HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Hampden-Sydney College welcomes Delaware Valley (PA) University in season-opening and non-conference football action on Saturday afternoon, September 7, at 1 p.m. on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium. The host Tigers finished last season at 6-4 overall, 4-3 (4th) in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), while the visiting Aggies were 9-2 overall, 9-0 in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) for their sixth consecutive MAC title; advancing to the first round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs. It's the Garnet & Grey debut of first-year head coach Vince Luvara. The game can be heard locally on WVHL Radio, Kickin' Country 92.9 FM, and will also be available worldwide on the Internet at wvhl.net or via the TuneIn Radio App, while available to watch as well on the Tiger Sports Network live video stream at hscathletics.com, pregame airing at 12:30 p.m.

Hampden-Sydney vs. (RV) Delaware Valley | Stats | Audio | Video | Game Notes (PDF) | Tailgating Policy
Location: Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium | Hampden-Sydney, VA
Date: Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024
Time: 1 p.m.
Radio: Frank Shanaberger (play-by-play), Richard LeSueur (analyst)

H-SC was picked fourth in the 2024 ODAC Football Preseason Poll, garnering 31 points, including one first-place vote, among the eight football-playing schools. DelVal was picked first in the MAC preseason poll, receiving 81 points and all nine first-place votes from the conference coaches. The Aggies are receiving votes in the both the AFCA Division III Preseason Coaches Poll and the D3football.com Preseason Top 25. H-SC is competing in its 130th season of football, and the Tigers are enjoying their 49th year as a charter member of the ODAC. DelVal has been a member of the MAC since 1965, and enters this season with a 53-game regular season conference winning streak dating back to October 22, 2016.

Head Coach Vince Luvara
H-SC is led by the first-year head coach who took over the program on December 7, 2023. The former defensive coordinator at Washington & Jefferson (PA) College since 2016, Luvara becomes the 29th head coach in the 130-year history of the storied Hampden-Sydney program. The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native is no stranger to NCAA Division III, having played four years at Allegheny (PA) College and coached one year at Allegheny and two years at Misericordia (PA) University—each school members of Division III.

The Series
H-SC and DelVal are meeting for the first time. First-year Tigers' head coach Vince Luvara has coached against the Aggies twice previously while serving as a graduate assistant at Misericordia (PA) University in 2012 and 2013, both games won by DelVal.

Scouting The Tigers
H-SC will be led offensively by junior quarterback and team captain Carter Sido (Dallas, TX). He started the first two games last season before a season-ending injury, completing 30-48 passes (62.5%) for 304 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions thrown. Sido rushed for 210 yards on 26 carries and three rushing touchdowns for 514 yards of total offense in the two contests. Carter was named the ODAC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a career-high 184 yards and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start, adding a career-high 153 yards passing and one touchdown, totaling 337 yards of total offense and four touchdowns vs. Wabash (IN) last September 2 ... believed to be a school record for single-game rushing yards by a quarterback.

Sophomore running back Terry Hicks (Clayton, NC) and freshman running back Fain Barton (Atlanta, GA) are battling for top ball-carrying honors. Hicks played in seven games last season and rushed for 81 yards on 14 carries and two rushing touchdowns, adding one reception for six yards receiving. Barton garnered honorable mention All-State honors at Class 4A Westminster in Atlanta, Georgia a year ago.

The Tigers have their most experience at wide receiver, led by junior wide receiver Mason Cunningham (Arlington), who earned D3football.com Third Team All-Region 3 and First Team All-ODAC last season after starting all 10 games with 79 receptions for 794 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He had three 100-yard receiving games and led the ODAC in receptions per game (7.9, ninth nationally), receiving yards and receiving yards per game (79.4), tied for third in receiving touchdowns, ranked seventh in all-purpose yards per game (85.8) and ninth in all-purpose yards (858). Cunningham was named the DC Touchdown Club Washington Metro College Football Player of the Week after a career-high 199 yards receiving on a game-high 10 receptions and two touchdowns at Averett last October 17. Unfortunately, Mason suffered a season-ending injury during preseason.
 
