UTICA, NY - The Utica University football team is back from the bye this weekend, hitting the home stretch of the regular season as they welcome Alfred University for the first of four games to wrap up the 2026 campaign. This Saturday's showdown with the Saxons is the Pioneers' annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game, sponsored by Gilroy, Kernan, and Gilroy, along with Sullivan Contracting. The Pioneers exit the bye week ranked #15 in the current NCAA NPI, and control their own destiny in their quest to reach the program's second-ever Division III NCAA Tournament.
 
This Weekend's Game Sponsor: This weekend is the annual Breast Cancer Awareness Game, so make sure to sport your pink for Saturday's Party at The Gaet'! Also, be sure to help Head Coach Blaise Faggiano in his quest to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness by heading to this link: https://secure.acsevents.org/site/STR/RMWP/MWPCY26NER?pg=personal&px=42780138&fr_id=112645
 
GKG and Sullivan Contracting have partnered with Utica football to help bring awareness to Breast Cancer research through this weekend's contest.
 
You can stream this Saturday's contest by heading to the following link: https://www.empire8network.com/utica/
 
For live statistics, you can head to this link: https://uticapioneers.com/sidearmstats/football/summary
 
You can grab a ticket at the gate for just $5. Cash is preferred.
 
Highlights will be available on our athletics YouTube either late Saturday evening or early Sunday morning. Click the links below to get caught up on game highlights from the previous Utica football games:
 
Week One vs W&J: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_czjU8x7og
 
Week Two at RPI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fe5s5ZTvf8
 
Week Three vs Hobart: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHDKr7EhZ3w&t=6s
 
Week Four at Alfred State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzNPylyaxbQ
 
Week Five vs #17 SUNY Cortland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fXhCsezzk8
 
Week Six vs Morrisville State: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW0AZStF3xA
 
Vs Morrisville Recap: Prior to the bye week, the Pioneers took the short trip over to Drake Field in nearby Morrisville for a matchup with a physical and very game Mustang squad. Following a tight loss against Cortland, the orange and blue looked to get back on the right track, something they accomplished with ease as quarterback Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) racked up 349 yards and two touchdowns through the air, while Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) led a Pioneer defense that held the hosts to just 59 rushing yards on 28 attempts, an average of 2.1, as the Pioneers picked up a 33-7 win. Both Szalkowski and Davis would receive Empire 8 Player of the Week honors on their respective sides of the ball, with Davis compiling nine tackles (three solo), a quarterback hurry, and a third-down sack, ranking second on the team in total takedowns despite his spot on the interior of the defensive line.
 
Those two players weren't the only Pioneers to receive recognition for their outstanding performances, however, as safety Joseph Gentile (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) earned national recognition with his first selection to the D3football.com Team of the Week. The hard-hitting senior grabbed six tackles, five of which were solo, as he wrapped up well in the open field. In addition, Gentile proved to be particularly disruptive, notching a forced fumble along with an interception. The Utica native paired with fellow defensive back Nathan Hernandez (Mechanicville, NY/Mechanicville) to halt the Morrisville passing attack, with the two only allowing the hosts to record 113 yards and toss two interceptions in the outing. Hernandez nabbed the second Morrisville pick on the opening drive, as the Pioneer safety now has a season total of five, leading the Empire 8 by two, ranking third in all of NCAA Division III, and now sitting two away from the program's single-season record held by Jon Klosner.
 
Poll Position: The Pioneers remained outside the top 25 in both the D3football.com and AFCA polls, although they continued to be a top vote-getter in both rankings, landing behind Chapman as the second-leading vote-getter in the D3football.com.
 
However, at the end of the season, the rankings that matter most are the NCAA's official NPI, as that ultimately determines the field for the Division III NCAA Tournament. In those rankings, the Pioneers continued to hold a tremendous standing, placing #15 and only falling one spot over the bye week. The official NPI gives a boost for all wins against other teams that are high in the standings, with the Pioneers' 26-11 opening week win against Washington & Jefferson giving them a massive boost thanks to the Presidents' current ranking of #16. Here is a look at the Pioneers' wins so far this season, along with the rankings of their upcoming opponents:
 
#16 Washington & Jefferson - W, 26-11
#85 RPI - W, 38-14
#95 Hobart - W, 36-29
#112 Alfred State - W, 58-13
#193 Morrisville State - W, 33-7
 
