UTICA, NY -- The Utica College football team opens up its 2015 season on Saturday as the Pioneers host Misericordia University in the Indium Corporation Home Opener at Charles A. Gaetano Stadium.  The contest is scheduled to begin at 4:30 p.m.

SEASON OPENER: The Pioneers are 10-4 all-time in season-opening contests and they have started the year with a victory in six consecutive seasons.

15^TH ANNIVERSARY: The football program is entering its 15^th season of existence … Proof of the program's maturation is that the Pioneers have posted a record of .500 or better in four of the last five seasons … In 14 years the Pioneers have racked up 51 victories, including 21 wins in the last four seasons alone … Head Coach Blaise Faggiano is in his seventh season at the helm and has elevated the program to new heights … He has 33 victories under his belt and he has guided over 60 student-athletes to All-Conference status … He currently boasts a .730 win percentage in non-conference play with an impressive 19-7 mark.

TICKETS: Tickets are sold at the gate … $4 for adults and $2 for any non-UC students … Students, faculty and staff are free with ID. 

BROADCAST INFO:  All Utica College football games will be broadcast on the radio locally at WTLB 99.1 FM/1310 AM (ESPN Radio) by Dave Peroni and UC alum Ray Biggs … Live streaming audio can also be accessed on WTLB's website, www.espnur.com... Utica College home games are also broadcast over the air and online by Utica College's student radio station, WPNR 90.7 FM… Make sure to catch live video, audio and stats on Pioneers All-Access: http://portal.stretchinternet.com/utica/.

12^th MAN CLUB: Get to campus early for the 12^th Man Tailgate in Parking Lot A … Mike Spellman and Rainzilla from ESPN Radio Utica/Rome and KROCK will broadcast live in the tailgate area to catch all of the pregame festivities.

2014 REVIEW: Utica wrapped up its 2014 season with a school-record seven wins and earned a bid into an ECAC Postseason Bowl Game for the first time in program-history … The Pioneers also finished the regular season in third place in the highly competitive Empire 8 Conference … As a team, the Pioneers finished the year second all-time with 1,699 rushing yards and they set a new school-record with 29 rushing touchdowns … The 2014 edition of the Pioneers is one of four teams in program-history to record over 5,000 all-purpose yards (5,438) and score over 300 points (330) in a single season … They also tied for second all-time at UC with 46 total touchdowns (29 rushing, 13 receiving, four return), while the Pioneer defense set a new program record with 42 pass break ups. 

HOME SWEET HOME: The Pioneers went 3-1 on the turf at Gaetano Stadium last season and will host five home games this regular season. 

LAST YEAR VS. MISERICORDIA: These two programs have met once before, with the Pioneers earning a convincing 55-0 season-opening victory over the Cougars on the road last season … Jerred Beniquez (Port Ewen, NY/Kingston) caught seven balls for a career-high 165 yards, and an 80-yard touchdown, in the Pioneer victory … Linebacker Jonathan Cappotelli (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia) led Utica with a career-high seven tackles (six solo), while junior defensive end Nick Woodman (Utica, NY/Proctor) added six tackles, including one sack and one fumble recovery … Gregory Palmer (Richland, NY/APW) and Ryan Burnett (Mount Vernon, NY/Arch Bishop Stepinac) also registered touchdowns in the contest. 

MEET THE CAPTAINS: The 2015 edition of the Utica College football team will be captained by senior defensive end Nick Woodman (Utica, NY/Proctor), senior safety Mike Sullivan (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro), senior wide receiver Gregory Palmer (Richland, NY/APW) and junior running back Ryan Burnett (Mount Vernon, NY/Arch Bishop Stepinac) … Woodman and Palmer earned the captain distinction in the Spring, while Sullivan and Burnett were named captains during training camp.

WOODMAN IS BACK: Senior defensive end Nick Woodman (Utica, NY/Proctor) enters his final season in the blue and orange and will be the focal point off the edge for the UC defense … Woodman has caught the eye of professional scouts with his rare combination of size and speed and he hopes to continue to climb UC's all-time record books this season … He needs 1.5 sacks to surpass UC alum and current assistant coach Tracy Branch as the College's all-time leader in career sacks … He currently has 20 sacks in three seasons … Woodman was named one of the top five returners in the Empire 8 Conference by Hero Sports … In 2014, Woodman made his second straight Empire 8 All-Conference appearance, and he was also a D3football.com All-East Region selection and an ECAC All-Star … He truly had a breakout season, as he led the Empire 8 and set a new school-record for sacks in a single season with 12 … He ranked 14th nationally in sacks per game (1.05) and fourth in the Empire 8 in tackles for a loss per game (1.2) … He also led the Empire 8 and finished 10th nationally with three fumble recoveries.

WILSON LEADS THE LINEBACKERS: Junior linebacker Juwan Wilson (South Ozone Park, NY/Holy Cross) returns as the Pioneers leading tackler from last season … Wilson was an all-conference second team pick after he finished the year ranked third in the Empire 8 and 49th nationally with an average of 10.2 tackles per game … He is one of nine players in program-history to register 100 tackles or more in a single season … His 115 tackles ranked fifth all-time at UC for a single season … He totaled 14 or more tackles four times and he also broke up six passes in a four game stretch.

LAST LINE OF DEFENSE: Senior safety Mike Sullivan (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) has played in 19 career games for the Pioneers and he has totaled 106 tackles to go along with seven pass deflections, three forced fumbles and one interception … Last season Sullivan ranked fourth on the team with 61 tackles … Sullivan transferred to Utica from the University of Albany back in 2013 after playing in nine games as a redshirt freshman for the Great Danes in 2012.

