HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, Va. -- Hampden-Sydney College opens its 2025 football season on the road in non-conference action at (RV)Delaware Valley University on Saturday, September 6, at 12 p.m. in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The visiting Tigers finished last season with a record of 5-5 overall, 3-4 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC), while the host Aggies were 8-3 overall, 7-2 in the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). 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, pregame airing at 11:30 a.m., while available to watch as well at gomacsports.tv.
 
Hampden-Sydney at (RV)Delaware Valley | Stats | Audio | Video | Richard's Round-Up Radio Preview (mp3)
Location: James Work Memorial Stadium | Doylestown, PA
Date: Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025
Time: 12 p.m.
Radio: Frank Shanaberger (play-by-play), Richard LeSueur (analyst)

Head Coach Vince Luvara
H-SC is led by the second-year head coach who took over the program on December 7, 2023. The former defensive coordinator at Washington & Jefferson (PA) College from 2016-23, Luvara is the 29th head coach in the 131-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. Luvara is 5-5 at the College.

Preseason Polls
H-SC was picked fifth in the 2025 ODAC Football Preseason Poll, garnering 39 points among the nine schools. Randolph-Macon College was picked first with 64 points and eight of nine first-place votes. DelVal (four first-place votes) was picked in a tie for first in the MAC preseason poll, along with King's (PA) College (five first-place votes), each receiving 76 points among the 10 schools. The Aggies are receiving votes in both the preseason AFCA D3 Coaches Poll and the preseason D3football.com Top 25.

The Series
H-SC and DelVal are meeting for just the second time. The Aggies lead the series 1-0, following a 41-21 road win last Sept. 7 on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium. In that game, the Tigers scored a touchdown on the opening possession, but DelVal responded with five unanswered touchdowns—two defensive scores—toward the win.
 
Scouting The Tigers
H-SC will be led offensively by senior quarterback and team captain Carter Sido (Dallas, TX), a Third Team All-ODAC selection a year ago. He started the first nine games before a late season injury, completing 142-237 passes (59.9%) for 1,842 yards and 22 touchdowns with four 250-yard passing games. Carter added 200 rushing yards on 89 attempts and two rushing touchdowns for 2,042 yards of total offense. He led the ODAC in passing touchdowns and passing efficiency (152.5), was third in passing yards, passing yards per game (204.7) and total offense per game (227.1) and fourth in completion percentage (59.9), while 39th in Division III in points responsible for per game (16.7) and 50th in passing touchdowns.
 
Junior Terry Hicks (Clayton, NC), also a Third Team All-ODAC selection a year ago, opens at running back. He started all nine games he played and had 855 rushing yards on 164 rushing attempts and nine rushing touchdowns, including a career-high 207 rushing yards at Bridgewater on November 2 among four 100-yard rushing games. Terry added 18 receptions for 162 receiving yards for 1,017 all-purpose yards, and was second in the ODAC in rushing yards per game (95.0) and all-purpose yards per game (113.0), fourth in rushing yards, tied for sixth in rushing touchdowns and seventh in rushing yards per carry (5.2), while 43rd in Division III rushing yards per game. Hicks was a Hansen Ratings All-Region 3 selection, as well.

Sophomore Manning Lasso (Raleigh, NC) will lead a talented group at wide receiver after earning Second Team All-ODAC honors last season. He started all 10 games and had 40 receptions for 517 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns, including two 100-yard receiving games. Manning tied for second in the ODAC in receiving touchdowns, was fifth in receptions, receptions per game (4.0) and receiving yards per game (51.7), sixth in receiving yards and 19th in all-purpose yards per game (51.7). Senior team captain Mason Cunningham (Arlington) returns after missing 2024 with an injury, and earned D3football.com Third Team All-Region 3 and First Team All-ODAC in 2023 when he started all 10 games with 79 receptions for 794 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, including three 100-yard receiving games. Mason led the ODAC in receptions, receptions per game (7.9), receiving yards and receiving yards per game (79.4) that season, tied for third in receiving touchdowns, ranked seventh in all-purpose yards per game (85.8) and ninth in all-purpose yards (858). Also expected to start is senior Jordan Jackson (Fredericksburg), who started one of 10 games and had four receptions for 68 yards.

H-SC will be led defensively by senior linebacker and team captain Robert Clarke (Atlanta, GA), a Second Team All-ODAC selection a year ago. He started the first eight games as a junior before a season-ending injury and was second on the team with 64 total tackles, including 28 solo and 36 assists, 4.5 tackles for loss, one sack, two pass breakups and two fumbles recovered. Robert had three games with at least 10 tackles, including a career-high 14 tackles at Ferrum on October 19, and tied for fourth in the ODAC in fumbles recovered, was fifth in tackles per game (8.0) and tied for 10th in total tackles, while tied for 35th in Division III in fumbles recovered. Sophomore linebacker Frank Brewer (Charlotte, NC) started the last five of 10 games played and was third on the team with 53 total tackles, including 22 solo and 31 assists, 2.0 tackles for loss, one sack, one quarterback hurry, two pass breakups and one fumble recovered, and tied for 10th in the ODAC in fumbles recovered.
 
