UTICA, NY - Football faces their final test in the hunt for the program's second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, meanwhile men's basketball gets underway with a Thursday home tilt against New Paltz. Also, Men's hockey welcomes Brockport on Friday, women's wrestling hosts their annual home event on Sunday, and all the other Pioneer programs continue their campaigns on the road this week.
 
Catch up on last week's action and get ready for this week's events with our Pioneer Primer!
 
To Read About a Specific Team, Click the Team Below:
Cross Country
Football
Men's Ice Hockey
Women's Ice Hockey
Men's Wrestling
Women's Wrestling
Women's Basketball
Men's Basketball
 
Pioneer Athletes of the Week:
Vanessa Hall (Independence, NY/Whitesville Central) - Women's Basketball
Tahjir Fernand (Fort Lauderdale, FL/New Rochelle) - Football


 
This Week in Utica Athletics:
Check out the Composite Schedule for complete schedule details - Link: https://uticapioneers.com/calendar
 
Home games are bolded and highlighted in Orange:
 
Wednesday, November 11th
5:30 PM - Women's Basketball at Union | Viniar Athletic Center
 
Thursday, November 12th
6:00 PM - Men's Basketball vs New Paltz | Miga Court
 
Friday, November 13th
7:00 PM - Men's Ice Hockey vs SUNY Brockport | NBT Bank Arena
7:00 PM - Women's Ice Hockey at Hilbert | Nike Base Ice Rink
 
Saturday, November 14th
11:00 AM - Women's Cross Country at NCAA Niagara Regional (Hosted by Fredonia)
12:00 PM - Men's Cross Country at NCAA Niagara Regional (Hosted by Fredonia)
12:00 PM - Football vs Brockport | Gaetano Stadium
2:00 PM - Women's Ice Hockey at Hilbert | Nike Base Ice Rink
7:00 PM - Men's Ice Hockey at SUNY Brockport | Wegmans Ice Arena
 
Sunday, November 15th
TBA - Women's Wrestling Utica Scramble | Miga Court
10:00 AM - Men's Wrestling at Electric City Duals (Hosted by Univ. of Scranton)
 
For live streaming and live stats information for all Pioneer matchups visit "This Week's Live Coverage" under the "Inside Athletics" tab at the top of the website, or click this link: https://uticapioneers.com/coverage 
 
WEEKLY PREVIEWS:
 
Cross Country - After a weekend off, Utica's men's and women's cross country teams return to Fredonia on Saturday for the NCAA Niagara Regional. Both squads are coming off top-five finishes at the Empire 8 Championships, where Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) earned conference runner-up honors in the men's 8k, and Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) led the Pioneer women in the 6k.
 
This Year's E8 Championship:
Last Time Out: Melita and Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) gave Utica two of the top four finishers at the Empire 8 Championships on October 31 at SUNY Poly. Melita crossed in 25:15.8, just 5.7 seconds behind SUNY Geneseo's Collin Brown, while Bauer took fourth in 25:33.8. Timothy Jeralds (Canaan, NY/Chatham Central) followed in 23rd, with Liam Maxson (Ilion, NY/Central Valley Academy) and Forest Martin (Poland, NY/Poland Central) completing the scoring five. The Pioneers finished fourth of 11 teams with 99 points, 14 ahead of fifth-place Nazareth.
 
Townsend placed 11th in 22:30.2, missing the top 10 by just three-tenths of a second. Catherine Manna (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) followed in 16th at 23:06.2. Lacey Simmons (Vernon Center, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) and Nicole Arnhold (Hampton, NY/Granville) crossed 5.4 seconds apart in 37th and 40th, respectively, before Tara Fobare (Sauquoit, NY/New Hartford) rounded out the scoring in 49th. The women took fifth of 11 teams with 117 points.
 