SECONDARY: Cornerbacks Matt McCoy and Chance Harris (West Henrietta, NY/Rush Henrietta) will lock down the corner positions and Jerry Bolivar (Elmont, NY/Sewanhaka) will work alongside Mike Sullivan (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) at the safety position … Bolivar played in ten games last season and recorded 21 tackles to go along with five pass break ups, two forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks … As a freshman McCoy led the team with eight pass break ups, one interception and he also posted 32 tackles. 

RUN STOPPERS: Senior Mike Kata (West Babylon, NY/West Babylon) will lead the Pioneers interior defensive line with the help of classmate Pat Carroll (Liverpool, NY/Liverpool) and junior stand out Nicholas Bruzzese (Utica, NY/Proctor) … Kata had 28 tackles last season and two tackles for a loss … Bruzzese made 32 stops and added 3.5 sacks.

EDGE RUSHERS: Woodmand, Frank DeNome (New Windsor, NY/Cornwall) and Jimmy McLaughlin (Schenectady, NY/Guilderland) will see the bulk of the action at defensive end this season for the Pioneers … DeNome made 32 tackles last year and added 1.5 sacks … McLaughlin chipped in with 23 tackles.

IT'S UP – IT'S GOOD: Senior kicker Thomas Woodburn (West Islip, NY/West Islip) is the College's all-time leader with 19 career field goals and 85 career extra points … He ranks third all-time at UC with 142 career points and needs 21 more points to move into second place all-time … Woodburn will also take over punting duties this season after the graduation of Dakota Peel (Alden, NY/Alden). 

ALL-PURPOSE MAN: Junior receiver Jerred Beniquez (Port Ewen, NY/Kingston) returns to the lineup after he finished the year ranked second on the team with 43 catches for 554 yards last season … He now has 65 career catches for 748 yards and three touchdowns … His 65 catches and 748 yards receiving both rank ninth on the College's all-time lists … His 2,170 career all-purpose yards ranks sixth on the College's all-time list. 

UNDER CENTER: Junior quarterback Teddy VanGalen (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa) has patiently waited for his time under center and will get the nod in week one as the Pioneers field general … Backing up VanGalen will be senior two-sport athlete Matt Rogers (East Syracuse, NY/Bishop Ludden). 

IN THE BACKFIELD: The Pioneers have a variety of options out of the backfield beginning with juniors Ryan Burnett (Mount Vernon, NY/Arch Bishop Stepinac) and Nicodemus Gambill (Rochester, NY/East High) … Burnett has played in 19 career games and has 148 carries for 539 yards and six touchdowns … Gambill got his first varsity action last season and carried the ball 16 times for 56 yards … Gambill, a two-sport athlete, was the College's first NCAA Outdoor Track & Field qualifier in the 100 meter dash last Spring and is regarded as one of the fastest running backs in division III football … Mike Cottle (Windsor, CT/South Windsor) and Felix Rodriguez (Schenectady, NY/Schenectady) will also see time at the running back position. 

OFFENSIVE LINE: The projected starting front five for the UC offensive line will be Cortland transfer Robert Pontbriand (Yorktown Heights, NY/Somers) at left tackle, left guard Austin Berninger (River Edge, NJ/Riverdell), center Spencer Lasker (Commack, NY/Commack), right guard Jack Doyle (Greenlawn, NY/Harborfields) and right tackle Zach Handy (Gloversville, NY/Gloversville) … Berninger, Lasker, Doyle and Handy all saw time on the varsity offensive line last season and Pontbriand will take over at the left tackle position after starting all ten games on the offensive line for Cortland last season. 

DEEP THREAT: Gregory Palmer (Richland, NY/APW) has played in 20 career games at UC and has 31 catches to go along with five touchdowns … Last season, he averaged 18.9 yards per catch and caught three touchdowns. 

EXPERIENCE IS EVERYTHING: Senior linebacker Jonathan Cappotelli (Caledonia, NY/Caledonia) and junior Joe Castellitto (Mahopac, NY/Mahopac) gained valuable experience last season playing in eight games and nine games, respectively …The two combined for 59 tackles last season and will shore up the Pioneers linebacker corps.

FRESHMAN TO WATCH: Coach Faggiano has raved about the quality of the freshman class this season and seven first year players have made the Pioneers' two-deep … Some new faces to look out for on Saturday are cornerback Matt Stone (Rochester, NY/Brighton), safety Dehstin Smart (Paterson, NJ/Hackensack), linebacker Kevin Chisari (Oakland, NJ/Indian Hills), defensive end Dorkim Simeona (Roosevelt, NY/Roosevelt), nose guard Neanu Heedram, left guard Nick Johnson (Brooklyn, NY/Fort Hamilton), and center Dan Busold (Clifton Park, NY/Shenendehowa).

SCOUTING THE COUGARS: Misericordia enters its fourth season as an NCAA Division III football program … The Cougars, led by Head Coach Mark Ross, have won one game in each of the last two seasons … The roster features 21 seniors, including quarterback Jeff Puckett, who played in ten games last season and led the team with 1,160 rushing yards and nine touchdowns … Puckett also completed 71 passes for 624 yards and four touchdowns … Rob Hart returns as the team's leading tackler after posting 69 stops and two sacks last season. 

SOCIAL MEDIA: If you can't make it out to the game make sure to follow live updates on the Pioneers official Twitter feed: @UCPioneers… If you are at the game and on Twitter, or talking about the game on Twitter, make sure to use #UCMoose… You can also "Like" the Pioneers on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCpioneers ... Fans can also follow the Pioneers on Instagram: UCPioneers. 

CAMPUS MAP: Never been to a game?  Here is a campus map to help you find your way around campus … http://www.utica.edu/instadvance/marketingcomm/campus/map.cfm