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Amherst, MA - Wagner will step up to the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) ranks for the second time this season, and seventh time in the last five years, when the Seahawks travel to UMass on Saturday, October 29 to meet the Minutemen in a noon contest.
Broadcast Information
The Wagner-UMass game will be produced by NESN (New England Sports Network), streamed live on ESPN3 and televised live in 72 different markets across the nation. Veteran, award-winning broadcaster John Rooke will handle play-by-play, with former New England Patriots' offensive lineman Pete Brock providing color commentary. The game will also be broadcast live on WEEI 105.5 FM, Â based in Springfield, MA.
Fourth Time on ESPN3Â this Season
The UMass game will mark the fourth ESPN3 appearance of the season for the Seahawks. In these four contests, the Green & White are 2-2.
2016 Seahawks on ESPN3
Sept. 24:Â Boston College 42, Wagner 10, Chestnut Hill, MA
October 1:Â Wagner 45. Sacred Heart 20
October 15: Wagner 25,, Central Connecticut 21, New Britain, CT
October 22: Bryant 27, Wagner 17, Smithfield, RI
Wagner vs. the BCS
The Seahawks, who compete in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly 1-AA, played at Boston College back on September 24. After taking an early 7-0 lead on a 55-yard touchdown dash from junior quarterback
Alex Thomson (Keyport, NJ/ Keyport), the Seahawks drop a 42-10 decision to the ACC-member Eagles. The 2016 season marks the second consecutive year that the Green & White have played two BCS foes as Wagner traveled to Rice and BYU in 2015. Â The Seahawks' first-ever matchup vs. a BCS team came on August 31, 2012 when Wagner dropped a 7-3 decision at Florida Atlantic (FAU).
Something in CommonBoth Wagner and UMass have faced Boston College this season. On September 26, BC posted a 26-7 victory over the Minutemen at Gillette Stadium.
About the Seahawks
Wagner, which is playing its third straight road game, enters Saturday's play with a 4-3 overall record and tied for second in the Northeast Conference (NEC) at 2-1. Offensively, Wagner is led by junior quarterback
Alex Thomson (Keyport, NJ / Keyport), a strong-armed and deceptively mobile 6-5, 225-pounder has completed 54 percent of his passes (109-of-200), for 1,402 yards, 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions. His 127.9 passer efficiency rating ranks second in the NEC. The Seahawks also featured the third and sixth-ranked rushers in the NEC in junior
Denzel Knight (Rochester, NY / Salisbury School) and senior
Matthias McKinnon (Albany, NY / Bishop Maginn / Jireh Prep [NC]). The 6-2, 220-pound Knight is averaging a whopping 8.9 yards per carry (61-540, 4 TDs) while McKinnon checks in at 4.5 yards per clip (100-452, 6 TDs). Defensively, Wagner is led by the sophomore inside-linebacking tandem of
Santoni Graham (Rochester, NY / Salisbury School) and  Quintin Hamption (Moultrie, GA / Colquitt County / UCF). Graham ranks second in the NEC with 9.1 tackles per game while Hampton checks in a seventh in tackles, averaging 7.7 per game.
Last Time Out:Junior quarterback
Alex Thomson (Keyport, NJ / Keyport) completed 17 of 37 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown, but it was not enough, as Bryant earned a 27-17 Northeast Conference (NEC) victory this afternoon. Defensively, sophomore linebacker
Santoni Graham (Arlington, VA / Bishop O'Connell / Fork Union Military Academy) paced the Seahawks with 13 tackles while fellow sophomore linebacker
Quintin Hampton (Moultrie, GA / Colquitt County / UCF) added 11 stops.