Trax Fax:

• Killian Bauer (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherill) made a significant jump at the Empire 8 Championships, improving from 23rd place in 2025 to fourth place in 2026. The sophomore, who earned third-team All-Conference honors during his freshman campaign, climbed 19 positions in the conference standings and crossed the finish line in 25:33.8. His fourth-place finish puts him in position to earn first-team All-Empire 8 honors for the first time in his career.
• Bennett Melita (Johnstown, NY/Fonda-Fultonville) enters the NCAA Niagara Regional looking to qualify for his third consecutive NCAA Division III National Championship. The senior earned individual bids in both 2024 and 2025, placing ninth at the 2024 regional before improving to fifth in 2025. His performance last season helped the Pioneers secure a program-best sixth-place regional finish, marking the team's first top-10 finish at the event.
• The Pioneers showed improvement in the team standings at the Empire 8 Championships, lowering their point total from 137 in 2025 to 117 in 2026. Utica maintained its fifth-place conference finish despite the field expanding from nine scoring teams to 11. Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) and Catherine Manna (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) once again led the way, finishing 11th and 16th overall, respectively, to give the Pioneers two runners inside the top 20.
• Marlo Townsend (Rome, NY/Rome Free Academy) returns to the NCAA Niagara Regional after earning All-Region honors in 2025 with a 30th-place finish. The senior has continued to lead the Pioneers throughout her final collegiate cross country season, most recently completing the Empire 8 Championship 6k course in 22:30.2. Townsend's performance was 25.5 seconds faster than her 2025 conference championship time of 22:55.7, although the races were held on different courses

Up Next: Three Pioneers who finished in the top 10 at Fredonia's Kara Hall Memorial Invitational in October return to the regional stage. Melita took second and Bauer seventh to lead the men to fifth place. Townsend finished sixth and Manna took 12th as the women placed sixth. This time, berths in the November 21 NCAA Division III Championships in Northfield, Minnesota, are on the line.

Football - Football continued its regular season win streak this past weekend, locking down the airways as they held the hosting Hawks to just 53 passing yards in a 39-3 win. The #21 Pioneers expanded their win streak to four games following a Homecoming loss to Cortland, and they've defeated their last four opponents by a 141-24 margin. The Pioneers continued to hold a prime position in the NCAA Division III NPI (#13), and could very well clinch the program's first NCAA Tournament home game with a win over the 40th-ranked Golden Eagles during Senior Day this Saturday.
 
As a note, Saturday's Senior Day ceremony begins at 10:30, so head down to The Gaet' early on Saturday to support the team's large senior contingent!
 
Last Week's Results
At Hartwick | Saturday, November 7th
W, 39-3 (Fernand - 2 ints, 1 pick-6, Sheldon - 12 tackles, 1 pbu, Taylor - 7 rec, 169 yards, Yeomas - 19 att, 113 yds, 1 td, Bianchino - 1 att, 4 yds, 1 TD)
 
Trax Fax:

