Salve Regina University

NEWPORT, R.I. (October 24, 2026) -- Sophomore running back Jimmy Conners (Elmhurst, Ill.) carried the ball 18 times for a game-high 117 yards rushing while leading the visiting Massachusetts Institute of Technology to a 17-7 victory over Salve Regina University in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) action at Toppa Field on Saturday afternoon.

Conners was featured in the Wildcat formation taking snaps as the Engineers (4-2, 2-2 NEWMAC) gained 244 yards on the ground. Freshman Leo Mont ( Bedford, Nova Scotia) had a 10-yard scamper around the left end to put the Engineers on the board in the second quarter. The first touchdown came immediately after Ryan Treptow ( Dunkerton, Iowa) completed a 31-yard pass to Dash Havens ( Severna Park, Md.) on a 3rd-and-10.

Ezekiel Dube-Garrett ( Fort Myers, Fla.), a wide receiver and punter for the Engineers, evaded a turnover in dangerous territory after retrieving a bad snap and executing a punt to keep the Seahawks on the other side of midfield before the end of the half. Dube-Garrrett finished with eight punts (a long of 47, and one inside the 20) for 272 yards (34.0 yds/punt).

The Engineers doubled their lead on a 4th-and-1 play with Conners' 32-yard score after breaking tackles in the closing seconds of the third quarter. Salve Regina's next series was four-and-out when Eric Anderson ( Vienna, Va.) stopped Seahawk leading rusher Michael LaRusso (Congers, N.Y.) on a 4th-and-2 at their own 37. MIT made their final scoring drive into three points when Willem van Roijen ( Mamaroneck, N.Y.) kicked a 27-yard field goal, for a 17-0 lead with just over 10 minutes to go in the fourth.

The Seahawks (4-3, 1-3 NEWMAC) avoided their first shutout in 13 years when Padraig Brown (Glastonbury, Conn.) engineered a five-play, 65-yard scoring drive, ending with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Spencer Chapman (Needham, Mass.). LaRusso had his longest run from scrimmage (24 yards) on the drive.

Seahawk sophomore Cole Hessman (Potomac, Md.) executed a successful onside kick and Salve Regina was in business on its own 48 with 8:39 to go. Brown completed a pass to Jamie Andrews (Plymouth, Mass.) for 31 yards to the MIT 21 before Wyatt Alford ( Brookhaven, Ga) forced a fumble on the next rushing play.

The Seahawk defense, led in tackling by Colin Morley (Scituate, Mass.) and Owen Nanartowich (Hudson, Mass.) with 14 and 12 stops, respectively, had a huge goal-line stand in the final minute before finishing with a two-score defeat.

INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Final: MIT 17, Salve Regina 7
Records: Salve Regina (4-3, 1-3 NEWMAC), MIT (4-2, 2-2 NEWMAC)
History: The Engineers win for the second straight time while Salve Regina has dominated the overall series (21-8). It's the third-ever win for MIT at Toppa Field.

SUMMARY

• 2nd | 05:27 | MIT - Leo Mont 10 yd run (Willem van Roijen kick), 6 plays, 52 yards, TOP 2:26 | Engineers 7, Seahawks 0
• 3rd | 00:08 | MIT - Jimmy Conners 32 yd run (Willem van Roijen kick), 7 plays, 52 yards, TOP 2:54 | Engineers 14, Seahawks 0
• 4th | 10:15 | MIT - Willem van Roijen 27 yd field goal 7 plays, 27 yards, TOP 3:15 | Engineers 17, Seahawks 0
• 4th | 08:39 | SRU - Spencer Chapman 21 yd pass from Padraig Brown (Nathan DiRado kick) 5 plays, 65 yards, TOP 1:36 | Engineers 17, Seahawks 7

NOTEWORTHY

• Today was the third time MIT has won at Toppa Field (2006 and 2008 was on natural grass in Newport).
• Padraig Brown completed 16 of 37 passes for 229 yards and one touchdown.
• Nathan DiRado landed three of his six punts inside the 20, with an average of 33.7 yards per attempt.
• Michael LaRusso topped the Seahawk ground gainers with 73 yards on 16 carries.

ON THE HORIZON
Salve Regina hosts Norwich University next Saturday, October 31 with a noon kickoff at Toppa Field on FloCollege.