Football 11/18/2016 10:23:00 AM UAlbany Sports Information

Football Sets For Senior Day And Empire Clash Vs. Stony Brook Saturday

ALBANY, N.Y. -- The University at Albany football team (6-4, 3-4 CAA) will celebrate its 20 members of the senior class as well as battle for the Golden Apple Trophy when the Great Danes host Stony Brook (5-5, 4-3) Saturday in the annual Empire Clash. Kickoff is set for 1 p.m. at Tom & Mary Casey Stadium.

MEDIA
Live Stream: Great Dane TV
Radio: ESPN Radio 104.5 The Team
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
Game Notes: UAlbany I Stony Brook

THE BATTLE FOR THE GOLDEN APPLE
Introduced for the 2015 season, the winner of the football game between UAlbany and Stony Brook will take home The Golden Apple Trophy. Stony Brook claimed the right to house the trophy for the last year, topping the Danes 20-2 in the 2015 season finale at LaValle Stadium.

SENIOR DAY
Prior to the start of Saturday's clash, UAlbany will honor its 20 seniors: Adegboyega Asanpaola, Matthew Campion, Rayshan Clark, DJ Crook, Jack Forster, Nic Ketter, Malachi Lawrence, Abner Logan, Kevin Malloy, Jon Martin, JP McCauley, Chizi Mba, Neil Morrison, Michael Nicastro, Cory Parker, Terrence Russell, Kyle Sakowski, Michael Senn, Adam Wierbinski, and Cameron Wynn. An impressive feat, Clark, Malloy, Martin, and Wierbinski did not miss a single game, playing in all 45 contests of their careers.

IBITOKUN-HANKS NAMED NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Week and the FCS National Player of the Week by both STATS and the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) on Nov. 14. Ibitokun-Hanks rushed for a program-record 298 yards and three touchdowns on a career-best 39 carries as UAlbany rallied from a 22-0 deficit to post a 36-25 victory at No. 21/23 New Hampshire. Ibitokun-Hanks' 298 rushing yards broke UAlbany's record that stood since 1975, while marking the third-best performance at the FCS level this season and the eighth-best in CAA history. All three of Ibitokun-Hanks' touchdowns came in the second half, including a 13-yard run that sealed the victory over UNH with 3:19 remaining. With the effort, Ibitokun-Hanks upped his single-season total to 1,383 rushing yards which ranks fifth all-time at UAlbany. The honor marks the Newark, N.J. native's fourth CAA weekly award of his career, earning Offensive Rookie of the Week honors twice in 2015 and Offensive Player of the Week accolades twice in 2016.

TEAM NATIONAL STAT RANKINGS (FCS)
• 1st for fumbles recovered (13)
• 2nd for turnovers gained (27)
• 3rd for defensive touchdowns (5)
• 4th for turnover margin (+14)
• 12th for interceptions (13)
• 15th for fewest penalty yards per game (43.90)
• 17th for scoring defense (20.1)
• 17th for net punting (38.50)

INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL STAT RANKINGS (FCS)
• Michael Nicastro: 3rd for fumbles recovered (3), T-6th for total tackles (11.3/game)
• Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks: 3rd for rushing TDs (16), 3rd for rushing yards (1,383), 4th for rushing yards/game (138.3), 5^th for total touchdowns (16), 6th for scoring (9.6).

A UALBANY WIN WOULD…
- Improve UAlbany's record to 7-4 overall.
- Improve UAlbany's CAA record to 4-4.
- Improve UAlbany's series record to 11-7 against Stony Brook.
- Improve UAlbany's all-time varsity record to 273-187.
- Improve Coach Gattuso's career record to 114-49.
- Improve Coach Gattuso's record at UAlbany to 17-17.

UALBANY, STONY BROOK SERIES
Saturday's meeting will mark the 18th in program history between Stony Brook and UAlbany. Playing each other for 13 consecutive years between 1995 and 2007, the Great Danes won six straight in the span (1996-2001). The rivals also met in the 2011 NCAA Division I FCS Playoffs after Stony Brook captured the Big South Conference title and UAlbany won the Northeast Conference automatic bid. Stony Brook stole a 31-28 win in the nail-biter, intercepting a tipped pass in the back of the end zone with 47.4 seconds remaining. Both joining the CAA for the 2013 season, Stony Brook won the first “Empire Clash,” 24-3, at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium, marking the last game in the Bob Ford coaching era. In 2014, UAlbany topped the Seawolves 27-17 in the 2014 finale at home, while Stony Brook claimed the last meeting 20-2 to end the 2015 slate at LaValle Stadium. The home team has won each of the last six meetings.

SCOUTING STONY BROOK
Stony Brook enters the weekend with a 5-5 overall record and 4-3 mark in the CAA. The Seawolves come off three straight conference losses, falling to New Hampshire (43-14), William & Mary (14-9), and Maine (27-21). Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore is a 1982 graduate from UAlbany and started his coaching career under Bob Ford's tutelage at his alma mater. The Seawolves are led offensively by running back Stacey Bedell's 698 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, while quarterback Joe Carbone has thrown for three touchdowns and 1,017 yards, completing 93-of-179 passes with 12 interceptions. Ray Bolden leads the receiving corps with a touchdown, 34 receptions and 462 receiving yards.

