Bearcat Football Mission FAITH: Who we are, why we exist and The Saint Vincent College Football family fosters an what really matters in life. environment that cultivates excellence, not solely FUTURE: The focus is to ultimately prepare measured by victories, but by the quality of the the student athletes for the rest of character reflective of the ideals and values of the their lives. College’s mission. FAMILY: Build a family atmosphere and be a part of their lives inside and Bearcat Football Vision outside of football. A solid vision is usually overlooked. A vision of what FUN: Football is a game. Love playing it the program’s future will look like is a necessity in and enjoy the opportunities it creates. order to stay focused. Saint Vincent College’s vision will be to win a Presidents’ Athletic Conference Championship and a National Championship the Bearcat Football Core Values right way, with hard work, dignity and class. The Bearcat football program will reach its potential only when team members respect, value and trust Bearcat Football Experience one another and are willing to sacrifice narrow Playing football for Saint Vincent College should be self-interests to support and celebrate team goals and one of the greatest experiences of the young man’s their teammates’ success. Our coaching staff, support life. A life-changing experience. This is done through: staff and all who influence our football program will understand that individuals perform their best when they are respected, valued and trusted by someone who genuinely cares for their well-being. Values that reflect the • Honesty • Respect Saint Vincent College • Discipline • Integrity Football Program • Loyalty • Passion 2 n two short seasons Dolciato set a new standard of excellence for the Bearcat football program. Under Dolciato the Bearcats set 30 new individual and team records, boasted I22 all-PAC players, 8 PAC players of the week, the number one pass defense in the PAC and the number one ranked team in the PAC in turnover ratio and blocked kicks. Prior to his hiring, he served as the associate head coach/offensive coordinator at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. As the offensive coordinator at John Carroll, Dolciato produced highly notable results, some of which included an offensive unit that set 59 new school records, two national offensive records, an Eastern Regional Championship and an NCAA Division III Semifinal appearance. Dolciato was named the 2011 OAC Assistant Coach of the Year after leading an offense Dr. Ron Dolciato that averaged 406.5 yards and more than 30 points per game. In 2002 the Northeast Ohio Head Coach Chapter of the National Football Foundation tabbed him the Assistant Football Coach of the Year. Andrew Hoffman Josh Hager Phil Bokovitz Alex Kline Ron Baldonieri Associate Head Coach/ Defensive Coordinator Linebackers/ Wide Receivers/ Linebackers Recruiting Coordinator Special Team Coordinator Passing Game Coordinator Aaron Smetanka Marty Steele Mike Buchert John Bainbridge Drew Owusu Quarterbacks Running Backs Secondary Tight Ends Safeties SAINT VINCENT COLLEGE QUICK STATS • The first Benedictine College • Accredited by the Middle • Pre-professional programs in the United States States Association of in business, education, Colleges, we have a engineering, law and • Enrollment of more than student-faculty ratio medicine 1,600 undergraduates of 12:1 • Ranked as one of the top • One of the top Catholic, • Academic programs in liberal arts schools in co-educational liberal arts the arts, humanities and the nation schools in the country sciences 3 2014-15 TEAM OVERVIEW Most wins since 2011 Built a three-game home winning Second best conference record in streak, tying the longest such streak in the modern era of SVC Football the modern era Snapped overall losing streak New Records Set and road losing streak Team Interceptions (Game) – 4 Turnovers Gained (Game) – +5 Had 22 players named to the Points Scored (Game) – 65 All-PAC Football Team Rushing Yards (Game) – 377 Had 8 players earn PAC Player of Rushing Yards (Individual, Game) – 282 the Week honors (Offense – 3, Total Offense (Individual, Game) – 435 Defense – 1, Special Teams – 4) Touchdowns Scored (Individual) – 17 Longest Pass Play – 93 yards PRESIDENTS’ ATHLETIC CONFERENCE STATISTICAL TEAM RANKS Pass Defense – 1st – PAT Kicking Percentage – 1st - .923 176.3 Pass Yards Allowed Per Game Turnover Margin – Tied for 1st - +11 Punt Return Average – 2nd – 11.8 yards per Punt Return Blocked Kicks – 1st – 7 Defensive Interceptions – 2nd - 14 Yards per Carry (Individual) – 1st (6.8) PRESIDENTS’ ATHLETIC CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE WEEK HONORS Offense Special Teams QB – Andy Borgen RET – Darius Brown QB – Matt Deakins K – Morgan Porter QB – Tyler Donahue WR – Damon Black Defensive K – Steven Scherer DB – Renny LaRue-Holloman 4 PRESIDENTS’ ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SELECTIONS DEVIN ANDERSON TOMAS APODACA DAMON BLACK REID BRINKHOFF Defensive Back Offensive Lineman Wide Receiver Offensive Lineman John A. Ferguson High School Saint Mary’s High School Lakeland High School