NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University football team returns from its bye week with a NEWMAC road contest at the United States Coast Guard Academy on Saturday, October 19, at Cadet Memorial Field in New London, Connecticut, at 1:30 p.m.

Riding a two-game win streak, the Seahawks are 3-2 overall and 2-0 in conference play. In 2023, the Seahawks made their 11th overall postseason appearance and sixth under head coach Kevin Gilmartin.

Also last season, Salve Regina won its first three league games by a combined score of 107-31. The Seahawks' only setback in the NEWMAC came on the road in Springfield (31-21) before Salve Regina reeled off three straight wins, last two by a combined score of 87-0, to end the regular season. 

Gilmartin owns a 73-35 (.676) career mark since taking over the program in 2013. In his first four seasons at the helm, Gilmartin's teams earned postseason action, three straight ECAC Championships (winners in 2014 and 2015) and the inaugural New England Bowl.

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LAST TIME OUT
KINGS POINT, N.Y. (OCtober 5, 2024) -- Freshman kicker Nathan DiRado made all four of his PAT attempts and with the score tied, 28-28 with 6:50 to go in the fourth quarter, he connected on a game-winning 25-yard field goal to cap a comeback for Salve Regina University football at the United States Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA) in NEWMAC action at Brooks Stadium in Kings Point, New York, on Saturday afternoon.

Salve Regina (3-2, 2-0 NEWMAC) trailed 20-7 at halftime before mounting its comeback. Justan Luzzi's first-quarter touchdown had been the only Seahawk score in the first 30 minutes. Salve Regina stopped Merchant Marine on three plays opening the second half and then benefited from a penalty against the Mariners on a Patrick Woodford fair catch on the ensuing punt. Two plays later, on 2nd & 6, Jake Stack completed a 43-yard touchdown pass to Andre Sullivan. Salve Regina took its first lead later in the third quarter. Facing a 4th & 12 at their own 47, the Seahawks punted with Thomas Fallon pinning the Mariners at their own five yard line. Jacob Eddy recovered a fumble for a game-tying touchdown and DiRado's kick put the Seahawks on top.

After Merchant Marine regained the lead with a rushing touchdown and two-point conversion, Stack and Sullivan teamed up again to cap a five-play scoring drive with a 20-yard touchdown. DiRado's 25-yard field goal came after a 30-yard attempt missed but an offside penalty on the Mariners moved the Seahawks closer.

Merchant Marine had two missed field goal attempts in the final five minutes.

NOTEWORTHY:

• Jake Stack completed 17-of-27 passes for 318 yards.
• Stack's longest completion (53 yards) went to Josh Letellier who finished with three catches for 115 yards.
• Matt Moss led all tackers with 15 including six solo.
• Nick Bostrom had two interceptions.

MORE READING: DiRado's field goal caps Seahawk comeback, 31-28

WEEKLY HONORS

• Senior defensive back Nick Bostrom earned Defensive Player of the Week honor from the NEWMAC. as well as D3football.com Team of the Week. Freshman kicker Nathan DiRado was selected as the NEWMAC Special Teams Athlete of the Week.

SEAHAWKS NOTES FROM THE NEST

• In their two losses, Salve Regina attempted over 35 passes (completed 17 in each) and rushed under 27 times.
• In their three wins, Salve Regina rushed 39 or more times.
• In QB Jake Stack's three starts (all Salve Regina victories), Seahawks have thrown three picks. In the two losses where Stack did not play, the opponents had seven interceptions.
• The Seahawks have five picks on the season -- Marc Promutico (1 - pick six), Jack Zingaro (1), Nick Bostrom (3) -- all coming in their three wins.
• Mark Sokk leads the Seahawks in total tackles (43) while Brayden Schuster has the most tackles for losses (5 for minus-11 yards).

ABOUT THE BEARS

• Coast Guard went to overtime in its first two games of the year and won both.
• The Bears then lost two straight by nine and 18 points, respectively.
• A tight game at MIT produced the first NEWMAC victory of the season for the Bears, 21-19.
• Coast Guard averages 480 yards per game of total offense with the last two contests significantly lower than that mark.
• Opponents average nearly 500 yards per game of total offense through five contests.
• The Bears have sacked the quarterback nine times with William Wolf (2.5 sacks) leading that swarm.

INSIDE THE SERIES
Today's game marks the eighth all-time meeting between the two football programs. Salve Regina leads the all-time series against Coast Guard on the gridiron, 6-1, including the last two meetings (2016 and 2023) by a combined 86-17 score. Nine years ago (2015), the Bears scored their only victory in the series, 21-20, which was the last meeting in New London. The series began in 2000 with Salve Regina defeating Coast Guard, 36-6.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Salve Regina returns to action next weekend (Saturday, October 26) for its only home game of the month when it hosts Springfield College at Toppa Field with a noon kickoff.