• The Pioneers have made it to the final week of the regular season with their top-15 NPI ranking intact. With SUNY Cortland officially capturing the Empire 8 Championship and NCAA Tournament Automatic Qualifier, the Pioneers are now in search of an at-large bid in order to make the program's second ever trip to the NCAA Tournament. Thankfully, the team's body of work has done wonders for their standing, as highly rated wins against PAC Champion Washington and Jefferson and Liberty League Champion RPI have seen the team remain inside the top-15 teams throughout the whole season. This season, the bracket will feature 40 teams, which means there are 12 available at-large bids in play. If the season ended before the final week of play, these would be the 12 at-large recipients in order of highest to lowest NPI:
  • #11 Wisconsin-Platteville
  • #13 Utica University
  • #15 North Central
  • #18 Concordia Wisconsin
  • #19 Merchant Marine
  • #22 DePauw
  • #25 Franklin & Marshall
  • #26 Hope
  • #27 Mary Hardin-Baylor
  • #32 Amherst
  • #33 Bethel
  • #34 Heidelberg
• Here is the link to the official NCAA NPI that determines the NCAA Tournament selections: https://stats.ncaa.org/selection_rankings/nitty_gritties/54970
• The Pioneers also jumped in the other national rankings, achieving a season-high ranking in the D3football.com poll as the team moved to #21. In the AFCA Division III Coaches poll, the team jumped up to #22, falling just one spot of tying their highest ranking this season. The Pioneers' highest-ever D3football.com Top 25 poll ranking came in the final poll of the 2022 season as the Pioneers pulled in the #20 ranking; meanwhile, the team's highest ranking in the AFCA poll was their #21 selection from earlier this season. With a win and some upset results during the final week of the regular season, the Pioneers might have a chance to achieve their program-record for rankings in each poll heading into the postseason.
• The Pioneer secondary has a lights-out afternoon against Hartwick, led by this week's Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week, Tahjir Fernand (Fort Lauderdale, FL/New Rochelle), who received his first career Empire 8 accolade. Fernand had an outstanding performance in the team's 39-3 win over Hartwick, as the sophomore defensive back led a unit that allowed just 53 yards and held the hosts to 2-for-12 on third down. On the outside, Fernand was a star, helping limit his matchup to zero catches, while also recording two highlight-reel-level interceptions, one of which was returned 52 yards for the team's first pick-6 of the season. Fernand would end the game with his two interceptions, in addition to three key tackles.
• Also on defense, Pioneer linebacker Luke Sheldon (Lake George, NY/Lake George) had another outstanding week as he paced the Pioneer defense with twelve tackles, five of which were solo. In addition, Sheldon grabbed a pass breakup and half a tackle for loss as he helped provide disruption for a defensive unit that allowed its fewest passing yards since a 2025 matchup at Alfred, where the Saxons were only able to compile 55 passing yards.
• On offense, Pioneer running back Dre Yeomas had a stellar start on his 20th birthday, dominating the Hartwick defense as he recorded his second straight 100-yard game of the campaign, as he racked up 113 yards on 19 attempts, averaging 5.9 yards per carry while also scoring one of the Pioneers' three rushing touchdowns. Yeomas stacked up a few explosive runs in the outing, getting the game started with a 38-yard gain on the first drive to set the Pioneers up in the redzone.
• Wideout Tyshawn Taylor (Syracuse, NY/Syracuse Institute of Technology) had a similarly stellar outing on offense, stretching the defense vertically as he provided a lethal deep threat for the Utica offense. Taylor hauled in seven passes for 169 yards, grabbing receptions of 51 and 45, while every single one of his catches went for 10 yards or more, guaranteeing an orange and blue first down with each reception. His receiving yards total would triple that of Hartwick, as he collected 169 yards compared to Hartwick's 53 total receiving yards.
• On special teams, Pioneer placekicker Nico Duarte (Kearny, NJ/Saint Peter's Prep) turned in a strong performance, going 7-for-7 from the spot and 3-for-3 on field goals as he landed kicks of 22, 23, and 31. Duarte collected 13 points, but his influence was also felt in other realms of the Pioneers' special teams game, as he launched a kickoff of 56 yards and a punt of 36 yards to round out his performance.

 
Upcoming Opponents:
SUNY Brockport
Record: 7-2 (5-1 Empire 8)

• Vs Buffalo State - W, 68-0
• At Hobart - L, 14-27
• Vs RPI - W, 45-10
• At Hartwick - W, 37-11
• Vs St. John Fisher - W, 38-28
• At Alfred State - W, 24-14
• Vs Morrisville - W, 56-0
• At Alfred University - W, 28-3
• Vs #10 Cortland - L, 24-42

Recent Matchups:

• Against Cortland: Brockport enters Saturday's matchup after a 42-24 loss to nationally ranked Cortland on November 7. The Golden Eagles came out strong, taking a 10-7 lead after the opening quarter behind a touchdown pass from Zymier Jackson to Xavier Smith and a 27-yard field goal from Christopher Bascetta. Cortland took control before halftime, however, scoring twice in the final two minutes of the second quarter to take a 21-10 lead into the break. The Red Dragons continued to build their advantage with two quick touchdowns to open the second half, but Brockport responded with a 12-play, 79-yard drive capped by a touchdown run from Allan Paul. Paul added another score in the fourth quarter, finishing with 70 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Jackson completed 13 of 22 passes for 121 yards and a touchdown, while the Golden Eagles totaled 295 yards of offense against a Cortland team that finished with 538.
• Against Alfred: The Golden Eagles put together a dominant performance on Halloween, traveling to Alfred and earning a 28-3 victory on October 31. Brockport controlled the game from the start, building a 21-0 halftime lead behind a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown from Derrion Battle, along with a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown by Brady Schnell. Battle added another rushing score in the third quarter to complete the scoring for Brockport. The defense was the story of the afternoon, limiting Alfred to just 160 total yards, including 28 rushing yards, while forcing four turnovers. Brockport also controlled possession, holding the ball for 36:32 compared to Alfred's 23:28.
• Against Morrisville: Brockport delivered one of its most complete performances of the season on October 24, shutting out Morrisville 56-0 at Bob Boozer Field. The Golden Eagles scored 14 points in the first quarter before erupting for 28 more in the second to take a 42-0 halftime advantage. Jackson threw four touchdown passes in the opening half, including a 69-yard connection with Nolan Slywka and a 66-yard strike to Dylan Caraballo. Brockport finished with 596 total yards, including 334 through the air and 262 on the ground, while holding Morrisville to just 38 yards of offense and three first downs. Slywka led the receiving corps with four catches for 105 yards and a touchdown, while Derrion Battle paced the ground game with 104 yards on 13 carries.

