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UPDATE FOR FANS TRAVELING TO SACRED HEART:  Please note no tailgating will be allowed. Sacred Heart is undergoing a field renovation and seating will be very limited.  Please arrive early to the field if you would like to secure a seat. All tickets are general admission.  Gates open 90 minutes prior to kickoff.

EASTON, Mass. (Aug. 27, 2025) -- Stonehill College opens its 2025 season and first of being eligible for the FCS postseason by facing a familiar opponent, as the Skyhawks will take on Sacred Heart for the fourth-straight season, this time at Campus Field in Fairfield, Conn. Saturday's game is set for a 2 p.m. kickoff. Stonehill has defeated the Pioneers in each of the last two years, including a 35-21 victory in Easton in 2024. 

Stonehill, which leads the all-time series, 7-2, is 2-1 against Sacred Heart, under head coach Eli Gardner. The Skyhawks are coming off a 1-10 campaign, while the Pioneers went 5-6 a year ago. Stonehill is a member of the NEC, while Sacred Heart is playing as an FCS independent this season before joining the CAA in 2026. Saturday's game marks the first time Stonehill has ever played football in the month of August. 

Game Coverage
Saturday's game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, with Freddie Coleman, Chris Smith and Morgan (Miller) Bedard having the call in Fairfield, Conn. 

Against the Pioneers
This afternoon marks the 10th meeting all-time between these two programs. Stonehill holds a 7-2 advantage in the series which dates back to 1991 after capturing a 22-19 double-overtime victory in their matchup in 2023 and the 35-21 win at W.B. Mason Stadium on Sept. 21, 2004. The Skyhawks are 4-1 all-time against Sacred Heart at home and 3-1 on road. Stonehill head coach Eli Gardner is 2-1 over his career against the Pioneers, and Sacred Heart head coach Mark Nofri is 1-2 in his career against the Skyhawks.

Last Meeting
In the 35-21 victory over Sacred Heart last fall, Stonehill was led by running backs Jarel Washington, who dashed for 184 yards and two scores, and Zavion Woodard, who added 110 yards and a score of his own. Quarterback Ashur Carraha who completed 7-of-10 passes for two touchdowns through the air. Overall, the Skyhawks amassed 354 yards on the ground, averaging 6.9 yards per rush, and had 418 yards of total offense.

FOR OPENERS
Stonehill is 15-22 all-time in week one games in program history and have won three of its last five opening contests. The Skyhawks are 9-12 all-time in week one games on the road, having won its last three road openers. Under head coach Eli Gardner Stonehill owns a 4-4 record in week one contests.

Moving' ON Up!
Stonehill head coach Eli Gardner took sole possession of second place in the program's varsity era (1988-pres.) with his 37th career win against Sacred Heart last fall. He moved past Connie Driscoll who posted a 36-24 mark at the College from 1993 to 1998, and now trails just Robert Talley with 48 wins (48-46) from 2007-2015. Gardner's 10 years as head coach surpasses Talley as the longest tenured head coach in the program's varsity era. 

Preseason Nods
Senior defensive back Mo Seide (Malden, Mass.) was tabbed to the All-NEC preseason team. Seide was an All-NEC second-team selection and an All-New England team honoree last fall after leading the conference with four interceptions and ranking seventh in the league with eight passes defended.

In addition, Seide, along with senior defensive lineman Faisal Mass, (Taunton, Mass.)junior linebacker Charles Battaglia (Massapequa, N.Y.) and junior offensive lineman Joshua Troiano (Seekonk, Mass.) garnered nods to the Phil Steele Preseason All-NEC Team. Seide and Battaglia were named to the first team, whhile Mass and Troiano were selected to the second team. Mass ranked ninth on the team and second among defensive lineman with 35 tackles in 2024. Battaglia, a Jerry Rice Award finalist last year, was second on the team with 70 tackles, leading all NEC rookies, and was tabbed a FCS Freshman All-American. Troiano appeared in seven games a year ago.