#8 Cortland State - L, 31-21
 
For reference, there are 242 Division III teams represented in the NPI
 
Upcoming opponents:
Vs #143 Alfred University (2-4)
At #54 St. John Fisher (5-1)
At #198 Hartwick (1-5)
Vs #39 SUNY Brockport (5-1)
 
National Ranks: Below is a list of statistics in which the Pioneers rank top-50 nationally:
 
Team Statistical Placements:

• Passing Yards Per Game | 325.3 | 6th
• Turnover Margin per Game | +1.67 | 7th
• Turnovers Generated | 17 | 9th
• Fumbles Recovered | 7 | Tied-13th
• Completion Percentage | .671 (157 Completions, 234 Attempts) | 15th
• Interceptions | 10 | Tied-18th
• Punt Return Yards Allowed Average | 2.33 Yards | 19th
• Least Opposing Tackles for Loss Per Game | 3.67 | 23rd
• Total First Downs (35 Rush, 92 Pass, 18 Penalty) | 145 | Tied-24th
• 4th Down Converion Percentage | .667 (10-for-15) | Tied-25th
• Opposing Pass Efficiency | 102.98 | 28th
• Time of Possession | 196 Minutes (32 per Game) | 31st
• Total Offense Per Game | 443.3 Yards | 31st
• Sacks per Game | 2.82 | Tied-38th
• 3rd Down Conversion Percentage | .469 (38-for-81) | 42nd
• Least Passing Yards Per Game Allowed | 161.8 | 43rd
• Points Per Game | 35.3 | Tied-49th
• Passing Efficiency | 152.64 | 50th

Individual Statistical Placements

• Duarte | Field Goal Percentage | 1.000 (11 Makes, 11 Attempts) | 1st
• Duarte | Field Goals per Game | 1.83 | 2nd
• Hernandez | Interceptions | 5 | Tied-3rd
• Szalkowski | Passing Yards | 1,952 | 3rd
• Szalkowski | Passing Yards per Game | 325.33 | 3rd
• Szalkowski | Completions per Game | 26.17 | 4th
• Zawolo | Receptions per Game | 8.33 | Tied-4th
• Zawolo | Receptions | 50 | Tied-7th
• Thomas | Tackles per Game | 11.3 | Tied-9th
• Szalkowski | Total Offense per Game | 320.5 | 10th
• Taylor | Receiving Yards per Game | 102.3 | 17th
• Taylor | Receiving Yards | 614 | 18th
• Szalkowski | Completion Percentage | .686 (157 Completions, 229 Attempts) | 18th
• Taylor | Yards per Reception | 21.93 | 20th
• Szalkowski | Passing Touchdowns | 14 | Tied-27th
• Frederick | Receptions | 39 | Tied-28th
• Frederick | Receptions Per Game | 6.50 | Tied-29th
• Duarte | Scoring per Game | 9.0 | Tied-32nd
• Duarte | Total Points Scored | 54 | Tied-34th
• Szalkowski | Passing Efficiency | 155.97 | 40th
• Szalkowski | Points Responsible For | 92 | Tied-45th
• Szalkowski | Points Responsible per Game | 15.3 | Tied-48th

Pioneer Playmakers: Below is a list of each accolade the Pioneers have achieved through three weeks of play.
 
Week One vs W&J
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com National Team of the Week
Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) - Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week
Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) - Pioneer Athlete of the Week
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - 1,000 career receiving yards
 
Week Two vs RPI
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - D3football.com National Team of the Week
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week
Blaise Faggiano - 100 Career Head Coaching Wins
 
Week Three vs Hobart
Jack Lamphere (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) - D3football.com Week Three Game Ball
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - 1,000 career receiving yards
 
Week Four at Alfred State
Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) - Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Week
Tahjir Fernand (Fort Lauderdale, FL/New Rochelle) - D3football.com National Team of the Week
 
Week Six at Morrisville State
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week
Joseph Gentile (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) - D3football.com National Team of the Week
 
