Seahawks host Western Connecticut St. in ECAC Northeast Bowl

ECAC Northeast Bowl

Western Connecticut State
vs.
Salve Regina 

Saturday, Nov. 23
Gaudet Field (Middletown, R.I.)
1:00 p.m.

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Setting the Scene

Salve Regina will play in its fifth ECAC Bowl Game, the most recent of which came in 2011, when the Seahawks hosted Worcester St. Salve Regina defeated Worcester 26-6.  

Western Connecticut enters Saturday's contest on a four-game winning streak after defeating Westfield St. last Saturday to end the regular season. The Colonials posted a 6-2 record in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference and a 7-2 overall record.  

Salve Regina comes into Saturday after its regular season ending loss to Endicott last Saturday. The Seahawks hold a 7-3 overall record and posted a 6-1 slate in the New England Football Conference. The Seahawks will carry a 14-game home winning streak into Saturday's game.  

The Series

The Seahawks and Colonials have played four times in the past, the most recent in 2004, with Western Connecticut holding a 4-0 advantage in the series. This is the first time the two teams will meet in the postseason. 

Seahawk Football History

Salve Regina added football in the fall of 1993 and is entering its 21st season on the gridiron. The Seahawks have  had 11 winning seasons since its inception and boasts a 113-86 all time record over the last 21 seasons. 

Today's contest is the 200th game in Salve Regina football history. 

This Week in the NEFC

Nov. 23

Endicott at Rowan - NCAA First Round 12 p.m.
Western Connecticut St. at Salve Regina - ECAC Northeast Bowl 1 p.m.

Taking the Reins

Former offensive coordinator Kevin Gilmartin takes over as the fifth head coach of Salve Regina football. Before coming to the Seahawks, Gilmartin worked five seasons handling the responsibilities of offensive coordinator, recruiting coordinator, quarterbacks coach, running backs coach, and admissions liaison. He helped lead the team to three consecutive postseason appearances, advancing to the ECFC title game in 2009, as well as the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl in both 2010 and 2011. 

Prior to Mount Ida, Gilmartin was a special teams/assistant running backs coach at Hofstra (Division I-AA) and a quarterbacks/defensive backs coach at Hamilton (Division III) for five years. Coach Gilmartin also spent two seasons at Nipmuc Regional High School where he became the school's all-time winningest head coach.  

Seahawk Football History

Salve Regina added football in the fall of 1993 and is entering its 21st season on the gridiron. The Seahawks have had 11 winning seasons since its inception and boasts a 113-86 all time record over the last 21 seasons. 

The Seahawks are making their fifth trip to the postseason. Last time Salve Regina played past the regular season, the Seahawks defeated Worcester St. in the ECAC North-West Bowl, 26-6 on Nov. 19, 2011. 

Sweet November

Salve Regina has played some exciting football in the month of November. The Seahawks boast a 21-16 all-time record in November and have won six of the last seven games in the 11th month.   

Home Sweet Home

The Seahawks have enjoyed two different home fields over their 21 years of football at Salve Regina and have always faired quite well in front of their home crowd. Over the years, the Seahawks are 62-35 (.639) at home and currently have a 14-game winning streak on their home field. 

It's Bowl Time

Salve Regina is playing in its fifth ECAC Bowl game in program history and third time hosting. Below is a summary of the Seahawks bowl game appearances.  

Sat. Nov. 16, 1996 Union (N.Y.) (Away) • Schenectady, N.Y. L, 13-26

Sat. Nov. 21, 1998 Plymouth St. (Home) • Newport, R.I. W, 36-6

Sat. Nov. 20, 1999 Plymouth St. (Away) • Plymouth, N.H. L, 7-13

Sat. Nov. 19, 2011 Worcester St. (Home) • Middletown, R.I. W, 26-6

Salve Regina is 2-2 in bowls games while averaging 20.5 points a game and holding opponents to 12.8 points.  

Where They Rank

Several juniors have made quite the impact on Salve Regina's record book already and look to re-write the records as they continue their career in the Blue & Green. 

Steven Wilken - Quarterback

Pass Attempts - 3rd (625) - needs 177 to overtake 2nd
Pass Completions - 3rd (334) - needs 84 to overtake 2nd
Passing Yards - 3rd (4,415) - needs 602 to overtake 2nd
Passing TDs - 2nd (38) - needs 3 to over take 1st

Matthew Traynor - Wide Receiver

Reception Yards - 3rd (1,638) - needs 643 to overtake 2nd
Receptions - 6th (89) - needs 7 to overtake 5th
Receiving Touchdowns - 3rd (15) - needs 2 to overtake 2nd

Benjamin Barrett - Punter

Punt Yards - 1st (5,557)
Punt Attempts - 1st (146)