Stat Leaders:

• Offense
  • QB Zymier Jackson: 102 completions on 180 attempts, 1,363 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, four interceptions, 56.7% completion rate. Also has 262 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
  • RB Derrion Battle: 107 carries, 727 rushing yards, seven touchdowns, 6.8 yards per carry.
  • RB Allan Paul: 92 carries, 479 rushing yards, six touchdowns, 5.2 yards per carry.
  • WR Nolan Slywka: 54 receptions, 745 receiving yards, nine touchdowns, 13.8 yards per catch.
  • WR Anthony Diaz: 23 receptions, 261 receiving yards, two touchdowns, 11.4 yards per catch.
  • WR/DB Kyle Slywka: Eight receptions, 200 receiving yards, two touchdowns, 25.0 yards per catch.
• Defense
  • LB Nazhier Wilson: 65 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, four sacks, two pass breakups.
  • DB Austyn Gollnitz: 53 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, six sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles.
  • DL Ari Gefell: 39 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks.
  • LB Darius Cervi: 46 tackles, seven tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery.
  • DB Brady Schnell: 28 tackles, two interceptions, five pass breakups.

What to Watch For: Brockport enters Saturday averaging 37.1 points and 415.1 yards of total offense per game while allowing just 15.0 points and 211.9 yards per contest. The Golden Eagles have been extremely balanced offensively, averaging 207.9 rushing yards and 207.2 passing yards per game. Jackson has been the driving force behind the offense, after taking over for pocket-passer Ben Gocella earlier in the season, providing more of a dual-threat approach, throwing for 1,363 yards and 15 touchdowns while completing 56.7% of his passes. He also adds another dimension as a runner, contributing 262 yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Battle has been the primary option in the backfield, averaging 6.8 yards per carry with 727 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, while Paul has added another 479 yards and six scores. Brockport has also been effective at controlling the clock, averaging over 32 minutes of possession per game.

The Golden Eagles' receiving corps features a dynamic pair of playmakers in Slywka and Diaz. Slywka leads the team with 54 receptions for 745 yards and nine touchdowns, making him Jackson's top target and one of the most dangerous scoring threats in the Empire 8 as he's racked up an extensive highlight reel of high-difficulty catches this season. Diaz has added 261 yards and two touchdowns, while Kyle Slywka, who is listed as a defensive back, has been especially explosive, averaging 25 yards per reception with 200 yards and two scores. Utica's secondary will have its hands full against a group capable of creating explosive plays, especially with Jackson's ability to extend plays and find receivers downfield. The Pioneers have been outstanding at creating turnovers this season, recording 17 interceptions through nine games, and will look to continue that trend against a Brockport passing attack that has thrown 10 interceptions.

Defensively, Brockport has been one of the toughest units in the conference, allowing just 211.9 yards per game while recording 23 sacks and 12 interceptions. Wilson leads the Golden Eagles with 65 tackles and 15 tackles for loss, while Gollnitz has been a disruptive presence all over the field with six sacks, 11 tackles for loss and three interceptions. Gefell has added another 5.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss, giving Brockport multiple players capable of pressuring the quarterback. The Pioneers will need to protect Tyler Szalkowski (Rochester, NY/Aquinas Institute), who has thrown for 2,674 yards and 19 touchdowns this season, while continuing to establish balance with a rushing attack averaging 138.2 yards per game, headed up by Rochester native Drevariis Yeomas (Victor, NY/Victor). This matchup carries enormous postseason implications for both sides. Utica enters ranked No. 13 in the NCAA Power Index (NPI) and knows a victory would secure the Pioneers' second-ever NCAA Tournament appearance, along with an opportunity to host the program's first-ever home NCAA Tournament game. Brockport, meanwhile, currently sits at No. 40 in the NPI and remains in the postseason conversation. A road win over the Pioneers would provide a significant boost to the Golden Eagles' playoff hopes and could move them closer to contention. With both teams fighting for their postseason futures, Saturday's matchup has the feel of a playoff game before the playoffs even begin.

