DARTMOUTH, Mass. & NEWPORT, R.I. – Friday, September 4, marks the 17th all-time meeting between the Salve Regina University and UMass Dartmouth football teams, but the 2026 meeting on Cressy Field begins a new era of the rivalry with the inaugural "Battle of the Bays" Trophy Game.
Scheduled for 7pm on Cressy Field in Dartmouth, the game will see the Captain's Wheel awarded for the first time in the rivalry. With the establishment of a yearly non-conference game against one another, Corsairs' head coach
Josh Sylvester and Seahawks' head coach Kevin Gilmartin worked to begin a trophy game.
"Regional rivalries create an engaging game environment that is fun for both the student-athletes and fans," stated
Lori Hendricks, UMass Dartmouth Director of Athletics. "Formalizing our relationship with Salve Regina in football and adding a little extra hardware of the Captain's Wheel will compliment an already positive game day experience. I look forward to hosting this year's Battle of the Bays and making it a memorable start to the 2026 season!"
The "Battle of the Bays" references each institution's proximity to their respective bodies of water with Salve Regina representing Narragansett Bay, while UMass Dartmouth sits close to Buzzards Bay. The trophy, a Captain's Wheel, will be awarded to the winner of the annual game and housed at the winning campus until the next contest.
"The history between these two programs could not be any closer," remarked Sean Sullivan, Salve Regina University Director of Athletics. "All even at eight wins apiece is the perfect time to begin a Battle of the Bays Trophy Game while all participants – past, present, future – can reflect on the rivalry over the years."
"Our two campuses sit on opposite sides of the water, and now our teams have a trophy that represents it," stated Sylvester. "This is a new chapter for our program, and it's one built on pride and tradition that both communities can rally around for years to come. I have a lot of respect for Coach Gilmartin and the Salve Regina program, and this is a rivalry worth having."
The all-time series between the two programs currently sits in an 8-8 mark dating back to the first meeting on November 7, 1998 – a 17-10 Seahawks victory at home. Salve Regina captured the first three meetings before UMass Dartmouth claimed eight straight victories from 2001 through 2008. Salve Regina has won each of the last five, including a 34-13 victory in Newport on September 6, 2025.
"What a great opportunity to be able to play a local rivalry," said Gilmartin. "Salve and UMass are 28.9 miles away from each other and separated by a couple of bays. The fact that we have played each other 16 times and we have split the wins, makes us real excited to continue to play each other in the Battle of the Bays with the winner getting the Captain's Wheel!"
Fans can purchase tickets via Hometown Ticketing (
CLICK HERE). Live stats will be available at
https://corsairathletics.com/sidearmstats/football/summary, while live video will be at
https://mascac.tv/?B=4184108.
Contact Amie Canfield - Director of Athletic Communications - at acanfield@umassd.edu for any inquiries or questions about the Battle of the Bays Trophy Game.
