drive.
 
WALK-OFF FIELD GOAL SEALS WIN FOR SHU
Final Score: Sacred Heart 24 | LIU 21
Brief Recap: Trailing 14-7 at halftime and down 21-7 early in the third quarter, the Pioneers refused to back down, with John Michalski and Curtis Whiting scoring key touchdowns to tie the game. Matt Kling's clutch kick as time expired to seal the victory, snapping LIU's three-game win streak in the series.
Brief Stats: Jack Snyder went 14-of-18 for 193 yards and added 88 yards on the ground, while Summers rushed 24 times for 112 yards and a touchdown, and Kevin McGuire caught five passes for 88 yards. On defense, Nick Verbitsky led with seven tackles and a TFL, Kyle Hall added six stops and a TFL, and Peter Schanne recorded four tackles with a sack.
 
#11/13 LEHIGH TOO MUCH FOR PIOS
Final Score: Lehigh 28 | Sacred Heart 10
Brief Recap: Dean Hangey opened the game with a 91-yard kickoff return touchdown, but Lehigh quickly answered and took control with three first-half rushing scores for a 21-7 lead at the break. Matt Kling added a third-quarter field goal to cut the deficit, but the Mountain Hawks sealed the 28-10 win with a fourth-quarter touchdown.
Brief Stats: Jack Snyder led the Pioneers with 94 passing yards and 38 rushing yards on nine rushing attempts. Chuck Webb added 27 rushing yards, and Payton Rhoades caught four passes for 26 yards. Defensively, Myles Hamilton recorded six tackles, Nick Verbitsky added five tackles with a sack and tackle for loss, and Daimon Jacobs contributed five tackles and an interception.
 
PIOS TOP STONEHILL IN HOME OPENER
Final Score: Sacred Heart 12 | Stonehill 7
Brief Recap: The Pioneers' defense set the tone early, stopping two red zone drives to keep the game scoreless at halftime. Momentum shifted in the third quarter when Kyle Hall's interception led to a safety by Myles Hamilton and a touchdown run from Chuck Webb, giving a 9–0 lead. Stonehill closed the gap with a fourth-quarter touchdown, but SHU responded with a Matt Kling field goal before the defense sealed the win with a late fourth-down stop in the red zone.
Brief Stats: On offense, John Michalski threw for 119 yards on 11-of-21 passing and added 42 rushing yards, while Webb carried 17 times for 83 yards and a touchdown. Dean Hangey led the receiving corps with three catches for 67 yards. Defensively, Daimon Jacobs and Maximus Mongelli anchored the unit with 10 tackles apiece, with Jacobs adding a tackle for loss.
 
2024 SEASON RECAP
In their first season as an FCS Independent, the Pioneers battled a demanding schedule and closed strong, winning the Yankee Conference Championship with a 31–20 victory over Merrimack.
 
SHU finished 5–6 with wins over Saint Anselm (10–3), Georgetown (40–14), Norfolk State (10–3), Mercyhurst (31–14), and Merrimack.
 
The Pioneers' backfield was a force to be reckoned with, led by the dynamic duo of Xavier Leigh and Jalen Madison. Their combined efforts amassed over 1,500 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, with seven coming from Madison, which positioned him as the Pioneers' leading touchdown scorer.
 
Defensively, the secondary was a difference-maker, accounting for six interceptions, six forced fumbles, and 21 pass breakups.
 
Seven players — Nate Chandler, Tyreke Brown, Isaiah Bishop, Janier Armstead, Nick Verbitsky, Caleb Dennis, and Stanley Dennis II — recorded at least one sack, contributing to 17 overall for a total loss of 84 yards.
 
BRIEF LOOK AHEAD TO 2025
In their second and final season as an FCS Independent, Sacred Heart opens 2025 with a highly anticipated home matchup against Stonehill on Aug. 30. The Pioneers then play three straight road games at Lehigh (Sept. 6), LIU (Sept. 13), and Norfolk State (Sept. 20), before hosting Delaware State for Family Weekend (Sept. 27).
 
October begins with a road test at defending NEC champion CCSU (Oct. 4) before SHU returns to Campus Field to host Howard (Oct. 11). A marquee road trip to Montana (Oct. 18) follows, offering one of the season's toughest challenges.
 
The final month brings three home dates - New Haven (Nov. 1), Virginia Lynchburg (Nov. 8), and a key Yankee Conference Cup showdown with Merrimack (Nov. 15) - before the regular season wraps up on the road at Villanova (Nov. 22).
 
CAA FOOTBALL WELCOMES SHU
The Coastal Athletic Association Football Board of Directors approved Sacred Heart University as the newest member of the conference, effective July 1, 2026. The move increases CAA Football's membership to 13 institutions, with the geographic footprint stretching across nine states from Maine to North Carolina.
 
Sacred Heart, a private university with more than 11,000 students, has captured six Northeast Conference championships and made four FCS playoff appearances since 2013, including back-to-back titles in 2013-14 and 2020-21.
 
SHU President Dr. John Petillo, Executive Director of Athletics Judy Ann Riccio, and Head Coach Mark Nofri each emphasized the opportunity to elevate the program while upholding the values of integrity, community, and athletic excellence. 
 
SHU FOOTBALL CAPTAINS
Following the conclusion of spring practice, head coach Mark Nofri announced the team captains for the upcoming 2025 season. Kenny Selby, Maximus Mongelli, Cole De Magistris, Evan Scribner, and Curtis Whiting were selected by their peers for their outstanding leadership, consistent performance, and unwavering commitment to the program.
 
NOFRI ANNOUNCES STAFF CHANGES
Over the summer, head coach Mark Nofri announced several additions and promotions to his 2025 coaching staff.
 
New to the staff are Paul Amakihe (linebackers), DJ Ford (tight ends), and Lou Del Forno (assistant defensive line/video coordinator).
 
Nate Marr, who served as Director of Football Operations last season, has been promoted to General Manager, Director of Football Operations, and Recruiting Coordinator.
 
Two current assistants also received expanded roles: Brad Tiernan will now serve as Offensive Line/Run Game Coordinator, while De Marcus White adds Defensive Pass Game Coordinator duties to his responsibilities with the safeties.
 
FB ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Jalen Madison '25 – Received his first career All-New England nod back following a breakout season in 2024. He joins fellow running backs Malik Grant, Julius Chestnut, and Keshaudas Spence, who have earned this honor during their tenure with the Pioneers.
 
Julius Chestnut '22 – Resigned with the Tennessee Titans. Chestnut, who initially joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 2022, has played in 22 games over the past three seasons and rushed for 114 yards, along with catching five passes for 52 yards. Chesnut has also played a role on special teams.
 
JD DiRenzo – Currently playing in the UFL with the Arlington Renegades after being traded by the Memphis Showboats back in April. Before the UFL, DiRenzo signed with the Carolina Panthers as an undrafted free agent and was active for one game during the 2023 season, playing seven snaps. 
 
FOLLOW LIVE
Pioneer fans can find the latest news, scores, highlights, up-to-the-minute breaking news, or schedule changes on the official website of SHU Athletics. 
Follow the Pioneers at @SHU__FB on Twitter and @shufb_ on Instagram.
Live Stats are also available at sacredheartpioneers.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
 
ON DECK
The Pioneers return to action on Saturday, October 4, for a road showdown against Central Connecticut State University in New Britain, Conn., at 12:00 p.m.