Series History: Saturday will mark the 14th meeting between Utica and Brockport, with the Golden Eagles holding a 9-4 advantage in the all-time series. The teams first met on September 21, 2002, with Brockport earning a 35-0 victory in the inaugural matchup. The Golden Eagles won five consecutive meetings from 2016 through 2021, but Utica has claimed three of the last four contests, including a memorable 28-20 comeback victory at Brockport last season. The Pioneers overcame a 14-0 second-quarter deficit, scoring 21 points in the second half and shutting out the Golden Eagles in the fourth quarter, with Eli Douglas (Ausable Forks, NY/Ausable Valley) providing a 78-yard interception return touchdown to secure the road win. Utica's largest victory in the series came in 2022, when the Pioneers defeated Brockport 35-21 at Gaetano Stadium.
 
Up Next: Football will wrap up the regular season with the matchup against Brockport, and will await its postseason future. With a win, the Pioneers would advance to their second-ever NCAA Tournament in program history. The orange and blue would be playing in either first-round action on November 21st, or advance to the second round (round of 32) that takes place on November 28th.

Men's Ice Hockey - Men's Hockey remained at #3 in both the USCHO and DIIIHockeyNews.com polls following a closely-contested two-game series with new #1 Hobart. The team battled the Statesmen close in both matchups, remaining tied with the powerhouse program until the final minutes of game one, while coming back to fall by a single goal at The Cooler. The Pioneers will begin their hunt for the program's 11th straight regular season conference championship this weekend with a home-and-home against a Brockport team that looks very resurgent to start the 2026-2027 season.
Last Week's Results
Vs #2 Hobart | Thursday, November 5th

• L, 4-1

At #2 Hobart | Saturday, November 7th

• L, 4-3

 
Last Week's Action:
Thursday vs #2 Hobart: The Pioneers welcomed Hobart to the NBT Bank Arena for the second straight season, looking to topple a Statesmen team coming off their fourth straight appearance in the NCAA Division III National Championship. The two teams battled to a standstill through two periods, with the Statesmen striking late in the first period, before Gabriel Lundberg (Gothenburg, Sweden/Katrinelund) ripped a shot from just outside the slot early in the second period to level the affair at 1-goal apiece. The Statesmen would take advantage of penalty-ridden third period as they scored in a 4-on-4 situation, before doubling their advantage a few seconds later on the power play, to take a 3-1 lead. Hobart would eventually secure a 4-1 win. Both teams posed strong penalty-kill play on the evening, as the two teams went a combined 1-for-12 on the man advantage. Hobart narrowly edged out Utica on shots, grabbing 32 on goal compared to the hosts' 28.
 
Saturday at #2 Hobart: Hobart would see their 70-game home winning streak pushed to the brink during Saturday's matchup, as the Pioneers came within one goal of ending the streak for the second season in a row. This year, Hobart would jump out to a big lead on home ice, speeding ahead 4-1 right at the end of the second period. However, Pioneer captain Drake Morse (Grand Rapids, MI/East Grand Rapids) would score right before the second intermission to give the visitors a chance. Then, right at the end of the third period, Nicholas Rogers (Broad Channel, NY/Xavier) would score directly off a faceoff to make it 4-3 with just under four minutes remaining. However, the Pioneers ultimately couldn't find the equalizer, falling by that 4-3 total.
 
