Football Looks to Keep Momentum Rolling

Saturday, October 10

Fairfield, CT

12:00 PM

Sacred Heart

Stonehill College

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Photo by: Daniel Boye

Football Looks to Keep Momentum Rolling

10/9/2026 9:51:00 AM | Football

FB Game Notes

SHU looks to build on its CAA road victory at Maine in Saturday’s matchup with the Skyhawks.

By: Samantha Carey

TIME TO DEFEND OUR HOME TURF
Sacred Heart returns home Saturday, October 10, hosting Stonehill College in a non-conference matchup at Sikorsky Credit Union Field. Kickoff is set for noon in Fairfield, Conn.

This is the 11th all-time meeting between the two programs, with Stonehill holding a 7-3 advantage in the series.

The Pioneers earned their most recent victory over the Skyhawks back on Aug. 30, 2025, defeating them by a final score of 12-7.

Sacred Heart enters Saturday's contest at 2-3 overall and 2-2 in CAA play after earning its second consecutive conference victory, defeating Maine, 24-16, on the road.

Stonehill comes to Fairfield with an overall record of 1-4, with its only win coming in NEC action against the New Haven Chargers in week one, 21-3.

LAST TIME VS. STONEHILL
Final Score: Sacred Heart 12 | Stonehill 7
Brief Recap: Sacred Heart opened the 2025 season with a 12-7 victory over Stonehill at Campus Field. The Pioneers broke a scoreless tie in the third quarter with a Myles Hamilton safety and a Chuck Webb nine-yard touchdown run before Matt Kling added a 29-yard field goal in the fourth. Sacred Heart's defense held Stonehill to 264 total yards and forced a turnover on downs in the final minute to secure the win.

SCOUTING THE SKYHAWKS
Stonehill enters Saturday's matchup at 1-4 following a 35-7 loss at Ohio on Sept. 26. The Skyhawks opened the season with a 24-6 loss to Bryant before earning their first win of the season at New Haven, 21-3.

Stonehill also battled New Hampshire to a 42-35 contest before falling to Massachusetts, 36-14.

Offensively, the Skyhawks are averaging 16.6 points per game and 295.2 yards of total offense.

Quarterback Jack O'Connell leads the Stonehill offense through the air. The senior has thrown for 960 yards and eight touchdowns while completing 81-of-131 attempts.

The Skyhawks have also received production from Alijah Turner, who has been a major contributor in the return game, tallying 225 yards behind 11 attempts and ranks among the FCS leaders in all-purpose yards.

Defensively, Stonehill is allowing 28.0 points and 364.4 yards per game. The Skyhawks have been particularly effective on third down, ranking among the nation's leaders in third-down conversion defense.

PIOS COMING OFF CAA ROAD WIN
Sacred Heart erased an early deficit and scored 21 unanswered points to earn a gritty 24-16 road victory at Maine last Saturday.The Pioneers trailed 9-0 before scoring twice in the second quarter and adding another touchdown in the third to take control of the game.

Sacred Heart finished with 382 total yards, including 207 through the air and 175 on the ground. The Pioneers also recorded 25 first downs and controlled possession for 38:05.

Quarterback Poochie Snyder completed 21-of-27 passes for 207 yards and two touchdowns while adding 73 rushing yards.

Jason Palmieri caught six passes for 73 yards and a touchdown, while Dean Hangey added seven receptions for 58 yards and a rushing touchdown.

Defensively, Myles Hamilton, Kymari Latney and Luke Hackett each recorded seven tackles. Hamilton added two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss, while Kenny Selby finished with three pass breakups.

HAMILTON NAMED CAA FOOTBALL DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Outside linebacker Myles Hamilton was named the CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week following his performance at Maine. The junior outside linebacker led Sacred Heart with seven tackles while recording a career-best two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss for eight yards.

ERRITY RECORDS FIRST CAREER TOUCHDOWN
Brendan Errity recorded his first career touchdown in Sacred Heart's victory at Maine. Errity hauled in a six-yard touchdown pass from Snyder to cap a 12-play, 75-yard drive that consumed 6:27. The touchdown gave Sacred Heart a 21-9 lead early in the third quarter and marked the latest addition to an increasingly balanced Pioneer scoring attack.

PIOS CONTINUE TO CONTROL THE CLOCK
Sacred Heart has established itself as one of the nation's top teams at controlling possession, ranking third nationally and first in the CAA in time of possession (35:00). The Pioneers held the ball for a season-high 38:05 in last week's victory at Maine.

SNYDER AMONG NATION'S MOST ACCURATE PASSER
Quarterback Poochie Snyder continues to rank among the nation's most accurate passers, ranking fourth nationally in completion percentage (.750). Within the CAA, Snyder leads the conference in completion percentage (.750), ranks second in passing efficiency (154.9) and fifth in total offense (207.0). The redshirt sophomore has completed 74-of-105 passes for 765 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Against Maine, Snyder set season highs with 21 completions, 28 pass attempts and 207 passing yards.

OFFENSE EFFICIENT THROUGH THE AIR
Sacred Heart has completed nearly 70 percent of its passes through five games, with Poochie Snyder accounting for the majority of the team's production through the air.
The Pioneers rank fifth nationally in completion percentage at .696 and second in the CAA in offensive efficiency at 152.7.

GROUND GAME PROVIDES MULTIPLE OPTIONS
Sacred Heart's rushing attack continues to provide balance to the Pioneer offense, with the Pioneers ranking third in the CAA at 136.0 yards per game. Chuck Webb leads the team with 290 rushing yards, while quarterback Poochie Snyder has added 270 yards on the ground. Freshman Darius Chukwuemeka has also made an impact in his first season, totaling 191 rushing yards.

