NEWPORT, R.I. - The Salve Regina University football team (4-2, 3-0 NEWMAC) host pivotal NEWMAC matchup against Springfield College (6-0, 3-0 NEWMAC) on Saturday, October 26, at Toppa Field in Newport, Rhode Island, at noon.

Riding a three-game win streak, the Seahawks are 4-2 overall and 3-0 in conference play. In 2023, the Seahawks made their 11th overall postseason appearance and sixth under head coach Kevin Gilmartin, winning the New England Bowl against Anna Maria, 37-34, as Sam Capodice earned MVP honors in the contest at Toppa Field on November 18, 2023.

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 74-35 (.679) 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. The Williams College ('94) grad will be featured as an "Ephs Legend" as his alma mater takes on Tufts University on Saturday at Farley-Lamb Field. Gilmartin was a two-sport (lacrosse, football) standout for Williams College.

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LAST TIME OUT
NEW LONDON, Conn. (October 19, 2024) -- Senior quarterback Jake Stack threw for four touchdowns and rushed for another to lead Salve Regina University football to a 34-28 victory against the United States Coast Guard Academy in NEWMAC action at Cadet Memorial Field on Saturday afternoon.

Josh Letellier caught two of Stack's TD passes - the first for seven yards to cap a 14-play, 59-yard drive on Salve Regina's opening possession and the second for four yards to finish the final Seahawk scoring drive on the opening possession of the second half. Trailing 34-7, Coast Guard scored touchdowns on successive long drives of 11, 10, and nine plays to pull within a single score.

NOTEWORTHY:

• On the initial stat sheet, Jake Stack finished with 20 completions in 31 pass attempts for 256 yards and four touchdowns through the air.
• Stack also rushed three times for 15 yards, including an eight-yard TD scamper, but he was sacked three times for a net rushing total of minus-11 yards.
• Justan Luzzi led all ball carriers with 19 rushes that netted 104 yards on the ground. He became the first Seahawk rusher to eclipse the century mark in a single game this year.
• Andre Sullivan totaled five catches for 79 yards including a 31-yard touchdown reception.
• Jacoby Smith caught two passes including a 16-yard touchdown strike from Stack.
• Nick Ferrogine had his first interception of the season and returned it 32 yards to set up Sullivan's TD catch near the end of the second quarter.
• Avery Arno led all players with 13 tackles including five solo stops.
• Jack Mead had a solo sack (minus-2 yards) while Marc Promutico and Jacob Eddy helped each other on another sack for the Seahawks.

MORE READING: Stack steers Seahawks to 34-28 win versus Bears

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 four wins, Salve Regina rushed 34 or more times.
• In QB Jake Stack's four starts (all Salve Regina victories), Seahawks have thrown three picks. In the two losses where Stack did not play, the opponents had seven interceptions.
• Justan Luzzi became the first Seahawk rusher to eclipse the century mark in a single game this year (104 yards on 19 carries at Coast Guard last week).
• Andre Sullivan leads the Seahawks with 25 receptions for 
• 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.
• Jack Zingaro leads the Seahawks in total tackles (46) while Mark Sokk (43) and Marc Promutico (43) share the second-most. Brayden Schuster has the most tackles for losses (5 for minus-11 yards).
• Nathan DiRado has made eight of nine PAT attempts and is one-for-one on his field goal tries -- the 25-yard game-winner at Merchant Marine.
• Jack Zingaro also has the longest punt return for the Seahawks this season -- 64 yards late in the second quarter last week at Coast Guard that set up a Stack rushing touchdown.
• Thomas Fallon has punted 21 times with a long of 54 yards while pinning the opponent inside its 20 eight times. He's averaging 40.8 yards per punt.

ABOUT THE PRIDE

• Springfield averages over 50 points per game (ranks sixth in the country) with a season-high 76-7 win at Husson (Sept. 14) and a season-low 37-20 win against Union (Sept. 20).
• Neighboring Western New England rushed 37 times (most by an opponent in 2024) against Springfield but ultimately lost by six points, 38-32, in the season-opener on September 6. The Golden Bears defeated the Seahawks the following week, 45-27, in Springfield (Sept. 20).
• The Pride keep it on the ground with no fewer than 52 rushing attempts in any of their first six games, and a high of seven (7) pass attempts that came in the season opener.
• Springfield averages over 475 yards rushing per game.
• The Pride has nearly doubled the the total offense output of their opponents in 2024 (522.0 to 265.2).
• Ian Wernick has made five of six field goals and at least one in all but one Pride game this year. He missed a 30-yarder against MIT last week, but later in the game connected on a season-long 40-yarder.
• Arsen Shtefan (626), Blane Hart (566), and Dante Vasquez (455) have each gained over 450 yards on the ground this season for the Pride.
• Billy Carr (35) and Cameron Hart (30) are the top two tacklers for Springfield while Will McKay has the most tackles for losses (5.5 for minus-40 yards).

INSIDE THE SERIES
Today's game marks the fourth all-time meeting between the two football programs. Springfield has won all three previous meetings including the first ever in 2003, 69-0. The following year on the grass at Toppa Field, the Pride took a 38-7 decision against the Seahawks. In the first ever NEWMAC meeting last season in Springfield, the Salve Regina football team put together a tremendous second-half rally after trailing 24-0 in front of a Springfield College homecoming crowd, but the Pride held on for a 31-21 final play at Stagg Field.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Salve Regina returns to action next weekend (Saturday, November 2) for its final regular-season road contest against SUNY Maritime.