LAST TIME OUT – #21/23 NEW HAMPSHIRE
• With 298 rushing yards and three touchdown scampers, sophomore running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks shattered UAlbany's all-time single-game rushing record and led the University at Albany football team from a 22-point deficit to a 36-25 victory over No. 21 New Hampshire Saturday afternoon at Wildcat Stadium. With the win, UAlbany improved to 6-4 overall and 3-4 in the CAA, while UNH fell to 6-4 on the season and 5-2 in conference play.
• Ibitokun-Hanks' 298 rushing yards broke UAlbany's record that stood since 1975 – 286 yards by UAlbany Hall of Famer Tom Deblois. Ibitokun-Hanks also tied the all-time single-game carries record with 39, while upping his single-season total to 1,383 rushing yards which ranks fifth all-time.
• In his first career start, redshirt freshman quarterback Will Brunson piloted the Great Danes to a second-half comeback after trailing 22-0 in the second quarter. Brunson threw his first career touchdown to Jordan Crockett in the waning seconds of the first half, and also ran for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, giving UAlbany the lead for good. Brunson finished the afternoon with 146 passing yards, completing 12-of-20 attempts. • Crockett recorded three receptions, including a touchdown, accruing 44 receiving yards, while redshirt freshman Austin Ellis totaled a career-best four receptions and 30 yards, and freshman Jerah Reeves also logged a career-high 37 yards on two catches.• Defensively, redshirt senior Michael Nicastro led the Great Danes will 11 tackles (7 solo), while Neil Morrison and DaeSean Timmons each finished with seven tackles. Malachi Hoskins accrued six tackles (5 solo), including a key 10-yard sack on fourth down in the fourth quarter that helped secure the triumph for UAlbany.

IBITOKUN-HANKS' RECORD SEASON
Sophomore Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks has made some major marks in UAlbany's record book:
• Single-game: Broke the rushing yards record (298 yards) at #21/23 New Hampshire (Nov. 12)
• Single-game: Broke the all-purpose yards record (305 yards) at #21/23 New Hampshire (Nov. 12)
• Single-game: Tied the carries record (39 carries) at #21/23 New Hampshire (Nov. 12)
• Single-season: Ranks fifth for rushing yards (1,383 yards)
• Single-season: Ranks fifth for scoring (96 points)
• Single-season: Ranks fourth for rushing touchdowns (16 touchdowns)
• Single-season: Ranks ninth for all-purpose yards (1,425 yards)
• Career: Ranks 11th for rushing yards (1,992 yards)

NICASTRO RANKS SIXTH ALL-TIME FOR TACKLES
Senior linebacker Michael Nicastro has racked up 297 tackles in his career, including a team-high 113 this season. Nicastro now ranks 6th all-time in UAlbany's career record book. Nicastro needs 2 more tackles in order to take sole possession of fifth. The career tackles record is held by Colin Disch (2004-07) with 416.

MCCAULEY NAMED COSIDA ALL-DISTRICT
Redshirt junior offensive lineman JP McCauley has been named to the 2016 College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District™ Football Team for NCAA Division I District 1. The teams recognize the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances athletically and in the classroom. McCauley boasts a 3.99 cumulative GPA as a biology major, while playing in eight games for UAlbany this season.

FCS SELECTION SHOW
The 2016 FCS Selection Show will air Sunday, Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. on ESPNU.

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Players Mentioned

#40 Adegboyega Asanpaola: CB; 6' 1"; Freshman

#78 Matthew Campion: OT; 6' 5"; Freshman

#48 Rayshan Clark: S; 6' 0"; Freshman

#69 Jack Forster: DL; 6' 4"; Freshman

#49 Nic Ketter: TE; 6' 4"; Freshman

#93 Kevin Malloy: TE; 6' 5"; Freshman

#61 Jon Martin: P/PK; 6' 2"; Freshman

#57 Michael Nicastro: OLB; 5' 11"; Freshman

#53 Terrence Russell: OLB; 6' 1"; Freshman

#74 Adam Wierbinski: G; 6' 3"; Freshman

Players Mentioned

#40 Adegboyega Asanpaola
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: CB

#78 Matthew Campion
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: OT

#48 Rayshan Clark
: 6' 0"; Freshman
: S

#69 Jack Forster
: 6' 4"; Freshman
: DL

#49 Nic Ketter
: 6' 4"; Freshman
: TE

#93 Kevin Malloy
: 6' 5"; Freshman
: TE

#61 Jon Martin
: 6' 2"; Freshman
: P/PK

#57 Michael Nicastro
: 5' 11"; Freshman
: OLB

#53 Terrence Russell
: 6' 1"; Freshman
: OLB

#74 Adam Wierbinski
: 6' 3"; Freshman
: G