This Week's Schedule:
Vs SUNY Brockport - Friday, November 13th, 7:00 PM | NBT Bank Arena - Utica, NY
At SUNY Brockport - Saturday, November 14th, 7:00 PM | Wegmans Ice Arena - Utica, NY
 
Trax Fax:

• The senior trio of Drake Morse (Grand Rapids, MI/East Grand Rapids), Nicholas Rogers (Broad Channel, NY/Xavier), and Andrew Della Rovere (Caledon East, Ontario/St. Michael's Catholic) have been the Pioneers' main source of goals through the first four games. Morse and Rogers lead the team with three scores apiece, while Della Rovere has added two goals and three assists.
• Della Rovere and defenseman Aydin Parekh (Nobleton, ON/Blyth Academy) both rank second on the team for assists with three, while standout rookie Jakob Galnor has posted a team-leading four playmakers through four games against some of Division III's stingiest competition.
• The Pioneers have been clinical through their first three games this season, being outshot in shots on goal per game by a 34.5-23 margin, but still managing to score on 12% of their shot attempts, compared to just over 10% by their opponents.

 
Upcoming Opponents:
SUNY Brockport

• Record: 1-3-0. The Golden Eagles opened the season with a 4-2 loss to Stevenson before bouncing back with a 6-4 win over Neumann. Brockport then dropped a 5-1 decision at Cortland before pushing No. 9 Oswego State to overtime in a 3-2 loss on November 7. Brockport has always been ready for the moment against powerful teams the past few seasons, even defeating then #10 Geneseo at the Ira last season, before nearly knocking out a strong Chatham team in the first round of the UCHC Tournament.
• Leading Skaters: Matthew Lee leads Brockport with four points on one goal and three assists through four games. Joshua Przystal and Kyle Kussmann have each recorded three points, with Przystal contributing one goal and two assists and Kussmann adding one goal and two assists. Manny Sanchez leads the team with two goals, while Spencer Flansburg has added two assists.
• Goalie Leaders: David Filak has been Brockport's primary option in net, posting a 3.29 goals-against average and a .917 save percentage. Dax Easter has also seen action, including a 39-save performance in his first start of the season against Cortland. Filak was on fire to end the season during the 2025-26 campaign, even posting 61 saves in a 3OT loss against Chatham during UCHC Tournament action last season. Filak kept the Golden Eagles alive and nearly sent them through with his standout start.
• What to Watch For: Brockport has scored 11 goals through four games, averaging 2.75 per contest, while allowing 4.0 goals per game. The Golden Eagles have averaged 27.5 shots on goal per contest and have been outshot by their opponents, who are averaging more than 41 shots per game. Brockport's power play has converted three of 18 opportunities, while the penalty kill has allowed two goals on 14 opposing chances. The Golden Eagles have shown offensive potential, scoring six goals in their win over Neumann, but will look to find more consistency.

 
Up Next: The Pioneers will continue UCHC play with a pair of home contests against Manhattanville on Friday, November 20th, and Saturday, November 21st. Both games start at 7:00 PM down at the NBT Bank Arena.
 
Women's Ice Hockey - Women's hockey split a pair of one-goal games with Oswego State, which was receiving votes in both national polls. The Pioneers claimed a 3-2 road win on Kendall Best's (Troy, MI/Troy) goal with 29.4 seconds remaining before the Lakers answered with a 2-1 overtime victory in Utica. The orange and blue enter their first UCHC series at 2-2-0, traveling to Hilbert College for two games this weekend.
 
Last Week's Results
At RV/RV Oswego State | Friday, November 6th

• W, 3-2 (Best - 1g, GWG; Frear - 1g; Houk - 1g; Weatherred - 2a; Fatiev - 25 saves)

Vs RV/RV Oswego State | Saturday, November 7th

• OTL, 2-1 (Frear - 1g; Houk - 1a; Dobrzynski - 1a; Fatiev - 35 saves)

 
Last Week's Action:
Friday at Oswego State: Utica took the opening game of the series with a late 3-2 victory. Autumn Frear (Marshall, VA/Gilmour Academy) scored her first collegiate goal in the first period, and Veronica Houk (Richboro, PA/Council Rock South) put the Pioneers back in front after the Lakers tied the game in the second. Oswego State evened the score again in the third, but Kendall Best (Troy, MI/Troy) finished a breakaway with 29.4 seconds remaining for the game-winner. Kyler Weatherred (Eagle, CO/Ralston Valley) assisted on both Houk's goal and Best's winner, while Yael Fatiev (Kiryat Shmona, Israel/Ontario Hockey Academy) made 25 saves.
 
