After an exciting 2018 season that saw big performances on both sides of the ball, enthusiasm is running high as kickoff for the 2019 UMass Dartmouth football campaign approaches. Head Coach Mark Robichaud welcomes back talented players at key skill positions and looks to blend a veteran presence with talented newcomers in his 13th year on the Corsair sidelines.
Leadership for this year's squad will be provided by a trio of all-league performers, as senior Tony Slaughter (Springfield, Mass./Chicopee) and juniors Jacob Burkhead (Plymouth, Mass./Plymouth North) & Stephen Gacioch (Tiverton, R.I./Tiverton) will serve as UMass Dartmouth's tri-captains this fall. Robichaud, whose coaching tenure ranks behind only Hall of Famer Bill Kavanaugh in program history, describes the group as “having earned the respect of their teammates throughout hard work and outstanding achievement both on and off the field. They embody the qualities that we want everyone in this program to display and emulate, and I have no doubt they will continue to lead effectively by example.”
Here's a look at how things are shaping up for the 2019 edition of Corsair Football:
OFFENSE. Gacioch returns as UMass Dartmouth's signal caller after tying the school single-season passing yards mark of 2,298 and throwing for 19 touchdowns during his sophomore campaign. One of the region's top two-way threats, Gacioch amassed 333 rushing yards and added four scores on the ground in 2018 en route to earning second-team all-Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference accolades. Junior Jacob Francis (Middletown, R.I./Middletown) returns after rushing for 95 yards and a touchdown last season, while sophomore Keenan Little (Stratford, Conn./Platt Technical) gained experience at the quarterback spot after completing three passes for 29 yards as a rookie.
Junior Olawale Junaid (Boston, Mass./Lyndon Institute) is the top returning running back for Robichaud, as he rushed for an even 100 yards a year ago. Fellow junior Gayee Myers (Providence, R.I./Classical) also returns to the offensive backfield after appearing in three contests in 2018.
The Corsairs welcome back a bevy of talent in their receiving corps, led by junior all-MASCAC honoree Leroy Brown (Milton, Mass./Milton), who hauled in 45 catches for 818 yards and seven touchdowns last fall. The return of two-time all-conference senior Abbi Bamgbose (Worcester, Mass./Fitchburg) bolsters UMass Dartmouth's aerial attack, as he has hauled in nearly 2,100 career yards and 27 career touchdown passes, while junior DJ Machado (Swansea, Mass./Diman Regional) added 37 receptions for 632 yards and five scores a year ago.
Senior Jacen Hudson (Hudson, N.H./Alvirne) provides additional experience for UMass Dartmouth after hauling in 12 catches for 139 yards and three touchdowns, while junior David Engler (North Attleboro, Mass./North Attleboro) and sophomore Adam Washington (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical) combined for three receptions, 34 yards and a score last fall.
The loss of all-New England center Antonio Mitjans leaves a void in the Corsairs' offensive line, but sophomore Gage DaSilva (Providence, R.I./Classical) is ready to lead the unit after collecting all-MASCAC honors during his inaugural collegiate campaign in 2018. Juniors Bruno Abbatessa (Danvers, Mass./Danvers), Trevor McCarthy (Ashaway, R.I./Chariho Regional) and Zac Hodges (Agawam, Mass./Agawam) join sophomores Mekhi Geter (West Haven, Conn./West Haven), Darren Fluker (Springfield, Mass./Springfield Central) and Andrew Paulus (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) as returnees to Robichaud's offensive line corps this fall.
DEFENSE. Burkhead excelled both on and off the field a year ago, as he paced UMass Dartmouth's defensive backfield with 65 total tackles (49 solo) to go with a team high four interceptions and seven pass breakups. He became the first male Academic All-American (and just the second overall) in school history after earning second team Google Cloud national accolades as selected by CoSIDA, and he is joined in the secondary by three-time all-league performer Slaughter, who was a first team return specialist and a second team defensive back last fall. Slaughter ranked second to Burkhead in tackles with 54 (45 solo) while adding two interceptions, five pass breakups and a fumble recovery for a touchdown.
Senior Mo Rainford (Boston, Mass./Boston Latin Academy) added 31 stops (24 solo) and three picks for the Corsairs in 2018, while junior Sam Krajewski (Taunton, Mass./Taunton) returns after making 24 tackles and recording an interception along the way. The trio of juniors Brendan Cuthill (Fall River, Mass./Durfee) and Chris Gomes (Taunton, Mass./Taunton), along with sophomore Cedric Gutierrez (Beverly, Mass./Beverly), lends additional depth after combining for 11 stops last season.
Senior Connor Russ (Middletown, R.I./Middletown) paces a talented linebacking corps after making 45 total tackles (32 solo and 4 ½ for losses) for Robichaud, while junior Matt Heaney (Seekonk, Mass./Seekonk) added 15 stops (12 solo) a year ago. The sophomore tandem of Javien Delgado (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical) and Malik Gibson (Norwich, Conn./Norwich Free Academy) each registered seven tackles during their rookie campaigns in 2018, while junior Jairo Baez (Worcester, Mass./Pace) chipped in with four stops last fall.
Junior Sean Reall (North Providence, R.I./Classical) is the top returnee on the defensive line after recording 20 tackles and returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown, while senior Allston George (Foxboro, Mass./Foxboro) and junior Marcus Elysee (Framingham, Mass./Framingham) provide additional depth and experience after combining for 28 tackles and 1 ½ sacks. Sophomore Matt Gisonno (Lynn, Mass./Lynn Classical), who also shined on special teams as a newcomer, recorded a stop on defensive as well in 2018.
SPECIAL TEAMS. Junior James Tooker (Harwich, Mass./Nauset) returns to handle the kicking duties after earning all-MASCAC accolades as a sophomore, as he converted 35-of-39 PAT attempts. Cuthill has shown versatility both as a punter and return specialist for the Corsairs, while Slaughter, Gutierrez, Washington and Little also have experience in the return game.
SCHEDULE. UMass Dartmouth is set to tackle another 10-game regular season slate this fall, as Robichaud's crew will enjoy the friendly confines of Cressy Field throughout the month of September with four straight home contests against Alfred State, Husson, Fitchburg State and Plymouth State. The Corsairs will also entertain Worcester State and Massachusetts Maritime while paying visits to conference foes Framingham State, Bridgewater State, Western Connecticut and Westfield State in October and November.