Phil Steele Preseason All-NEC Selections:
LB - Charles Battaglia, First Team
DB - Mo Seide, First Team
DL - Faisal Mass, Second Team
OL - Joshua Troiano Second Team

Next Level
Stonehill College announced in early April, 2022, that it had accepted an invitation to join the NCAA Division I Northeast Conference (NEC), beginning a four-year Division I transition period to conclude in 2026. Earlier this year, the NCAA announced that Stonehill had completed its accelerated reclassification to full NCAA Division I status, effective for the 2025-26 athletic season, and are now elgibile for NCAA tournament participation. The Skyhawks entire set of 23 varsity programs now compete in the NEC, with the exception of equestrian, women's ice hockey (NEWHA) and men's ice hockey (independant).

Oh Captains, My Captains!
In June, Stonehill head coach Eli Gardner named seniors Faisal Mass and Brigham Dunphy as team captains. Mass, a defensive end from Taunton, Mass., has appeared in 22 games for the Skyhawks over the last three seasons, tallying a total of 42 tackles, Dunphy, who hails from Barrington, R.I., is a wide receiver who has made 29 catches for 397 yards and a TD in his career, including a team-best 26 receptions and 325 receiving yards a year ago.

Nice to Meet You
Stonehill will take on four opponents this season for the first time in program history. CAA conference member Maine will have its first ever matchup with the Skyhawks on Sept. 13 in Orono, Maine. On the following week, Stonehill will face the first of two Ivy League opponents when it hosts Penn on Saturday, Sept. 20 in Easton. In October, Yale, also of the Ivy League, will welcome the Skyhawks for that first matchup on Saturday, Oct. 18 in New Haven, Conn. Finally, Stonehill will face Mercyhurst in Eria, Pa., for that inauguarl contest on Saturday, Oct. 25.

Preseason Prognostications
Stonehill was picked eighth in the preseason coaches' poll the Conference announced at its Social Media Day on Aug. 4. The coaches poll is led by reigning NEC Champions and NCAA I FCS Championship participant Central Connecticut State with five of seven first place votes. Duquesne is second with two first-place votes, while Robert Morris (one first-place vote) was tied with LIU for third place. Rounding out the poll were Wagner (fifth), Saint Francis (sixth), Mercyhurst (seventh) and the Skyhawks, respectively.

Other Firsts
In 2025, Stonehill will be eligible for the FCS postseason for the first-time in program history. It will also mark the first time that the Skyhawks will have a 12-game schedule, with five home contests and seven matchups on the road. Saturday's game against Sacred Heart also is the first time Stonehill has played a game in the month of August. 

Winning Formulas
Stonehill was dealt just its fourth loss under head coach Eli Gardner when scoring 30-plus points with its 48-34 setback to NEC-leading Duquesne last fall. The Skyhawks are 26-4 in Gardner's 10 years as head coach when surpassing 30 points. The Skyhawks are also a perfect 6-0 when rushing for 300-plus yards, including a 20-3 clip when rushing for 200-plus since Gardner took over as head coach. Stonehill is 19-4 all-time under coach Gardner when accumulating 400-plus yards of total offense.

Twin 100s
Senior Jarel Washington (White Plains, N.Y.) and junior Zavion Woodard (Baltimore, Md.) both surpassed 100 yards in Stonehill's win over Sacred Heart on Sept. 21, 2024, marking the first time Stonehill has featured two running backs reaching the century mark in its NCAA I FCS era and first time overall since All-American Justin Felder (177) and Brian Kearns, Jr. (103) accomplished the feat in a 35-13 win over Bloomsburg (Pa.) University on September 4, 2021.

