Read the official announcement of head coach Tom Perkovich by clicking here.
The University at Albany and Director of Athletics Mark Benson officially announced the hiring of Tom Perkovich as the next head coach of the Great Danes’ football program on December 23, 2025. A veteran leader with over two decades of experience, Perkovich becomes the third full-time head coach in the program's history.
Prior to UAlbany
Before joining the Great Danes prior to the 2026 season, Perkovich spent 10 seasons at Susquehanna University. During his tenure at Susquehanna, Perkovich elevated the program into a consistent NCAA Division III powerhouse, compiling an elite 84–25 overall record. Under his guidance, the River Hawks became a fixture in the national rankings, spending 51 weeks in the D3football.com Top 25 and climbing as high as No. 6 in the country. Perkovich led the team to four consecutive conference championships from 2022 to 2025—including a dominant, undefeated 27–0 stretch in league play—and four straight NCAA Tournament appearances.
His leadership earned national prestige when he was named the 2023 Andy Talley Regional Coach of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club. This award, presented to the top prep or college coach in the Northeast, followed a 2022 season where Perkovich guided the River Hawks to a 10-1 record, their first Centennial Conference title, and an NCAA Championship appearance. He was recognized at the Maxwell Football Club's National Awards Gala alongside an elite group of honorees that included Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, Joe Klecko, Caleb Williams, and Drake Maye, among others.
Perkovich’s postseason record at Susquehanna is defined by a consistent ability to win on the big stage, characterized by a steady ascent into the national spotlight. This success reached a pinnacle during a landmark 2024 campaign where the River Hawks captured their first NCAA Division III playoff victories in over 30 years. After defeating Hobart College in the second round, the team secured a dramatic victory over No. 3 Saint John’s University on a game-winning field goal as time expired. A subsequent win over No. 21 Bethel University sent Perkovich and his squad to the NCAA Division III Semifinals, marking just the second time the program had reached that stage in school history.
In 2025, Coach Perkovich capped off his remarkable tenure at Susquehanna with another dominant season, leading the River Hawks to an 11-3 overall record. The 2025 campaign featured an explosive offense (39.93 PPG) and a suffocating defense (17.79 PPG) that outscored conference opponents by a staggering margin. Perkovich’s squad marched through the first three rounds of the NCAA Division III Championship with victories over Washington and Jefferson College, Christopher Newport University, and Eastern University to reach the national quarterfinals. Under his guidance, the 2025 team swept the conference’s major individual awards and produced five Associated Press All-Americans.
Before his tenure at Susquehanna, Perkovich spent nearly a decade at Muhlenberg College in Eastern Pennsylvania. He started as a strength and conditioning coordinator before climbing up the ranks to become the program’s offensive coordinator. While at Muhlenberg, Perkovich was a part of a staff that compiled an overall record of 39-11 (.780 winning percentage) with the offense breaking multiple school records under his control.
Personal
A Tonawanda, New York native, Perkovich earned his degree from Canisius University in 2003. A standout dual-sport athlete, he was the first Golden Griffin since 1949 to letter in both football and basketball for all four years. On the gridiron, he was a three-year starter on the offensive line, a Team MVP, a First Team All-MAAC selection, and a Second Team All-American.
Perkovich and his wife, Brandi, have three children: Georgia, Trey, and Reed.
Career Timeline
University at Albany (2026-Present)
Susquehanna University (2015-2025)
Muhlenberg College (2003-04, 2006-14)
- Offensive Coordinator (2010-2014)
- Offensive Line Coach/Special Teams Coordinator (2006-2010)
- Running Backs Coach (2003-04)
Colgate University (2006)
Holy Cross (2005)
Head Coaching History
| Year |
Overall Record |
Conference Record |
Postseason |
School |
| 2015 |
5-5 |
4-5 |
|
Susquehanna |
| 2016 |
6-4 |
6-3 |
|
Susquehanna |
| 2017 |
8-3 |
6-3 |
3rd Annual Centennial-MAC Bowl - won 28-9 over Albright |
Susquehanna |
| 2018 |
8-3 |
6-3 |
4th Annual Centennial-MAC Bowl - won 17-7 over Stevenson |
Susquehanna |
| 2019 |
10-1 |
8-1 |
5th Annual Centennial-MAC Bowl - won 88-24 over Wilkes |
Susquehanna |
| 2020 |
0-0 |
0-0 |
|
Susquehanna |
| 2021 |
9-2 |
7-2 |
6th Annual Centennial-MAC Bowl - won 49-21 over Widener |
Susquehanna |
| 2022 |
10-1 |
9-0 |
Centennial Conference Champions
NCAA Division III National Championships First Round |
Susquehanna |
| 2023 |
10-1 |
6-0 |
Landmark Conference Champions
NCAA Division III National Championships First Round |
Susquehanna |
| 2024 |
12-2 |
6-0 |
Landmark Conference Champions
NCAA Division III National Semifinals |
Susquehanna |
| 2025 |
11-3 |
6-0 |
Landmark Conference Champions
NCAA Division III National Quarterfinals |
Susquehanna |
| Totals |
84-25 |
64-17 |
1 Centennial Conference Championship
3 Landmark Conference Championships
4 NCAA Tournament Appearances |
|
