2025 Sacred Heart Pioneers football team

Last updated

2025 Sacred Heart Pioneers football
Sacred Heart Pioneers logo.svg
ConferenceIndependent
Record1–1
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorMatt Gardner (9th season)
Defensive coordinatorDarin Edwards (2nd season)
Home stadium Campus Field
Seasons
  2024
2026 
2025 NCAA Division I FCS independents football standings
Conf.Overall
Team W L  W L 
Merrimack    1 1  
Sacred Heart    1 1  
As of September 7, 2025
Rankings from STATS Poll

The 2025 Sacred Heart Pioneers football team will represent Sacred Heart University (SHU) as an independent during the 2025 NCAA Division I FCS football season. The Pioneers are expected to be led by 14th-year head coach Mark Nofri. Sacred Heart plays home games at Campus Field in Fairfield, Connecticut.

Contents

This is SHU's last season as an independent. The Pioneers will join CAA Football in 2026. [1]

Schedule

DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
August 302:00 p.m. Stonehill ESPN+ W 12–74,197
September 612:00 p.m.at No. 11 Lehigh ESPN+L 10–283,618
September 1312:00 p.m.at LIU NEC Front Row
September 204:00 p.m.at Norfolk State ESPN+
September 2712:00 p.m. Delaware State
  • Campus Field
  • Fairfield, CT
October 412:00 p.m.at Central Connecticut NEC Front Row
October 111:00 p.m. Howard
  • Campus Field
  • Fairfield, CT
ESPN+
October 183:00 p.m.at Montana ESPN+
November 112:00 p.m. New Haven
  • Campus Field
  • Fairfield, CT
ESPN+
November 812:00 p.m. VUL
  • Campus Field
  • Fairfield, CT
ESPN+
November 1512:00 p.m. Merrimack
  • Campus Field
  • Fairfield, CT
ESPN+
November 221:00 p.m.at Villanova FloFootball

Game summaries

Stonehill

Stonehill Skyhawks (0-0) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Skyhawks00077
Pioneers009312

at Campus FieldFairfield, CT

  • Date: August 30
  • Game time: 2:00 PM EDT
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Freddie Coleman (play-by-play), Chris Smith (analyst) and Morgan Bedard (sideline)
StatisticsSTOSHU
First downs1618
Total yards261288
Rushing yards49161
Passing yards212119
Passing: Comp–Att–Int30–39–011–21–0
Time of possession27:3832:22
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
StonehillPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at No. 11 Lehigh

Sacred Heart Pioneers (1-0) vs. No. 11 Lehigh Mountain Hawks (1-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Pioneers----0
No. 11 Mountain Hawks----0

at Goodman StadiumLower Saucon, PA

  • Date: September 6
  • Game time: 12:00 PM EDT
  • TV announcers (ESPN+): Marco Socci (play-by-play) and Mike Yadush (analyst)
StatisticsSHULEH
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving
LehighPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at LIU

Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) vs. LIU Sharks (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Pioneers----0
Sharks----0

at Bethpage Federal Credit Union StadiumBrookville, NY

  • Date: September 13
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m.
  • TV: NEC Front Row
StatisticsSHULIU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving
LIUPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Norfolk State

Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) vs. Norfolk State Spartans (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Pioneers----0
Spartans----0

at William "Dick" Price StadiumNorfolk, VA

  • Date: September 20
  • Game time: 4:00 PM EDT
StatisticsSHUNORF
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Norfolk StatePassing
Rushing
Receiving

Delaware State

Delaware State Hornets (0-0) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Hornets----0
Pioneers----0

at Campus Field • Fairfield, CT

  • Date: September 27
  • Game time: 12:00 PM EDT
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsDSUSHU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Delaware StatePassing
Rushing
Receiving
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Central Connecticut

Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) vs. Central Connecticut Blue Devils (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Pioneers----0
Blue Devils----0

at Arute FieldNew Britain, CT

  • Date: October 4
  • Game time: 12:00 PM EDT
  • TV: NEC Front Row
StatisticsSHUCCSU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Central ConnecticutPassing
Rushing
Receiving

Howard

Howard Bison (0-0) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Bison----0
Pioneers----0

at Campus Field • Fairfield, CT

  • Date: October 11
  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsHOWSHU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
HowardPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Montana

Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) vs. Montana Grizzlies (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Pioneers----0
Grizzlies----0

at Washington–Grizzly StadiumMissoula, MT

  • Date: October 18
  • Game time: 3:00 PM EDT
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsSHUMONT
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving
MontanaPassing
Rushing
Receiving

New Haven

New Haven Chargers (0-0) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Chargers----0
Pioneers----0

at Campus Field • Fairfield, CT

  • Date: November 1
  • Game time: 12:00 PM EDT
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsNHVNSHU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
New HavenPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving

VUL (NCCAA)

VUL Dragons (NCCAA) (0-0) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Dragons (NCCAA)----0
Pioneers----0

at Campus Field • Fairfield, CT

  • Date: November 8
  • Game time: 12:00 PM EST
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsVULSHU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
VULPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving

Merrimack

Merrimack Warriors (0-0) vs. Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Warriors----0
Pioneers----0

at Campus Field • Fairfield, CT

  • Date: November 15
  • Game time: 12:00 PM EST
  • TV: ESPN+
StatisticsMCSHU
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
MerrimackPassing
Rushing
Receiving
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving

at Villanova

Sacred Heart Pioneers (0-0) vs. Villanova Wildcats (0-0) – Game summary
Quarter1234Total
Pioneers----0
Wildcats----0

at Villanova StadiumVillanova, PA

  • Date: November 22
  • Game time: 1:00 PM EDT
  • TV: FloFootball
StatisticsSHUVILL
First downs
Total yards
Rushing yards
Passing yards
Passing: Comp–Att–Int
Time of possession
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Sacred HeartPassing
Rushing
Receiving
VillanovaPassing
Rushing
Receiving

Recruiting class

NamePositionHeightWeightHometownHigh School
Jackson BabitskyOL6-3265 Hudson, OH Hudson
Kevin BrightDL6-1251 Baltimore, MD Dundalk
Ashton DavisDB5-10175 Brandywine, MD Oxon Hill
Chase DeSantoOL6-4275 Wyoming, PA Wyoming Area
Steven DowdyWR6-0168 New York, NY Iona Prep
Joey HerbertOL6-3270 Chicago, IL Loyola
Christopher LeggettTE6-2225 New Windsor, NY Newburgh Free Academy
Dajuan MartinLB6-2208 Pleasantville, NJ Pleasantville
Naeem MillsRB6-0215 Hamden, CT Cheshire Academy

[3]

References

  1. "CAA Football Welcomes Sacred Heart University As Its Newest Member For 2026 Season" (Press release). CAA Football. July 22, 2025. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  2. "2025 Sacred Heart Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  3. Carey, Samantha (December 5, 2024). "Football Welcomes Nine Players on National Signing Day". sacredheartpioneers. Retrieved February 3, 2025.