Brandon Mansell
Joe Mattis
Gannon hopes to clear a path for its defense of the Niagara Cup during Homecoming Weekend.

Football Dan Teliski, Assistant Director of Athletics for Media Relations

Gannon Football Team Defends Niagara Cup Against Mercyhurst on Homecoming Weekend (Video/Game Notes)



GAME DAY CENTRAL
Mercyhurst University (1-3, 0-1 PSAC West) at Gannon University (3-1, 0-1 PSAC West)
  • When: Saturday, October 1, 2016
  • Where: Erie, Pa.
  • Stadium: McConnell Family Stadium (2,500)
  • Kickoff: 12 noon
  • Live Radio: Jet Radio (1400)
  • Live Audio via 90.5 WERG Stream: Click Here
  • Live Video (FREE): Click Here
  • Live Stats: Click Here

GAME INFORMATION
  • General Admission Tickets: $5 adults / $3 Non-Gannon students / $3 Senior Citizens
  • All Gannon students, staff and faculty are admitted free of charge by showing their school ID.
  • Parking: Free on-street parking
  • Directions: To McConnell Family Stadium I GPS Address: 430 Sassafras Street, Erie, Pa. 16507

GAME COVERAGE
ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN
  • All-Time Series: Mercyhurst leads 12-6-1
  • First Meeting: September 21, 1991 - Mercyhurst 40, at Gannon 7
  • Last Meeting: October 10, 2015 - Gannon 16, at Mercyhurst 13
  • Series Notes: Gannon currently owns possession of the Niagara Cup after a 16-13 victory last season in front of a nationally-televised audience at Tullio Field. However, Mercyhurst still holds a 12-6-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Lakers are 4-2 all-time at McConnell Family Stadium, including a 45-38 victory during their last visit on October 11, 2014.

OTHER LINKS
HOMECOMING WEEKEND
  • Friday, September 30
    • Alumni Association Distinguished Alumni Dinner
      • 6 p.m. | Yehl Alumni Room, Waldron Campus Center | 124 W. Seventh Street
      • Recognizing alumni who have made significant contributions to their profession, their community and their church. All are invited to this special celebration.
      • This year's honorees are: Almitra "Almi" (Clemente) Clerkin '85, Elisabeth "Betsy" (Roeback) Monsalve '70 VMC, Jay Alberstadt '76, Adam J. Susmarski, D.O. '05, and receiving the Monsignor Wilfrid J. Nash Principles of Christian Conduct Award, Sister Mary Miller, OSB '67VMC.
  
  • Saturday, October 1
    • Homecoming Parade
      • 9 a.m. | West Sixth Street between Peach and Sassafras streets
      • Rain or shine, nothing can dampen the spirit at Gannon University's Homecoming Parade. It's creativity and enthusiasm literally on parade. 9 - 11 a.m.
    • Alumni Tailgate Lunch
      • 10:30 a.m. | Recreation and Wellness Center | 130 West Fourth Street
      • All alumni and families are invited to enjoy a tailgate lunch on Basketball Court 1 at the Recreation and Wellness Center from 10:30 a.m. - noon. Tours of the facility will be available, as well as games and activities for kids on Court 2.
    • For more information on Homecoming Reunion Weekend events, click here.