Dan Buonocore - Running Back

Rush Attempts - 13th (225) - needs 7 to overtake 12th
Rushing Yards - 11th (1,089) - needs 89 to overtake 10th
Receptions - 7th (76) - needs 8 to overtake 6th
Receiving Yards - 9th (749) - needs 67 to over take 8th
Rushing TDs - T-11th (11) - needs 2 to over take 10th
Receiving TDs - T-8th (7) - needs 3 to over take 5th

Phil Terio - Cornerback/Return Specialist

Punt Return Yards - 4th (334) - needs 61 to over take 3rd
Punt Returns - T-3rd  (32) - needs 2 to over take 2nd
Punt Return TDs - 5th  (2) - needs 1 to over take 2nd, 4 to over take 1st
Kick Return Yards - 3rd (868) - needs 245 to over take 2nd
Kick Returns - 3rd (34) - needs 20 to over take 2nd
Interceptions - T-3rd (11) - needs 4 to overtake 2nd

Traynor for 1,000

With 823 receiving yards this season, Traynor has eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark for his career as a Seahawk with 1,638. Traynor ranks third all time in Salve Regina's record books. The junior is 743 yards away from second and 841 away from the top spot in program history. Traynor is also six TDs shy of tying the school record for his career. With his two touchdown catches against Maine Maritime, Traynor tied the program record for receiving scores in a season with eight so far this year.  Traynor needs just 80 more receiving yards to tie the program's single-season record.

Chasing 1,000 (Twice)

Junior running back Dan Buonocore (Mahwah, N.J.) has become the definition of a double threat for the Seahawks. With his 60 yards last week, the junior eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards for his career  and now has 1,089 and is 249 yards shy of 1,000 receiving. Buonocore has the potential to be the first player to reach the 1,000 yard mark in both rushing and receiving at Salve Regina. 

Among the Honorees

Salve Regina placed a program-best 12 individual plays on the 2013 New England Football Conference All-Conference teams, earning 13 spots between the first and second team.

The Seahawks captured two major awards this season as senior Floyd Shaffer (Conshohocken, Pa.) was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year, he is the third-straight Seahawk to take this honor, and sophomore Hayden Stanton (Wallingford, Conn.) was named the Defensive Player of the Year, the second-straight year a Seahawk took this award. 

Below is a list of the Salve Regina honorees:

First Team Offense
Floyd Shaffer • Sr. • Center (Offensive Lineman of the Year)
Justin Johnson • Sr. • Tackle
Paul Hurley • Jr. • Guard

Second Team Offense
Dan Buonocore • Jr. • Running back
Alex Leddy • So. • Tight End
Matthew Traynor • Jr. • Wide Receiver

First Team Defense
Joshua Burnett • Sr. • Safety
Matthew Conroy • Jr. • Linebacker
Hayden Stanton • So. • Defensive End (Defensive Player of the Year)
Phil Terio • Jr. • Cornerback/Return Specialist

Second Team Defense
Danny Ives • So. • Linebacker
Rory McEntee • Jr. • Defensive End

Among the Elite

Sophomore Hayden Stanton (Wallingford, Conn.) leads the NEFC with 10.5 sacks on the year. Stanton is ranked 15th nationally as well in sacks. Stanton is a nominee for the 2013 Cliff Harris Small College Defensive Player of the Year. Senior Joshua Burnett (Whitham, Mass.)  and juniors Phil Terio (Trumbull, Conn.) and Matt Conroy (Philadelphia, Pa.) are fourth in the league with two fumble recoveries.

Junior Steven Wilken (Ringwood, N.J.) one touchdown pass shy of tying his own single-season record at Salve Regina.

Stone Wall Defense

The Seahawks boast one of the strongest defenses in the conference and DIII right now. Salve Regina has the sixth-best red zone defense in the country, allowing just 12 scores on 22 chances this season. 

Speaking of Defense 

Not only are the Seahawks defenders troublesome for the quarterbacks and receivers, but Salve Regina has a way with stopping its opponents from gaining first downs. The Seahawks are ranked 20th in the country allowing teams to earn 146 first downs on them this season. Salve Regina allowed five Montclair State first downs and just six against Nichols.   

I'll Take That

After a three-game drought without an interception, the Seahawks picked off the opposing quarterback in two-straight games, most notably two weeks ago against Coast Guard four times. Senior Joshua Burnett (Whitman, Mass.) ended two third-quarter drives with an interception while junior Matt Conroy (Philadelphia, Pa.) had his second pick of the season.  

Junior Erik Klein (Springford, Pa.) had the biggest interception of the season so far, picking of the Coast Guard quarterback on the eight-yard line as the Bears were about to score. Klein grabbed the ball out of the air after Conroy put pressure on the QB and ran the ball back 92 yards for a touchdown. The 92-yard INT return not only was the longest return in program history but set the single-game record for a most interception return yards by a single player.  

Salve Regina had an interception by junior Garfield Douglas (Attleboro, Mass.) and two fumble recoveries two weeks ago against Maine Maritime. The second fumble recovery came as the Mariners were threatening to score late in the third quarter. After a bad hand off, Burnett forced a fumble that junior Phil Terio (Trumbull, Conn.) recovered on the goal line to stop MMA from scoring.