Expected to start are senior wide receiver Austin Fernandez (Warrenton), sophomore wide receiver Ethan Dowdy (Powhatan) and redshirt-freshman wide receiver Manning Lasso (Raleigh, NC). Junior wide receivers Joseph Gonzalez (Spotsylvania) and Jordan Jackson (Fredericksburg) will also be on the field frequently. Fernandez started all 10 games and had 43 receptions for 599 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He had one 100-yard receiving game and ranked fifth in the ODAC in receiving yards and receiving yards per game (79.4), tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns and receptions per game (4.3), sixth in receptions, 14th in all-purpose yards per game (59.9) and 18th in all-purpose yards (599). Austin has started 20-straight games and was a Second Team All-ODAC selection as a sophomore. Dowdy played in nine games and had nine receptions for 67 receiving yards. Lasso is a transfer student-athlete from UNC Charlotte where he did not play a year ago during his redshirt season. Gonzalez played in eight games and had three receptions for 21 receiving yards. Jackson played in nine games and had three receptions for 46 yards.

Senior tight end Sutton Lasso (Raleigh, NC) returns after starting all 10 games last fall with 12 receptions for 169 yards and one touchdown. He is the older brother of transfer Manning Lasso.

Senior linebacker and team captain Brendan Wallace (Virginia Beach), junior linebacker and team captain Robert Clarke (Atlanta, GA) and junior linebacker Max Pickren (Mount Pleasant, SC) are expected to lead the defense. Wallace started two of nine games last season and had 28 total tackles, including 10 solo and 18 assists, 3.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Clarke played in eight games a year ago and had eight total tackles, including three solo and five assists. Pickren started nine of 10 games at safety last fall and had 27 total tackles, including 10 solo and 17 assists, and 0.5 tackles for loss. Senior free safety Joseph Pierre (Mobile, AL) and junior cornerback James Townsend (Hardeeville, SC) should open as starters in the secondary. Pierre started one of eight games last season and had 11 total tackles, including five solo and six assists, and 1.0 tackles for loss. Townsend also started nine of 10 games and was 10th on the team with 33 total tackles, including 21 solo and 12 assists, 2.0 tackles for loss, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one blocked PAT kick vs. Shenandoah in overtime last November 4 to preserve a thrilling 26-25 win. He ranked in a tie for fourth in the ODAC in fumble recoveries (34th nationally) and tied for 10th in forced fumbles.

Senior placekicker Elijah Swett (Matthews, NC) is expected to handle PATs, field goals and kickoffs. Swett played in all 10 games last season and was 36-42 on PAT kicks (86%) and 9-14 on field goals (64%) with a long of 41 yards, and averaged 57.2 yards on 56 kickoffs with four touchbacks. He ranked third in the ODAC in kick scoring (63) and was third in field goal percentage (46th nationally) and field goals per game (0.90, 30th nationally).

Joseph Gonzalez and Fain Barton are expected to feature in the return game. Gonzalez earned D3football.com Second Team All-Region 3 honors last year, averaging 23.9 yards on 19 kick returns, including a long return of 91 yards for a kick return touchdown vs. Ferrum last Oct. 7. He ranked third in the ODAC in kick return average and was one of three players in the ODAC with a kick return touchdown, and tied for 11th in Division III in kickoff return touchdowns and ranked 43rd in kick return average.

Scouting The Aggies
DelVal has won 15 MAC Championships since 1980, including six-straight (2017-19, 2021-23) for automatic NCAA Playoff appearances, and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals in 2017, 2019 and 2022. The Aggies currently own a 53-game regular season conference winning streak dating back to Oct. 22, 2016.

Senior quarterback Louie Barrios IV returns to lead DelVal after passing for 1,123 yards (78-181-9) and seven touchdowns with nine interceptions thrown in 11 games, adding 553 yards rushing (second on the team) on 126 attempts and four rushing touchdowns. Sophomore running back Jack Fallon was the 2023 MAC Rookie of the Year after rushing for a team-high 805 yards on 171 attempts and 11 touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Luan Avdijaj had a team-best 18 receptions for 286 yards and three touchdowns. He returns punts, as well.

Senior defensive lineman Jacquez Mabin returns and is a D3football.com Preseason All-America third team selection after posting 69 total tackles a year ago, including 34 solo, 21.5 tackles for loss (12.5 sacks), one pass breakup, seven quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. Senior defensive lineman Shaun Balkcom had 53 total tackles, including 20 solo, 11.0 tackles for loss (6.5 sacks) and three forced fumbles. Senior linebacker Darius Nichols had 47 total tackles, including 31 solo, 2.0 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries.