PALMIERI, HANGEY POWER PASSING ATTACK
Jason Palmieri and Dean Hangey have been key pieces of Sacred Heart's passing attack this season. Palmieri leads the Pioneers with 227 receiving yards and three touchdowns, while Hangey has added 210 receiving yards and three touchdowns. Both receivers are averaging more than 40 yards per game, with Palmieri coming off a strong performance at Maine that included six catches for 73 yards and a touchdown.

BALANCED SCORING ATTACK
Sacred Heart has received touchdown production from eight different players this season. Palmieri and Hangey lead the Pioneers with three touchdowns apiece.

HAMILTON MAKING HIS PRESENCE FELT
Myles Hamilton has established himself as a consistent force on the Pioneer defense. The junior linebacker ranks 10th nationally in tackles for loss, averaging 1.5 per game. He ranks third in the CAA in both tackles for loss per game (1.50) and total tackles for loss (7.5).

DEFENSE SETTING THE TONE
The Pioneer defense has been a steady presence throughout the season, ranking 10th nationally in first-down defense with opponents recording just 76 first downs. Sacred Heart also ranks third in the CAA in total defense, surrendering 312.2 yards per game, while holding the second-lowest mark in the conference for opponent first downs at 15.2 per game.

Sacred Heart has been particularly effective in critical situations, ranking third in the CAA in opponent third-down conversions (33.3 percent) and second on fourth down (40.0 percent). The Pioneers turned in another strong defensive effort last week at Maine, limiting the Black Bears to 259 total yards and 13 first downs in a 24-16 road win.

SELBY LEADING THE SECONDARY
Defensive back Kenny Selby has continued to make an impact in the Pioneer secondary this season. Selby recorded three pass breakups against Maine, accounting for three of Sacred Heart's four pass breakups in the victory. The three breakups marked a season high for Selby, who now leads the Pioneers with five pass breakups. Selby ranks second in the CAA with 1.20 passes defended per game and is tied for third with six total passes defended.

SPECIAL TEAMS MAKING AN IMPACT
Sacred Heart continues to excel in kickoff return defense. The Pioneers rank fourth nationally, allowing just 12.27 yards per kickoff return. Within the CAA, Sacred Heart ranks third in kickoffs at 42.9 yards.

CONSISTENCY IN THE KICKING GAME
Ryan Bocklet has provided consistency in the kicking game throughout the 2026 season. Bocklet leads the Pioneers in scoring with 27 points, converting five field goals and 12 extra points. He ranks fourth in the CAA in field goals per game at 1.0 and third in the conference in field-goal percentage at .833. Bocklet connected on a 40-yard field goal late in the fourth quarter at Maine to help seal the Pioneer victory.

2025 SEASON RECAP
Sacred Heart finished the 2025 season 8-4, including a perfect 6-0 at home, while taking on a challenging schedule that featured road games at Lehigh, Montana and Villanova.

The Pioneers capped the season by winning their second straight Yankee Conference Championship, defeating Merrimack, 42-37, on Senior Day and completing a flawless home season.

SUMMERS, SUK REPRESENTS PIOS ON CAA PRESEASON TEAM
Running back Mitchell Summers was named to the 2026 CAA Football Preseason All-Conference Team, while grad offensive lineman Tim Suk earned honorable mention recognition.

Summers' breakout season featured four 100-yard rushing performances, highlighted by a career-best 243-yard, two-touchdown effort in a victory over Howard that included an electrifying 80-yard touchdown run. He also rushed for 137 yards in Sacred Heart's win over Merrimack, eclipsing the 1,000-yard mark and etching his name into the program's record book.

Suk was instrumental in protecting quarterback Poochie Snyder and helped anchor an offensive line that paved the way for one of the nation's most productive rushing attacks.

PIOS SELECTED 10TH IN CAA PRESEASON POLL
1. Rhode Island (12 first-place votes) – 144
2. Monmouth – 119
3. Elon – 115
4. New Hampshire – 106
5. Stony Brook (1 first-place vote) – 105
6. Towson – 93
7. Maine – 88
8. Campbell – 56
9. Bryant – 50
10. Sacred Heart – 49
11. UAlbany – 35
12. North Carolina A&T – 28
13. Hampton - 26

SHU FOOTBALL CAPTAINS
Following the conclusion of spring practice, head coach Mark Nofri announced the team captains for the upcoming 2026 season.
Kenny Selby, Curtis Whiting, Tim Suk, Poochie Snyder, and Logan Lyson were selected by their peers for their outstanding leadership, consistent performance, and unwavering commitment to the program.

NOFRI ANNOUNCES STAFF CHANGES
During the offseason, head coach Mark Nofri announced several new additions and promotions to his 2026 coaching staff.

New to the staff are James Alford (outside linebackers), Chase Murdock (linebackers), and Kyle Woodring (tight ends).

Lou Del Forno, who served as Assistant Defensive Line/Video Coordinator last season, has been promoted to Director of Football Operations.

CHESTNUT RESIGNS WITH TITANS
Former Sacred Heart University football standout Julius Chestnut re-signed with the Tennessee Titans on a one-year contract.

Chestnut appeared in all 17 games during the 2025 season, making his biggest impact on special teams where he led the team with 17 tackles. He also recorded 11 carries for 40 rushing yards. Originally signed by the Titans as an undrafted free agent following the 2022 NFL Draft, Chestnut has steadily contributed in multiple roles.

In 2024, he set career highs with 22 carries for 102 yards and added 337 yards on 13 kickoff returns, ranking second on the team in return yards. Over his career, Chestnut has played in 43 games, totaling 154 rushing yards on 42 carries.

UP NEXT
Sacred Heart is back in action on Saturday, Oct. 17 with a home showdown with CAA opponent Hampton. Kickoff is set for noon at Sikorsky Credit Union FIeld.