Total Awards Count
 
Team:
Empire 8 Players of the Week: 5
D3football.com Team of the Week: 4
 
Individual:
Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 2
Jordyn Davis (Hempstead, NY/Uniondale) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Tahjir Fernand (Fort Lauderdale, FL/New Rochelle) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Joseph Gentile (Utica, NY/Thomas R. Proctor) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Jack Lamphere (Chittenango, NY/Chittenango) - D3football.com Game Ball
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1
Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) - D3football.com Team of the Week: 1
Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) - Empire 8 Player of the Week: 1

Orange and Blue Archive - Alfred University: The Pioneers will look to build on their record against Alfred University this weekend, as Utica enters with an 8-18 all-time record against the Saxons. The first showdown was in 2001, when the Saxons pulled out a 47-22 victory against the Pioneers. The momentum did not stop there; the Saxons held the power for 11 straight seasons, during a time when they routinely ranked as one of the top programs in all of Division III, outscoring the Pioneers by an average of 20 points per game during this streak. Since the introduction of Coach Faggiano as the team's head coach, and after years of substantial development, the Pioneers began to break the mold, getting back into the rivalry and making a recent stamp as they've won three out of the last five meetings. The most recent matchup in 2025 saw the blue and orange grab a massive 51-28  Empire 8 win in Alfred territory. They will look to continue this trend at home on ABM Field.

Last season, the Pioneers marched over to Yunevich Stadium and made their dominance known by building a 30-7 lead before halftime and finishing with a huge 51-28 win. Utica's offense found the endzone seven times, with 2 scores from Eze Frazier (Garnerville, NY/North Rockland) and individual touchdowns from Mason Mascari (Webster, NY/Webster Schroeder), Matthew Pallouras (Rochelle Park, NJ/Hackensack), Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute), Logan Frederick (Little Falls, NY/Little Falls), and Jani Strong (Bronx, NY/Christ The King Regional). Frazier led the Pioneers with 96 rushing yards on 17 attempts. Szalkowski completed 24 out of 33 attempts for 351 yards and 2 touchdowns, while the Utica defense held the Saxons for just 55 passing yards. Star kicker Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) completed 6/7 extra point attempts to help add to the Pioneers' already impressive score. Adding to the commanding presence of the Pioneers, Nicholas Deforrest and Brady Rhatigan (Latham, NY/Shaker) each tacked on a sack to their personal records, while Mascari housed a fumble recovery to get the weekend started on a high note.

In the 2024 season, the Pioneers had an even more exciting matchup, taking on the Saxons in front of a raucous Homecoming crowd, despite falling 38-34 to the Saxons. Alfred started out the game strong, outscoring Utica 24-14, with 21 of those points being scored in the second quarter. Neither of the two teams was going down without a fight, as they both scored 7 points in the third quarter to keep pace. The Pioneers eventually wore down the purple and gold's defense, but were just short of a comeback victory after scoring 13 points in the final quarter. Utica's offense had better statistics on paper, with 295 passing yards from Brent Fuller compared to Alfred's 241 yards. Fuller finished with 29 completions out of 52 attempts and 3 touchdowns. In the fourth quarter, the blue and orange pulled out a three-point lead after an all-time punt return from Jimmy Polito, who housed a blocked kick to give the team an advantage with just over a minute remaining. The Pioneer defense initially held strong on the final drive, reaching the brink of a big victory, until the last 30 seconds of the game, when the Saxons finished off with a 12-yard passing touchdown to bring the final score to 38-34.

During the 2023 and 2022 seasons, the Saxons fell behind in a pair of powerful Pioneer performances, falling 28-0 and 65-16, respectively. Starting off with the 2023 matchup in Alfred, the Utica defense recorded 3 sacks, one forced fumble, and an interception, turning in a disruptive performance to snatch a big victory. The 2022 game was also decided in dominant fashion, with the Pioneers outscoring the Saxons in every quarter. Utica had almost four times the passing yards, with 407 yards for seven touchdowns compared to Alfred's 119 yards for one touchdown. Utica's Nate Palmer led the Pioneers with 7 receptions for 110 receiving yards and three of seven touchdowns. Alfred's defense had a few star-studded moments, totaling four sacks throughout the showdown. Ultimately, it was not enough to stop Utica's starting quarterback and current offensive coordinator, Braeden Zenelovic, from completing 29/40 attempts for 372 yards and seven touchdowns.

