Reigning New England Bowl Champs Have Sights Set on MASCAC Crown

DARTMOUTH, Mass. – The 2021 New England Bowl Champions return to the gridiron on Sept. 3 when they host Husson at 12 p.m. on Cressy Field. Head Coach Mark Robichaud is back for his 16th season with most of the main core that finished 9-2 a season ago. The Corsairs will be led by captains Mekhi Geter, JP Mason, Andrew Paulus and Marcus Elysee.
 
Last year, UMass Dartmouth had its most successful season in 18 years, matching the 2003 squad with a 9-2 record and capped it off with a bowl game victory. It was the first postseason win for the Corsairs since 2004.
 
As a team in 2021, UMassD finished with the best offense in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC). The team averaged 31.7 points per game, 443.5 yards per game, 53 total touchdowns and 4,879 yards of total offense, which included 218.9 passing yards per game and 224.6 rushing yards per game.
 
Fresh off his Offensive Rookie of the Year honor, junior quarterback Dante Aviles-Santos is back to lead the offense. In his sophomore campaign, Aviles-Santos led the MASCAC with 25 touchdown passes, added eight more on the ground and caught one in the endzone for 34 total TD's. He was also fourth in the conference with 199.7 passing yards per game.
 
The running back duo of senior Luis Gonzalez and sophomore Marvens Jean are both back to cause more terror in the backfield. Gonzalez was second in the conference with 87.6 rushing yards per game and sixth with seven touchdowns in 2021, while Jean finished third with 81.9 yards per game and ninth with five touchdowns.
 
Aviles-Santos will throw to a young group of wide receivers led by sophomores Antonio Brown (394 yards, 5 TD) and Mike Vincent (346 yards, 2 TD), senior Keenan Little (200 yards 2 TD), and sophomores Easten Coleman (166 yards, 1 TD) and Thomas Zednik, who caught one touchdown and five two-point conversions in 2021. Adding depth to the group are junior Malakie Simao, senior Winston DeLeon and junior Isaiah Cole.
 
Paulus and All-MASCAC Sophomores Tyler Gmyr and Kolby Stockwell lead the offensive line into 2022. Also back to protect the QB are seniors Brandon DiChiaro, Carlos Goncalves-Robalo, Saih Hill-Gore and Liam Whaley, along with junior Henry Doane and sophomore Collin Farr.
 
On the defensive side of the ball in 2021, the Corsairs led the league and were 25th in the nation with 270.3 yards allowed per game, they were also second in the MASCAC and 40th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 18 points per game. UMass Dartmouth was first in the league with 15 interceptions and second with 26 sacks.
 
Key returners on defense include 2021 First Team All-MASCAC Javien Delgado (63 Tk, 1.5 sacks) and Second Team All-MASCAC performers in Elysee (43 Tk, 4 sacks), Mason (82 Tk), senior Josh Lacerte (35 Tk, 6.5 sacks) and junior Logan Chappell (44 Tk, 5 INT).
 
Back as well on defense are Geter (43 Tk, 1.5 sacks), sophomore Sam Alicea (44 Tk, 5 sacks), junior Shane Meerbott (44 Tk, 2 INT), 5th-year senior Malik Gibson (28 Tk, 1.0 sack), junior Trell Best (17 Tk, 5 INT), senior Stevie Kolodko (21 Tk) and sophomore Jackson Wellman (23 Tk, 5 Games). Also expected to make an impact at linebacker are senior Ty Couto, juniors Jaydon Lame and Doug Chicca and sophomore Mike Henricksen. The defensive line sees sophomores Justin Nortelus and Woodley Felix back. At defensive back are seniors Adam Washington, Connor Donohue and Walter Lazare, along with sophomores Isaiah Price and Michael Koussa.
 
Upwards of 65 newcomers will compete for playing time, while a slew of transfers are expected to make immediate impacts in WR Antonio Stakely (Sacred Heart), TE Ammon Schirling (Lake Forest), DB CJ Waite (New Mexico Highlands) and WR Angel Sanchez (Tabor College).
 
UMass Dartmouth opens with two non-conference opponents beginning against Husson on Sept. 3. The Corsairs then travel to face reigning Eastern Collegiate Football Conference co-champions Anna Maria on Sept. 10. MASCAC play opens with Framingham State at home on Sept. 17 and the regular season concludes at Plymouth State on Nov. 12.
 
All UMass Dartmouth home contests will be streamed on littleeast.tv. Streaming for road games will differ based on the opponent. Live stats will be available for each game.