This Weekend
The Union College Dutchmen welcome the rival Rensselaer Engineers to Frank Bailey Field for the final game of the 2017 regular season on Saturday, Nov. 11. Kickoff is slated for noon (ET).
Media Coverage
The game against RPI will be streamed live through UnionAthletics.tv and an audio feed can be accessed for free through TeamLine.cc. Live stats will also be provided through UnionAthletics.com.
Last Week at Ithaca
A handful of Union turnovers were the story of the game, as Union fell, 20-3, to Ithaca in a Liberty League conference game with postseason implications last Saturday, Nov. 4. Ithaca had 346 yards in offense, but Union turnovers were the reason Ithaca ultimately came out with the victory. Union conceded five turnovers altogether which included an interception, two fumbles late in the fourth quarter, and two missed fourth down conversions. Union was led by senior captain and senior running back Connor Kinzelmann, who totaled 98 yards on 24 carries. Kinzelmann accounted for over 50-percent of Union's 188 offensive yards.
The Series vs Rensselaer
Union leads the all-times series with a 78-28-3 record against RPI. However, the Dutchmen have not defeated RPI since Nov. 10, 2012 in Troy.Â
Last Season vs Rensselaer
RPI running back Mike Tivinis rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Engineers to a 21-12 victory over visiting Union College at East Camps Stadium. With the win in the oldest collegiate football rivalry in New York State, the Engineers won the Dutchman Shoes Trophy for the fourth-straight year for the first time in the series history..
Cascione Named Performer of the Week
Throwing a season-high 272 yards in Saturday's 28-23 win over Hobart, quarterback Nick Cascione was named the Liberty League's Offensive Performer of the Week. In the against the Statesmen, the junior from New Canaan, CT, threw three touchdown passes to help keep the Dutchmen perfect in conference action and extend the team's winning streak to seven games. Â He completed 14-24 passes in the game without any interceptions, and had a game-high 64-yard pass to Chris Nicholas for a touchdown that put Union up 21-3 in the third quarter. Currently, Cascione is completing over 64-percent of his passes, has thrown for over 1,400 yards, and has completed 14 touchdown passes.Â
Cascione's achievement makes him the sixth Performer of the Week honor for the Dutchmen this season. Previous winners include Tucker Newman (Defensive Performer) for Oct. 14 Vincent DiCaterino (Defensive Performer) for Sept. 30, Evan Gilland (Defensive Performer) and Nick Cascione (Honor Roll) for Sept. 26, Tyler Barnes (Special Teams Performer), Jason Nelson and Cascione (Honor Roll) on Sept. 19, and Connor Kinzelmann and DiCaterino (Honor Roll) Sept. 11. DiCaterino also earned D3Football.com National Team of the Week honors on Sept. 12.
When Was The Last Time?
Union now sits third in the Liberty League standings with a 7-2 overall record and a 3-1 record within the Liberty League. The last time the Dutchmen had at least 7 victories in a season was 2009. Union had an overall record of 8-3 that year and a Liberty League record of 6-1.
Union's Oct. 14 win against Rochester was the first time Union had a shutout win since Oct. 22, 2005. Union defeated Coast Guard 7-0 in front of a homecoming crowd on Frank Bailey Field. The 2005 victory was the Dutchmen's seventh consecutive win of the season, which would become a 10-1 season. The only loss of the 2005 season would ultimately be season ending, in the second round of Division III NCAA playoffs.
Dicaterino Keeps Racking Up The Sacks
Against Ithaca, Vincent DiCaterino added two to his sack total which now stands at 10, a statistical category he leads the Liberty League in. In the home opener vs. Coast Guard, DiCaterino had a season high three sacks for losses of 32 yards. For the season, he has 13.5 tackles for losses of 98 yards, and 10 sacks for 87 yards.
Beal Shines Again
Earlier this season Union receiver Griffin Beal had a 95-yard kickoff return touchdown at Morrisville State. It was the longest in the Liberty League in 2017 and is tied for the 8th longest in NCAA Div. III this season. It was the longest in the league since WPI's Alex Domond had a 99 yarder vs. Rochester on Nov. 17, 2015. Beal is one of only 65 players in all-four NCAA divisions (FBC, FCS, II, III) to have a kickoff return of 95 or more yards this season. He is one of 21 players in NCAA Div. III to return a kickoff for a touchdown this year.
Last week against Hobart, the former quarterback made a spectacular diving one-handed catch that brought about premonitions of Odell Beckham Jr. on his way to a three catch, 59 yard performance that included a touchdown as well. Beal now leads all Union receivers in touchdowns with four. After making the transition from quarterback to receiver earlier this season, Beal has used his exceptional speed and athleticism to emerge as a valuable compliment to captain and senior receiver Alex Kaplanovich. Known simply as "Kap" to much of the team, Kaplanovich is a skilled route runner who leads Union in receptions (37), receiving yards (491), and is second to Beal in receiving touchdowns with three. Union will look to get the receiving pair more involved against RPI, as Kaplanovich had no catches last week against Ithaca while Beal only had one grab for 16 yards.
Kinz Folk
Connor Kinzelmann has five career 100-yard rushing games. He led Union last year with 950 rushing yards and nine TDs with an average of 95.0 yards per game while splitting time with senior running back
Jermaine Carn, who in fact lead the Dutchmen in carries last season. This season Kinzelmann averages 57 yards per game and 37.6% of the team's carries. Last week against Ithaca, Kinzelmann totaled 98 yards on 24 carries. Kinzelmann accounted for over 50-percent of Union's 188 offensive yards.
NCAA Stat Check
Thus far into the season, turnovers created by the Union defense have been a significant factor. In NCAA Div. III stats, Union ranks 10th in fumbles recovered (12), and ranks 18th in turnover margin (+1.11). Union ranks 15th in average kickoff-return yardage (23.96), 40th in completion percentage (.627), 47th in sacks allowed (1.33 per game), 80th in passing efficiency (138.98), 19th in turnovers gained (24), 34th in scoring defense (16.0) and 22nd in net punting (36.04). Nick Cascione is 36th in completion percentage (.638), Vincent DiCaterino is 14th in sacks (10) and Tyler Barnes is 54th in punting (38.7).
Liberty League Stat Check
In this week's Liberty League statistics, Union leads the league in kickoff return average (24.0), and sacks (23). The Dutchmen are also second in scoring defense (16.0). Union is third in offensive efficiency (138.7) as well as second fourth-down conversions (50.0%), and punting (38.8). Vincent DiCaterino leads the league in sacks (1.11/gm.) and sack yards (87). Jack Reilly is third in tackles for losses (1.50/gm.). Tyler Barnes' average of 38.7 yards per punt is second in the league. Barnes is only one yard away from the league-leading average of 39.7. Nick Cascione is first in pass efficiency (141.0). Jake Lombardo is second in tackles (9.8/gm).