Saturday vs Oswego State: The teams remained scoreless through two periods before trading power-play goals in the third. Frear knocked home a rebound at 11:26 to tie the game, with Houk and Samantha Dobrzynski (Garnet Valley, PA/Garnet Valley) earning assists. Oswego State's Julia Power scored with 16.6 seconds remaining in overtime to give the Lakers a 2-1 win. Fatiev finished with 35 saves, while Best recorded four blocked shots.
 
This Week's Schedule:
At Hilbert | Friday, November 13th | 7:00 PM | Nike Base Ice Rink
At Hilbert | Saturday, November 14th | 2:00 PM | Nike Base Ice Rink
 
Trax Fax:

• Frear scored in both games against Oswego State and shares the team lead with Best at two goals apiece.
• Houk recorded a goal Friday and an assist Saturday, extending her point streak to three games. She assisted on Best's game-winner against William Smith on October 31st.
• Best's Friday winner was her second game-winning goal in as many games after she scored the deciding goal in the 2-0 victory at William Smith.
• Fatiev made 60 saves on 64 shots across the Oswego State series. She stopped all 42 shots she faced during the opening weekend against William Smith to bring her season-long save percentage to .962, while her goals-allowed average currently sits at 1.24.
• Utica recorded a power-play goal in three of its first four games, including Frear's tying goal on Saturday.

 
Upcoming Opponents:
Hilbert College

• Record: Hilbert enters the series 2-0-0 after opening its season with home victories over Neumann, winning 2-1 on Friday and 4-2 on Saturday. This weekend marks the UCHC opener for both the Hawks and Pioneers.
• Leading Skaters: Sophomore Victoria Battaglia leads Hilbert with two goals and three points. Freshman defender Avery Bauman and sophomore forward Victoria Koenig have each contributed two assists, while Bauman leads the team with 13 shots.
• Goalie Leaders: Senior Brook Thompson started both games against Neumann, making 42 saves on 45 shots. She enters the weekend 2-0-0 with a .933 save percentage and a 1.50 goals-against average.
• What to Watch For: The Hawks outshot Neumann 82-45 across the opening series, averaging 41 shots per game. Hilbert went 1-for-11 on the power play and killed all eight opposing opportunities.

 
Up Next: Utica returns home to open a UCHC home-and-home series against Elmira College on Friday, November 20th. The Pioneers will host the Soaring Eagles at 4:00 PM at the Nexus Center before traveling to Elmira for a 6:00 PM matchup on Saturday, November 21st. Elmira, the reigning UCHC champion, was ranked #12 in both the USCHO and DIIIHockeyNews polls entering the previous weekend.

Men's Wrestling - Utica men's wrestling opened its 2026-27 season with a road victory at Onondaga Community College. The Pioneers return to action on Sunday at the Electric City Duals, hosted by the University of Scranton.

Last Week's Results:
At Onondaga Community College | Saturday, November 7th
            - W, 27-19 (Martorano - W by fall, 5:49; Morton - W by decision, 17-11)

Last Week's Action: The Pioneers earned a 27-19 victory over the Lazers to give head coach Pankil Chander a win in his first dual with the program. Utica claimed five of the 10 weight classes, with freshman Aidan Martorano (Secaucus, NJ/Secaucus) securing the team victory in the final bout.

The Pioneers held a 21-19 lead entering the 285-pound matchup, where Martorano defeated Mykola Fabian by fall at 5:49 in his collegiate debut. Senior Hunter Morton (Hillsdale, NJ/Pascack Hills) earned a 17-11 decision at 157 pounds, while Prince Seawright (Rochester, NY/East Rochester Union), Parraish Brinson (Pittsburgh, PA/Baldwin), and Caiden Hylton (Mount Vernon, NY/Mount Vernon STEAM) each won by forfeit.

The teams also competed in five exhibition matches following the dual. Brad Rosembarg (Jericho, NY/Jericho) claimed the Pioneers' lone victory in those bouts, earning a 21-6 decision.