A veteran secondary features senior safety and team captain Markevus Graves-Franklin (Lynchburg) and classmate and cornerback James Townsend (Hardeeville, SC), along with sophomore cornerback Parks Cromwell (Charlotte, NC). Graves-Franklin started the final five games as a junior after a preseason injury and was fourth on the team with 52 total tackles, including 28 solo and 24 assists, 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception and one pass breakup. He had two games with at least 10 tackles, including a career-high 16 tackles at Shenandoah on November 9. Townsend started all 10 games and was eighth on the team with 39 total tackles, including 29 solo and 10 assists, 3.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and six pass breakups. He tied for eighth in the ODAC in passes defended (8) and pass breakups, and tied for ninth in interceptions. James had one game with at least 10 tackles, including a career-high 10 tackles vs. Centre (KY) on September 21. Cromwell started nine of 10 games and was fifth on the team with 48 total tackles, including 35 solo and 13 assists, 1.0 tackles for loss, two interceptions, eight pass breakups and two forced fumbles. He tied for second in the ODAC in passes defended (10), tied for third in pass breakups, tied for fourth in forced fumbles and tied for ninth in interceptions.

Junior punter Camden Richardson (Midlothian) returns after playing in nine games as a sophomore and averaged 37.2 yards on 26 punts with three punts over 50 yards, three punts downed inside the 20 and a career long punt of 56 yards. He is expected to handle placekicking duties, as well.

Senior running back Joseph Gonzalez (Spotsylvania) is expected to feature on kick returns, while Mason Cunningham should return punts as he did two years ago.

Scouting The Aggies
Junior quarterback Mike Galasso is expected to start and is a transfer from NCAA Division II Kutztown (PA), where he played in eight games in 2024, following a redshirt season in 2023. He had one pass attempt, incomplete, and one rush attempt for minus six yards rushing last season.
 
Senior running back Brady Beres is expected to start after playing in six games in 2024, rushing for 19 yards on eight attempts (2.4). Junior running back Justin Brown played in seven games in 2024, and rushed for 29 yards on six attempts (4.8).
 
Graduate wide receiver Alvaro Lora started four of 11 games in 2024, and had 28 receptions for 573 yards and seven touchdowns. Senior tight end Rob McConnell played in 10 games in 2024, and had six receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown—he also passed for 50 yards (1-2-0) and one touchdown.
 
Senior linebacker Jeremiah Clark started 10 of 11 games in 2024, and had a team-high 94 tackles, including 9.0 for loss, 0.5 sacks, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles. Senior linebacker Andrew Vernieri started all 11 games in 2024, and had 34 tackles, including 1.5 for loss, 0.5 sacks, one interception, one quarterback hurry and two fumbles recovered. Sophomore defensive back Jovan Tyrell started eight of 10 games in 2024, and had 18 tackles, including 1.0 for loss, two interceptions and six pass breakups.
 
Sophomore placekicker Brendan Hazell played in 10 games in 2024, and was 29-36 on PAT kicks and 0-1 on field goal attempts. He is also expected to handle punting and kickoff duties for the first time collegiately this season.
 
Senior wide receiver Alex Rufe and sophomore wide receiver Kahir Thompson are expected to handle kick returns, while freshman wide receiver Joel Perez and Alvaro Lora are expected to handle punt returns. Rufe is a transfer from DII Shippensburg (PA), where he played in 33 games from 2022-24, and averaged 17.3 yards on 16 kick returns, including a long of 34 yards.

Team Captains
Leading the Tigers are senior linebacker Robert Clarke, senior wide receiver Mason Cunningham, senior safety Markevus Graves-Franklin, senior quarterback Carter Sido, senior right guard William Stimmel (Atlanta, GA) and sophomore left guard Cash Topinka (Charlotte, NC). Clarke, Sido and Stimmel are each second-year captains, while Cunningham, Graves-Franklin and Topinka are each first-year captains. Robert is the son of Tom and Jill Clarke. Mason is the son of John and Kristen Cunningham. Markevus is the son of Mark Graves and Shalita Franklin. Carter is the son of Chris Sido and Tova Sido. William is the son of Carl and Claudia Stimmel. Cash is the son of Jeff and Melissa Topinka.

William V. Campbell Trophy®
Robert Clarke is the program's nominee for the 2025 William V. Campbell Trophy®, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. He hopes to be the College's sixth-straight semifinalist, following in the footsteps of Tyler Howerton '21, Kaleb Smith '22, Michael Harris '23, George Langhammer '24 and Will Thomas '25—Howerton went on to become one of 12 finalists for the prestigious award in 2020. Robert is a Dean's List student majoring in economics and business with a minor in rhetoric, and has attained a 3.59 GPA.
 
Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®
Carter Sido was nominated for the 2025 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team®, recognizing college football student-athletes and head coaches for their commitment to community service and leadership beyond the gridiron. He estimates that he devoted 40-plus hours of service to the following causes during 2024-25: The Big Event, Literacy Days and the Brother4Brother Mentorship Program. Carter is also a member of QBs vs Cancer, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a common objective to raise money in the fight against cancer—his efforts benefit Breast Cancer Awareness and Research. The final roster of 23 award recipients will be announced in September.

Hampden-Sydney Football
H-SC has a 130-year history of football, amassing 583 wins since beginning in 1892. The Tigers have experienced great success over the years, including nine ODAC Championships, 10 Mason-Dixon Conference Championships, seven NCAA Division III Championship Playoff appearances, 88 All-America selections, 13 Academic All-America selections and 223 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 43-21 overall in his sixth season at the helm of the Tigers, including 1-0 in 2025. Silverfield led Memphis to a record of 11-2 in 2024, including a 42-37 win past West Virginia in the Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl on December 17, 2024 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. 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.
 
Up Next
H-SC welcomes visiting (RV)Washington & Jefferson (PA) College in its home opener on Saturday, Sept. 13, at 1 p.m. on Fulton Field at Lewis C. Everett Stadium.