Success in the classroom
Twenty-two Stonehill footall players earned spots in last year's Fall 2024 NEC Honor Roll. Sophomore defensive back Phoenix Sward (Wakefield, R.I.) joined graduate Michael Strachan, Jr., (Attleboro, Mass.) as two of the five Stonehill student-athletes across all fall sports to achieve a perfect 4.0 grade-point average. To qualify for the NEC Academic Honor Roll, student-athletes must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.20. Additionally, student-athletes who achieved a GPA of 3.75 or higher, earned a spot on the NEC Fall Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll.

DIG
The Stonehill captains select a teammate to carry a team shovel to each practice and game over the course of the week. The Ames Shovel symbolizes the team's motto DIG - Discipline, Intellect and Grit. The shovel was chosen from the Ames shovel collection at Stonehill. The land that now holds the College was purchased by the Congregation of Holy Cross from the Ames Family hat operated a world-class shovel factory known for their quality that helped supply many of America's major construction events. Known as the founder of the Ames Shovel Company, Oliver Ames was the youngest child of Captain John Ames and his wife Susanna Howard of West Bridgewater, Massachusetts. John Ames was the village blacksmith and made shovels in addition to a wide variety of other iron products. Oliver married Susana Angier in 1803, and that same year moved to Easton where he bought a defunct nail making shop and began the production of shovels. In 1807, Oliver and his family moved to Plymouth where he supervised the shovel making plant of the Plymouth Iron Works. Shovel Production continued at his own North Easton factory. The Ames brand became known for its quality and the company became the key supplier to America's major construction events. Stonehill is home to the Ames Shovel Museum.

Halfway There
Stonehill is 26-4 under head coach Eli Gardner when holding a halftime lead. The Skyhawks are 30-4 under Gardner when leading after three quarters.

20-20 Vision
Stonehill is 32-16 overall in eight seasons under head coach Eli Gardner when scoring 20-plus points and 26-4 when scoring 30-plus points.

Century Charm
Stonehill is 27-6 during head coach Eli Gardner's eight-year tenure at the helm when having a 100-yard rusher.

Chi Alpha Sigma
In April, the Stonehill college athletics department welcomed the classes of 2025 and 2026 for the institution's inagular induction to the Chi Alpha Sigma Honor Society. Football graduate Marchello Baine (Boston, Mass.) and Michael Strachan, Jr.,(Attleboro, Mass.) were class of 2025 inductees, while returning running back Marcus Crawford (Springfield, Mass.), offensive lineman Connor Ivey (Newtoen, Conn.) and tight end Cody Ruff (Saco, Maine) were class of 2026 inductees. To be inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, a student-athlete must be a member of a varsity athletics team at a four-year, accredited college or university that is a member of the NCAA or NAIA. They must also have achieved junior academic standing or higher after their fourth full-time semester and maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5.

Our Home
W.B. Mason Stadium is home to Stonehill field hockey, football, lacrosse, and track & field, and is one of the premier athletic facilities in the northeast.

Formally dedicated on September 10, 2005, the 2,400-seat stadium features a FieldTurf playing surface, a 400-meter eight-lane track, specialty areas for track and field events, and lighting for evening events. The playing field, Timothy J. Coughlin Memorial Field, was named in memory of Tim "Cogs" Coughlin, a football student-athlete and member of the Stonehill Class of 1980, who was managing director of Cantor Fitzgerald Securities and eSpeed when he lost his life in the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.

W.B. Mason president and CEO Leo Meehan, a Stonehill trustee and alumnus, announced prior to development of the facility that the company and its alumni employees would contribute $1.5 million of the $4 million cost of the project.

W.B. Mason Stadium has hosted nationally televised football games, as well as served as host to NCAA Championship events in field hockey and lacrosse as well as conference and New England Championships in track & field as well as field hockey and lacrosse.

On Deck
The Skyhawks will host Patriot League member Lafayette for the home opener at W.B. Mason Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 1 p.m. The game will be broadcast live on NEC Front Row. Last season, the Leopards defeated the Skyhawks, 42-10, on Nov. 16 in Easton, Pa.

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