ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany football program and head coach Tom Perkovich have announced updates to the Great Danes' 2026 coaching staff.
 
Four members from the team's previous staff will remain. Former UAlbany quarterback Will Fiacchi will coach the team's wide receivers, Chris Calabrese will continue to work with the defensive line and serve as the program's pro liaison and head of player personnel, Jordan Orlovsky will take over operations and recruiting efforts as the team's chief of staff, and Ryan Bitka will be in charge of offensive quality control.
 
In addition, seven new coaches have joined the staff. Sean Pearson will cover the offensive line, Matt Der Torossian will coach the team's tight ends, Shawn Tafe will handle cornerbacks, Jamey McClendon will work with linebackers, Karl Mofor will work with the running backs, Dan Hislop will head strength and conditioning, and Drew Robinson will be in charge of defensive quality control.
 

RETURNING STAFF

"Maintaining continuity with coaches like Will, J.O., Cal, and Ryan is invaluable for the stability and growth of our program," said Perkovich. "These men have earned a tremendous amount of trust through their versatility and their deep commitment to this university. They understand the tradition of excellence here at UAlbany, and I have the utmost belief that their continued leadership will help us enhance our culture as we prepare for the 2026 season."
 
Will Fiacchi – Wide Receivers Coach
Fiacchi, a former UAlbany standout and three-year team captain, remains on the staff for his 10^th season in 2026. A 2014 graduate and Academic All-American, he is cemented in the Great Danes' record books as the program's all-time leading passer with 7,150 career yards and 602 completions. Since returning to his alma mater as a coach in 2017, Fiacchi has been instrumental in the development of some of the most productive offensive units in school history, including a 2023 wide receiver corps that led the CAA with 37 receiving touchdowns.
 
Chris Calabrese – Defensive Line Coach, Player Personnel, Pro Liaison
Calabrese enters his seventh season with the program in 2026, continuing his work with the defensive front. A key architect of the Great Danes' historic 2023 defense, he helped lead a unit that paced the entire country in rushing defense, allowing an FCS-low 87.6 yards per game en route to the FCS National Semifinals. Prior to UAlbany, Calabrese served as the head coach and athletic director at ASA College, where he helped over 150 student-athletes transition to the FCS and FBS levels, with 10 of his former players going on to NFL careers.
 
Jordan Orlovsky – Chief of Staff, Director of Football Operations, Recruiting Coordinator
Orlovsky, who continues to serve as the team's chief of staff, will now take over the program's operations and recruiting efforts. Orlovsky has been a fixture on the UAlbany staff since 2018. In 2023, he played a vital role in the Great Danes' first-ever NCAA FCS Semifinal appearance, overseeing a run game that featured CAA Rookie of the Year Griffin Woodell and averaged over 121 yards per game. A graduate of the University of Miami with a master's from UConn, Orlovsky brings extensive experience from previous coaching stints at Fordham, Old Dominion, and Muhlenberg College.
 
Ryan Bitka – Offensive Quality Control
Bitka remains with the program as the offensive quality control coach following a decorated playing career at SUNY Cortland. A 2024 D3football.com All-American and two-time team captain, Bitka was a cornerstone of the Red Dragons' offensive line, starting 47 consecutive games and leading the unit during their 2023 National Championship run. The Amherst, N.Y. native comes from a deep coaching lineage—his father, Terry, served on the Buffalo State staff for 36 years—and he now brings that lifelong football IQ to the Great Danes' offensive room.
 

NEW ADDITIONS

"Bringing this group of individuals into the fold provides us with an incredible blend of energy and high-level technical expertise," added Perkovich. "Each of these men has demonstrated a unique ability to elevate the rooms they lead and a relentless approach to player development. Their backgrounds at various levels of the game will offer fresh insights that are crucial to our continued evolution as a program, and I'm eager to see the immediate impact they will have on our student-athletes."
 