Preparing for the Saxons: Alfred University enters Saturday's matchup at 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the Empire 8 after starting conference play with a 33-15 loss to St. John Fisher during their Homecoming game. The Saxons came back with a big 27-7 win against Hartwick. The purple and gold are coming off a 45-7 loss against Empire 8 leader #14 SUNY Cortland this past weekend.

• Offense
  • QB Matt Parker: 77 completions on 111 attempts, 899 passing yards, six touchdowns, no interceptions, 69.4% completion rate.
  • RB Tommy Nyquist: 113 carries, 384 rushing yards, six touchdowns; 25 receptions for 158 receiving yards.
  • WR Cameron Lew: 11 receptions, 220 receiving yards, two touchdowns, 20.0 yards per catch.
  • WR Damone Allen: Seven receptions, 155 receiving yards, two touchdowns, 22.1 yards per catch.
  • WR Joe Littlejohn: Four receptions, 151 receiving yards, one touchdown, 37.8 yards per catch.
• Defense
  • DB Jack Bestpitch: 55 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, five pass breakups.
  • LB Michael Davis: 46 tackles, five tackles for loss, one sack, five quarterback hurries.
  • DB Auben Marcus Jr.: 35 tackles, one interception, seven pass breakups.
  • DL Martin Flanders Jr.: 26 tackles, eight tackles for loss, four sacks, 12 quarterback hurries, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.
  • DB Domanik Clark: 33 tackles, two interceptions, one tackle for loss.

What to Watch For: Alfred enters Saturday's matchup averaging 16.7 points and 258.8 yards of total offense per game, while allowing 23.8 points and 347.5 yards per contest. The Saxons have been more productive through the air than on the ground, averaging 163 passing yards and just 95.8 rushing yards per game. Parker has completed 69.4% of his passes for 899 yards and six touchdowns without an interception, making him an efficient option despite the team's inconsistent offensive production. Nyquist leads the ground attack with 384 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while also providing a reliable receiving option out of the backfield.

Alfred's receiving corps has several options capable of generating explosive plays. Lew leads the Saxons with 220 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while Allen has averaged 22.1 yards per reception and Littlejohn has averaged an impressive 37.8 yards on his four catches. Utica's secondary will need to remain disciplined against the deep ball, especially with Parker's ability to deliver accurate passes downfield.

Defensively, Alfred has recorded 20 sacks and four interceptions through six games. Flanders leads the team with four sacks and eight tackles for loss, while Bestpitch and Davis have been the Saxons' most productive tacklers. The defensive front has shown an ability to pressure opposing quarterbacks, but Alfred has also surrendered 149.7 rushing yards per game. Utica will look to take advantage of that vulnerability while protecting Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute) against a pass rush that has been productive in the early going.

Keys Against Alfred University:
1: Continue to Disrupt: The Saxons have recorded just one interception this season, while starter Matt Parker has six touchdowns to zero interceptions, providing a very safe option for Alfred under center. On the ground, the Saxons have only lost a single fumble, as the purple and gold offense continues to avoid momentum-swinging turnovers. The Pioneers, on the other hand, possess a defense that ranks highly amongst all of Division III for fumble recoveries, interceptions, and total turnovers generated. Something will have to give this weekend, as the Pioneers look to up Alfred's turnover rate.
 
2: Avoid Turnovers on Offense: The Saxons have compiled four interceptions and two fumble recoveries, forcing turnovers at a solid rate. With such a safe offense on the other side of the ball, the Pioneers will have to mount multiple sustained drives without giving the ball up, making this weekend's war a battle for turnover supremacy.
 
3: Keep the Pocket Clean: The Saxons have stacked up eight sacks in the 2026 season, and the Pioneers will look to halt this momentum as they look for another big game from the orange and blue offense. Szalkowski found his rhythm through the air this past matchup against Morrisville, while the Pioneers also have an opportunity to ride the running game against a Saxon squad that has allowed 4.5 yards per rushing attempt.
 
After Saturday's Showdown with the Saxons: The Pioneers will head to Rochester for a big battle against a surging St. John Fisher program that sits at 5-1 on the season, with their lone blemish being a narrow loss to a 5-1 Brockport program. Next weekend's game gets underway at 2:00 PM from Gowney Stadium.
 
Tune in on Saturday as the Pioneers faceoff with the Saxons!