This Week's Schedule:
At Electric City Duals | Sunday, November 15th | 10:00 AM | University of Scranton

Trax Fax:

• Martorano's win by fall came in his first collegiate match and secured the Pioneers' dual victory
• Morton earned Utica's other victory on the mat, defeating Andrew Paciga 17-11 at 157 pounds
• Seawright, Brinson, and Hylton each contributed six team points through forfeit victories
• Utica's 27-19 win marked Chander's first dual as the Pioneers' head coach

 
Electric City Duals: The Pioneers will travel to Scranton, Pennsylvania, for Sunday's event. Host Scranton is also set to welcome Bergen Community College and Lackawanna College, with competition beginning at 10:00 am.
 
Up Next: Utica will travel to Springfield College for the Doug Parker Invitational on Saturday, November 21st. Competition is scheduled to begin at 10:00 am.
 
Women's Wrestling - Utica women's wrestling opened its 2026-27 season at the Ithaca Invitational on Saturday. Freshman Cheyenne Cook (Mexico, NY/Mexico) placed seventh in her collegiate debut, while senior Paityn Billard (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) finished eighth. The Pioneers return home to host the Utica Women's Scramble on Sunday, November 15th.
 
Last Week's Results:
At Ithaca Invitational | Saturday, November 7th

• Cook - 7th at 124 lbs; Billard - 8th at 207 lbs

 
Last Week's Action: Cook earned her first collegiate victory in her second match of the day, defeating Alfred State's Kierra Willis by fall at 1:23. After losses in the quarterfinal and consolation rounds, she claimed seventh place with a forfeit victory over Alfred State's Camryn Sherman.
 
Billard competed at 207 pounds, facing Sarah Seltzer of Cedar Crest and Cecilla Williams of Buffalo State in her opening two matches. She forfeited her remaining three bouts and finished eighth.
 
This Week's Schedule:
Utica Women's Scramble | Sunday, November 15th | TBA | Miga Court
 
Trax Fax:

• Cook went 2-3 in her collegiate debut, earning one win by fall and another by forfeit at 124 pounds
• Cook's victory over Willis came at 1:23 of their second-round match
• Billard competed at 207 pounds, a weight class at which she also wrestled during the 2025-26 season

 
Up Next: The Pioneers travel to Wilkes University for the Wilkes Women's Open on Sunday, November 22nd. Competition is scheduled to begin at 9:30 AM.
 
Women's Basketball - Women's basketball opened the 2026-27 campaign with a home win over Morrisville on Saturday, taking down the Mustangs by a score of 64-56.
 
Last Week's Results:
Vs SUNY Morrisville | Saturday, November 7th, 2:00 PM

• W, 64-56 ( Hall 24pts 15r 3stl, Lilley 12pts 4r 4a)

 
Last Week's Action: The Pioneers came out strong, limiting the Mustangs' offensive opportunities while finding success on the other end of the floor. Utica took control early and carried a 37-17 lead into halftime. Morrisville responded in the second half, making adjustments and gradually chipping away at the deficit. An 11-2 run in the fourth quarter cut the lead to eight as the Mustangs' up tempo offense began to find its rhythm. Senior Vanessa Hall (Independence, NY/Whitesville Central) delivered key plays down the stretch to help Utica maintain its advantage, and the Pioneers stood strong against Morrisville's late push to secure an important season opening victory.
 
Upcoming Opponent:
Union College

• 22-6 (16-2) Record in 2025-26, lost to Smith College in the NCAA Championships
• 1-1 to start the 2026-27 campaign, led by Ryley Tate-Padian (15 ppg), Ryanne Gulbin (9.5 ppg) and Morgan Schultz (9.0 ppg).
• Returning sophomore Olivia Cunningham averaged 10.3 ppg last season, with 4.5 rebounds per game.

 
This Week's Schedule:
@ Union College - Wednesday, Saturday 11th, 5:30 PM | Viniar Athletic Center
 
Up Next: The Pioneers are set for a weekend of home games, welcoming Fredonia to Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center on Friday, November 20 beginning at 7:30pm, before welcoming Baruch College on Saturday, November 21 beginning at 1pm.
 
Men's Basketball - Men's basketball begins its 2026-27 campaign on Thursday, November 12, welcoming SUNY New Paltz to Miga Court inside the Clark Athletic Center. Tip off is set for 6pm. A full length season preview will be released later this week to get you caught up on all things Utica MBB!
 
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