Sean Pearson – Offensive Line Coach
Pearson arrives at UAlbany after serving as the offensive line coach and run game coordinator at Bucknell University. During his tenure with the Bison, he helped orchestrate a dramatic offensive turnaround, seeing the unit more than double its scoring output in his first season (2023) and leading the Patriot League's top-ranked offense in 2024. A veteran developer of talent, Pearson's resume includes coaching five NFL draft picks—including first-rounders Rashawn Slater and Peter Skoronski—and multiple All-Americans across his stops at Northwestern, Lehigh, and Western Michigan. On the field, he was a two-year starter on the offensive line at Wagner College, where he helped lead the Seahawks to their first Northeast Conference Championship and FCS playoff victory in 2012.
 
Matt Der Torossian – Tight Ends Coach
Der Torossian joins the Great Danes after spending the previous two seasons at Susquehanna University as the team's wide receivers coach and kickoff return coordinator. During his tenure, he played a large role in a record-setting 2024 season that saw the River Hawks reach the NCAA Final Four and achieve a #4 national ranking. A former Division I quarterback and wideout, he notably oversaw a passing attack that developed multiple All-Conference receivers and the 2025 Landmark Conference Rookie of the Year.
 
Shawn Tafe – Cornerbacks Coach
Tafe joins the Great Danes' defensive staff after serving as the cornerbacks coach at the University of New Haven. During his tenure, he oversaw a secondary that consistently ranked among the best in the Northeast-10 and remained a defensive anchor as the Chargers transitioned to the FCS level (Northeast Conference) in 2025. Tafe notably played under UAlbany's new defensive coordinator, Matt Scott, during New Haven's 2021 conference championship season. A standout safety during his playing days at New Haven, Tafe was a two-time All-Conference selection and remains one of the most prolific ballhawks in program history, ranking top-10 in the Chargers' record books in career interceptions and helping lead the program to multiple NCAA playoff appearances.
 
Jamey McClendon – Linebackers Coach
McClendon joins the UAlbany staff following a successful tenure at Utica University as the defensive coordinator, defensive backs coach, and linebackers coach, where he led one of the Empire 8's top-ranked scoring defenses. His extensive coaching background includes a promotion to defensive ends coach at UMass, four seasons at USF contributing to three consecutive bowl appearances, and two seasons at Coastal Carolina during its transition to the FBS. A native of Chantilly, Va., McClendon was an All-ECAC and All-Conference linebacker at Salisbury University, where he helped the Sea Gulls to a 32-12 record and two NCAA Tournament appearances before beginning his coaching career at his alma mater.
 
Karl Mofor – Running Backs Coach
Mofor returns to his alma mater to oversee the running backs following coaching stints at Western Illinois and RPI. Most recently at Western Illinois, he mentored the Leathernecks' backfield after two successful seasons at RPI, where he coached an All-Conference 1,000-yard rusher and a premier wide receiver unit. A legendary figure in UAlbany history, Mofor was a two-time All-American and two-time All-CAA selection who ranks second all-time in program history with 3,863 rushing yards and 35 touchdowns. In 2019 alone, he averaged over 100 rushing yards per game to pace the CAA and aided the Great Danes to an NCAA playoff win.
 
Dan Hislop – Head Strength & Conditioning Coach
Hislop joins the Great Danes as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach after serving as the associate director of strength and speed at Colorado State since 2022. Prior to his time in Fort Collins, Hislop spent two seasons as the Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning at James Madison, where he helped the Dukes reach consecutive FCS Semifinals while compiling a 19-3 record. A graduate of East Stroudsburg University, Hislop brings a deep background in elite physical development and championship-level preparation, having also held strength and conditioning roles at Nevada, Elon, and Villanova.
 
Drew Robinson – Defensive Quality Control
Robinson comes to the Capital Region following a one-year stint as the inside linebackers coach at Susquehanna. A 2024 graduate of Susquehanna, he concluded an illustrious playing career as a three-time all-conference linebacker and two-time team captain, helping lead the River Hawks to three consecutive conference titles and a trip to the 2024 NCAA Semifinals. The Hillside, N.J. native finished his collegiate career with 242 tackles, nine forced fumbles, and seven sacks before transitioning into the coaching ranks.
 
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