Team Captains
Leading the Tigers are senior center Logan Cohn (Henrico) and senior linebacker Brendan Wallace, along with junior linebacker Robert Clarke, junior quarterback Carter Sido and junior right tackle William Stimmel (Atlanta, GA). All five are serving in the leadership roles for the first time. Logan is the son of Stefan and Heather Cohn. Brendan is the son of Jason and Kristiana Wallace. Robert is the son of Tom and Jill Clarke. Carter is the son of Chris Sido and Tova Sido. William is the son Carl and Claudia Stimmel.

100-Yard Receiving Games
Mason Cunningham has six career games with 100-plus yards receiving, including three last season — 103 yards on five receptions and one touchdown vs. Brevard (9/9/23), 109 yards on eight receptions and two touchdowns vs. Ferrum (10/7/23) and a career-high 199 yards on 10 receptions and two touchdowns at Averett (10/14/23). He had three 100-yard receiving games in 2022, including 116 yards on nine receptions and one touchdown vs. Greensboro (9/17/22), 163 yards on a career-high 13 receptions and a career-high three touchdowns at Ferrum (10/8/22) and 130 yards on nine receptions and two touchdowns vs. Averett (10/15/22).

100-Yard Receiving Games
Austin Fernandez has four career games with 100-plus yards receiving, including one last season — 109 yards on four receptions and one touchdown at Greensboro (9/16/23). He had three 100-yard receiving games in 2022, including 134 yards on five receptions and one touchdown vs. Widener (9/10/22), 124 yards on seven receptions and one touchdown at Bridgewater (10/1/22) and a career-high 165 yards on eight receptions and one touchdown vs. Averett (10/15/22).

100-Yard Rushing Games
Carter Sido has one career game with 100-plus yards rushing  — a career-high 184 yards on 20 attempts and three touchdowns in his first collegiate start vs. Wabash (IN) in "The Gentlemen's Classic" (9/2/22). It's believed to be a school record for single-game rushing yards by a quarterback.

William V. Campbell Trophy®
Senior defensive end Will Thomas (Blacksburg) is the program's nominee for the 2024 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. He hopes to be the College's fifth-straight semifinalist, following in the footsteps of Tyler Howerton '21, Kaleb Smith '22, Michael Harris '23 and George Langhammer '24—Howerton went on to become one of 12 finalists for the prestigious award in 2020. Will is a Dean's List student majoring in English with a minor in Spanish and has attained a 3.40 GPA. He is the son of Eric Thomas and Anna LoMascolo.

ODAC Football Preseason Poll
H-SC was picked fourth in the 2024 ODAC Football Preseason Poll. The Tigers garnered 31 points, including one first-place vote, among the eight schools. Randolph-Macon was picked first with 48 points, ahead of Washington and Lee (43), Bridgewater (33) and H-SC (31), along with Shenandoah (26), Averett (22), Guilford (11) and Ferrum (10). RMC received six first-place votes, while W&L got the other first-place vote.

Hampden-Sydney Football
H-SC has a 129 year history of football, amassing 578 wins since beginning in 1892. The Tigers have experienced great success over the years, including nine ODAC Championships, nine Mason-Dixon Conference Championships, seven NCAA Division III Championship appearances, 87 All-Americans, 16 Academic All-America selections and 222 First Team All-ODAC honorees. H-SC also played in the 1970 and 1971 Knute Rockne Bowls (NCAA College Division East Regional Championship).

From Division III To FBS Memphis
Ryan Silverfield '03 became the 25th head coach in the University of Memphis football history in December 2019 and began his tenure by leading the Tigers into their first major bowl game appearance: the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic in Dallas. He is currently 32-18 overall in his fifth season at the helm of the Tigers, including 1-0 in 2024. Silverfield led Memphis to a record of 10-3 in 2023, following a 7-6 season in 2022, after going 8-3 season in 2020, and the Tigers were 6-6 in 2021. Ryan coached four seasons as an undergraduate at H-SC, starting as an offensive assistant in 2000, serving as the defensive line coach during 2001 and 2002, before coaching the tight ends and H-backs in 2003.

Complete game notes are available via the linked PDF above.