Terio is a proven threat to most quarterbacks in the league. Last season, Terio led the team picking seven passes out of the air and set an NCAA Division III record by returning four of them for a score. Graduated senior Maxwell Shubert was close behind Terio with six INTs and finished his career as a Seahawk with 14, second all-time at Salve Regina.  

Terio picked up right where he left off in Salve Regina's 36-7 victory over Bridgewater St. to open the season. The cornerback picked off an early second quarter pass for his 10th of his career. Terio put the game away for Salve Regina two weeks ago as he picked off MIT's quarter back for his 11th INT of his career late in the fourth quarter to end the Engineers final drive of the game. 

Conroy and junior Frank Musco (Montvale, N.J.) each had a pick against MIT. Conroy ended MIT's opening dive of the second half and Musco kept six points off the board as he picked off MIT in the end zone in the third quarter. Musco picked off his second pass of the season against Nichols last week.  

Burnett picked up his second INT of his career late in the second quarter that set up a touchdown drive for the Seahawks. 

Safety Dance

One score you don't see all the time on the scoreboard at a football game is two points but the Seahawks did what four professional teams in the opening week and converted a safety in their season-opener. Salve Regina's safety came off a blocked punt by junior Alex Hennessey (West Babylon, N.Y.) midway through the third quarter. Hennessy recovered the football outside of the end zone to put up two points for Salve Regina.  

The Seahawks added its second two-point score of the year two weeks ago against Nichols on a penalty resulting in the ball being marked in Nichols' end zone. 

Against Curry, Salve Regina took a 36-10 lead with a two-point score as junior Rory McEntee (Wakefield, R.I.) sacked the Colonels quarterback in the end zone for the Seahawks third safety of the year. 

The Seahawks have converted a blocked punt of a safety before, last time was against Endicott on Oct. 10, 2003. Salve Regina lost 27-20 in overtime.  

The Boy Who Blocked the Punt

Junior Alex Hennessy (West Babylon, N.Y.) blocked three punts against Montclair State to tie an NCAA DIII record for blocked punts in a single game. Hennessy has blocked four punts this year and five in his career.  

Sophomore Alex Hulme (Hopkinton, Mass.) blocked two punts against Curry, both in the first quarter. Hulme's second blocked punt of the quarter was recovered by junior Brad Kelly (Portsmouth, R.I.) for a 26-yard punt returned touchdown.  

Speaking of Blocked Kicks

Sophomore Hayden Stanton (Wallingford, Conn.) has two blocked kicks to his credit so far this season. Against MIT, Stanton blocked a field goal in the third quarter and blocked an extra point attempt in the first quarter against Western New England to keep the score knotted at 6-6. Along with Stanton, Hennessy and senior Joshua Burnett (Whitman, Mass.) have all blocked a kick for Salve Regina this season as the Seahawks have nine on the year.  

Oh Captain, My Captain

Leading the Seahawks on and off the field this season will be a trio of senior captains, Joshua Burnett (Whitman, Mass.) and Richie Edwards (Trumbull, Conn.) and Floyd Shaffer (Conshohocken, Pa.). 

I'm Honored

Sophomore Hayden Stanton (Wallingford, Conn.), junior Steven Wilken (Ringwood, N.J.) and senior Joshua Burnett (Whitman, Mass.) have been named NEFC Players of the Week this season.  

Senior center Floyd Shaffer (Conshohocken, Pa.) and Junior Phil Terio (Trumbull, Conn.) have brought a lot of national attention to the Seahawks prior to the 2013 season as pair have combined for 12 preseason All-America selections with Terio earning a pair of spots on three different lists. Terio also was featured by Josh Buchanan as one of the top-10 Division III players heading into the season.  

A Whole New World

2013 will bring a new look to the New England Football Conference with the Massachusetts state schools leaving the conference to form its own, the former Boyd Division with the addition of Maine Maritime and Coast Guard and the loss of Plymouth St. and UMass. Dartmouth comprise the new-look New England Football Conference. The NEFC retains its automatic bid to the NCAA tournament without the need for a championship game at the end of the season. 

Familiar Faces

After successful playing careers with the Seahawks, Gregory Gosselin and Daniel Kehew turn in their pads for whistles to help lead the Seahawks this season. New to Salve Regina, Nick Lynch is reunited with Gilmartin, his former coach at Mount Ida, to help guide Salve Regina. 

Also joining the staff in the off season was Casey Goff, coming to Salve Regina after a successful three-year career with King's (Pa.). Goff had a connection to the Seahawks prior to arriving to Newport, R.I. as he coached with linebackers/special team coordinator Michael Weick. 

A Win for Salve Regina Would ...

- Lift the Seahawks to 114-86
- Give the Seahawks their second-straight bowl game win
- Hand the Seahawks their 14th-straight home game win
- Give the Seahawks a win in their 200th game in program history