Hollidaysburg Area High School SHAVONTA CRAFT RYAN CRAWFORD TYLER DONAHUE CODY HENRY Running Back Running Back Quarterback Defensive Lineman Jeannette High School New Wilmington High School Yough High School Greater Latrobe High School RENNY LARUE-HOLLOMAN MATT McCARTHY MARK McCRACKEN STEVEN SCHERER Linebacker Linebacker Punter Kicker Fox Chapel High School Benedictine High School Southmoreland High School Thomas Wootton High School 5 History of Football at Saint Vincent College Ever since one of the first documented professional football games in history took place on a field less than a mile from campus in the late 1800s, the Latrobe area has played a big role in football-focused western Pennsylvania. IMPACT FRESHMEN Three SVC grads The Bearcats finish the Saint Vincent College make their NFL debuts. year with a 6-5 record Bap Manzini starts and make a postseason fields first varsity Citing costs, football nine games for the appearance in the ECAC football squad. is discontinued as a Philadelphia Eagles. Southwest Bowl. varsity program. 1923 1944 1962 2011 1936 1949 2007 2014 Coach Ron Dolciato Bearcat Stadium opens. Bearcats end season 10-0 In August Chuck Noll takes over the Bearcats culminating in Tangerine Bowl Field is blessed and victory. dedicated as the home of Bearcat Football. Saint Vincent College has been home to the Pittsburgh Steelers summer training camp since 1966. Sports Illustrated has recognized the camp as number one in the nation in terms of where fans can get “up close and personal.” With a locker room similar to the Steelers at Heinz Field, and practice and playing fields maintained by their personnel, it is difficult to find better facilities in Division III. 6 IMPACT FRESHMEN FRESHMEN WHO PLAYED A SIGNIFICANT ROLE AT ZACH ALTIERI BRETT CAPOBIANCO THE VARSITY LEVEL Jeannette HS Perkioman Valley HS Pennsylvania Pennsylvania DAMIEN CHARLES TYLER DIGRANDE DANIEL DUNCHACK SAM ELLIOTT EAN ESHELMAN Pembroke Pines Charter HS Sacred Heart Cathedral Prep Bishop Carroll HS Highlands HS Baldwin HS Florida California Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Pennsylvania CODY HENRY MARCUS JOHNSON CAMERON MACK ARIEL MARTINEZ BRANDON MURRAY-PECKA Greater Latrobe HS Coconut Creek HS Beachwood HS Gaithersburg HS Mayfield HS Pennsylvania Florida Ohio Maryland Ohio JACK PALUMBO THOMAS RAMIREZ JOSH SHIVETTS DANNY SIMKO TYLER SLAVIC Hudson HS Manvel HS Greater Latrobe HS Benedictine HS Laurel Highlands HS Ohio Texas Pennsylvania Ohio Pennsylvania 7 Grove City Westminster Geneva Case Western Thiel Reserve Chatham SAINT VINCENT Washington and Jefferson Carnegie Mellon Waynesburg Bethany PRESIDENTS’ ATHLETIC CONFERENCE Thomas More • Formally organized in 1955 - Celebrating its 60th anniversary throughout the 2014-15 academic year. • Comprised of 10 select private institutions – Bethany College, Chatham University, Geneva College, Grove City College, Saint Vincent College, Thiel College, Thomas More College, Washington & Jefferson College, Waynesburg University and Westminster College. In 2011, the PAC Presidents’ Council voted to add Carnegie Mellon University and Case Western Reserve University as affiliate members in the sport of football beginning in 2014. • The PAC remains a unique organization in this day of high-pressure intercollegiate athletics. Institutions involved realize that the key components to its progress lie in the foundation of faith and trust in each member. • The PAC crowns league champions and awards all-conference honors in its 21 championship sports. 8 GAME-DAY EXPERIENCE CHUCK NOLL FIELD LOCKER RooM 9 Saint Vincent is identified Saint Vincent College is ranked #24 as one of only 43 ‘Schools in the Northeast on Washington “ Worth Attending’. “Monthly’s 2015 rankings of liberal arts colleges with ‘Best Bang for -William J. Bennett ” the Buck.’ -Washington” Monthly Magazine For the sixth consecutive year, Saint Vincent College has been ranked in Saint Vincent College is ranked among the first tier of National Liberal Arts the best colleges in the U.S. in Money Colleges in the 2015 edition of U.S. “ magazine’s 2015 rankings featuring an “ News and World Report’s Best Colleges approach that uses unique measures of Guidebook. educational quality, affordability and career outcomes to help families find the right -U.S. News and World Report school at the right price. Saint Vincent College is ranked among “The 25 Best Private Colleges in the ” U.S. for Merit Aid” in Money magazine’s NerdScholar – a website that helps 2015-16 rankings, a new rating category students to make good choices “where smart students can earn the most “ financial assistance.” Saint Vincent is ranked regarding higher education – named Saint Vincent to its 15 # 7 in the new category and is the only Pennsylvania college to make the list. In ‘Pennsylvania’s Biggest Bang for addition to its Best Private Colleges ranking, Your Buck Colleges.’ Saint Vincent was also highly ranked in Money magazine’s other categories – #30 in -NerdScholar Website” The 50 Best Liberal Arts Colleges, #34 in The 50 Most Affordable Private Colleges and #26 in The 50 Best Colleges That You Can Actually Get Into.