SATURDAY STORYLINES
  • Gannon defends the Niagara Cup Saturday afternoon during Homecoming Weekend at McConnell Family Stadium. The rivalry's traveling trophy has been with the Golden Knights after a 16-13 victory last year in front of a nationally-televised audience at Tullio Field.
  • Head coach Brad Rzyczycki's club has played the toughest schedule in the country through four games. Its opponents during the first month have a combined 11-1 record against teams not named Gannon.
  • The Golden Knights have dropped their last four Homecoming games, including a 45-38 setback against Mercyhurst in 2014. Gannon's last victory on Homecoming Weekend came via a 33-27 verdict against Slippery Rock on November 5, 2011.
  • Mercyhurst was picked to finish sixth in the PSAC Western Division according to the league's preseason coaches poll.
  • Gannon was predicted to finish fifth in the PSAC Western Division.
  • Senior Mike Zanders II (Charlotte, N.C./Hopewell) (18), redshirt sophomore Geremy Paige (Wheeling, W.Va./Wheeling Park) (13), sophomore Anthony Howard (Temple Hills, Md./Bishop O'Connell) (12) and senior Nathan Adams (Crozier, Va./Goochland) (10) all recorded career-high tackle totals last week at Slippery Rock.
  • Zanders II's 18 tackles represented the second-highest single-game total in program history, falling two shy of the school record.
  • Junior Karch Holland (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington) jumped Tim Hrivnak (1993-96) and Jarrett Kier (1999-02) to move into third place all-time at Gannon with his 21st career field goal last week.
  • Zanders moved past Chris Popovich (1990-93) and into fourth place all-time at Gannon in career tackles, ending the game with 300. He can surged into second place all-time with four more stops.
  • Holland ranks 11th all-time at Gannon with 160 career points. He can move past Ron Bailey (2002-05) and into the top 10 with three points.
  • Senior Matthew Gawlik (Strongsville, Ohio/St. Ignatius) ranks 14th all-time at Gannon with 12.5 sacks and can move into the program's all-time top 10 with two more.
  • The Gannon defensive unit has allowed only 20 points during the second half this season. Seven points came after a bad snap on a punt gave Bloomsburg a one-yard scoring drive.
  • Senior Christian Carpenter (Aberdeen, Md./Aberdeen) received national coverage before playing a down as a Golden Knight. The redshirt senior defensive back was named to the D2Football.com All-America second team released in August. He transferred to Gannon prior to the 2015-16 academic year and redshirted last year. Carpenter was an all-conference first-team selection as a sophomore free safety at NCAA Division I Towson State before transferring after his junior campaign.
  • Gannon has recorded three consecutive winning seasons with a 6-5 mark last year, 6-5 record in 2013 and 9-2 mark in 2014. It represents the program's longest streak since producing a program-record four consecutive winning seasons from 1992-95. Gannon has recorded 13 winning campaigns in school history, including a stretch of five in six seasons from 1990-95.

UP NEXT
  • Gannon continues its stretch of rivalry games Saturday, October 8 at Edinboro.
  • Game time is scheduled for 2 p.m.
  • The contest can be seen live on the SPORTSfever Television Network and ESPN3.
  • The Golden Knights have won the last three games in the all-time series, including a 52-7 victory during their last trip to Sox Harrison Stadium on October 16, 2014.
  • Following the Edinboro contest, Gannon returns home Saturday, October 15 to face Seton Hill at McConnell Family Stadium.
  • Game time is scheduled for 12 noon.
  • The Golden Knights are 3-0 against the Griffins since Seton Hill entered the PSAC in 2013.
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Players Mentioned

Andrew Berger

#93 Andrew Berger

DE
6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
Criminal Justice
Christian Carpenter

#1 Christian Carpenter

DB
6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
Will Davis

#81 Will Davis

TE
6' 5"
Junior
Business
Matthew Gawlik

#95 Matthew Gawlik

DE
6' 3"
Senior
Finance
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

K
5' 9"
Junior
Biology
Anthony Howard

#25 Anthony Howard

LB
6' 0"
Sophomore
Quad Law

#8 Quad Law

WR
5' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science
Geremy Paige

#9 Geremy Paige

LB
5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Sport Management and Marketing/Entrepreneurship
Zach Phillips

#6 Zach Phillips

QB
6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Healthcare Management
Eli Quinter

#16 Eli Quinter

WR
6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Entrepreneurship

Players Mentioned

Andrew Berger

#93 Andrew Berger

6' 3"
Redshirt Freshman
Criminal Justice
DE
Christian Carpenter

#1 Christian Carpenter

6' 2"
Redshirt Senior
Interdisciplinary Studies
DB
Will Davis

#81 Will Davis

6' 5"
Junior
Business
TE
Matthew Gawlik

#95 Matthew Gawlik

6' 3"
Senior
Finance
DE
Karch Holland

#46 Karch Holland

5' 9"
Junior
Biology
K
Anthony Howard

#25 Anthony Howard

6' 0"
Sophomore
LB
Quad Law

#8 Quad Law

5' 7"
Redshirt Senior
Sport and Exercise Science
WR
Geremy Paige

#9 Geremy Paige

5' 11"
Redshirt Sophomore
Sport Management and Marketing/Entrepreneurship
LB
Zach Phillips

#6 Zach Phillips

6' 2"
Redshirt Sophomore
Healthcare Management
QB
Eli Quinter

#16 Eli Quinter

6' 3"
Redshirt Sophomore
Entrepreneurship
WR