Head Coach Jason HoughtalingJason Houghtaling (say it Ho-tal-ling) is in his second season as the head coach of the Seahawks and, at age 35, is the third-youngest head coach in the FCS. He took over for
Walt Hameline, who announced at the end of the 2014 season that he would be stepping down as head coach while remaining as Seahawk athletic director. Houghtaling (5-13) was the Seahawks' associate head coach and offensive coordinator when the the Green & White claimed a share of the 2014 NEC title (with Sacred Heart), and overall, has spent seven years as a Wagner assistant. In his final three seasons as offensive coordinator (2011, 2012, 2014), the Seahawks amassed a 16-6 NEC record with league titles in two of those three years. In 2014, the Seahawks' offense ranked No. 4 nationally in time of possession and did not commit a turnover in the final three games of the season. Houghtaling served as offensive coordinator at Cornell in 2013 before returning to Grymes Hill as associate head coach/offensive coordinator.
Familiar Foe On UMass Sideline This Week In Wagner's Own Tom Massella
When Wagner lines up against UMass this week they will find a familiar foe on the sideline in UMass defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach Tom Massella, who starred in the Seahawk secondary from 1978-1981 before embarking on a long and distinguished coaching career. Prior to his arrival in Amherst in 2015, Massella served at Wagner for two seasons (2012, 2013) as associate head coach and offensive coordinator. In 2012, he helped guide the Seahawks to the NEC Championship and advance to the second round of the NCAA FCS playoffs. During his playing days at Wagner, the affable and well-liked Massella recorded 14 career interceptions, which ties him for fifth on the Seahawk career list.
Greg Senat: Two-Sport AthleteA three-year member of the Wagner men's basketball team, who contributed to Wagner's 2016 NEC regular season basketball championship team,
Greg Senat (Elmont, NY / Elmont / Marianapolis Prep [CT]) Â joined the Seahawk football team in March, 2016 and has started the first two games of the season at right tackle. A power forward on the hardwood, the 6-8, 280-pound Senat competed at tight end for two years during his high school career. A three-sport athlete, who also competed in lacrosse, in addition to basketball and football at Elmont HS, Senat was a member of the Spartans' jayvee football team as a sophomore in 2009 before being elevated to the varsity as a junior in 2010. He then transferred to Marianapolis Prep in 2010 where he focused solely on basketball.
Senat's Height, Leaping Ability Pay DividendsSenior offensive lineman
Greg Senat (Elmont, NY / Elmont / Marianapolis Prep [CT]), a two-sport athlete who doubles as a power forward on the Seahawk basketball team, used his 6-8 height and leaping ability to deliver a key special teams play, partially blocking a first-half field goal attempt in the 25-21 comeback win at Central Connecticut (10/15).
6-6 WR John Williams Has Career Day at Bryant; Ranked 5th Nationally In Yards Per ReceptionJunior wide receiver
John Williams (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township/Lackawanna JC) was Thomson's favorite target as the 6-6 wide receiver finished with a career day, hauling in six passes for 112 yards, highlighted by a 42-yard fourth-quarter pickup. A big-play receiver all year for the Seahawks, Williams has snared a team-high 16 catches for 347 yards and two TDs with his 21.7-yards per catch average ranking No. 5 in NCAA FCS football.
Knight's Big Day vs. CCSUJunior running back
Denzel Knight (Rochester, NY / Salisbury School) leads the NEC at 8.9 yards per carry and, overall, is the league's third-leading rusher with 506 yards, to go with four touchdowns. The 6-2, 220-pound Knight rushed for a career-high 150 yards on just 13 carries in Wagner's 25-21 comeback victory at Central Connecticut , an effort buoyed by first quarter runs of 51 and 70 yards with the 51-yarder coming on Wagner's first play from scrimmage, and the latter giving the Seahawks an early 7-0 lead. On the 70-yard TD run, a gain that was the second-longest of his career, Knight swept around left end and raced untouched down the left sideline. In the first quarter alone vs. CCSU, Knight had 122 yards rushing on four carries. Knight's TD runs have come on runs of 71. 70 and 67 yards.
Cooper a WeaponSenior kicker
James Cooper (Linwood, NJ / Mainland Regional), a first-year Seahawk who transferred from Temple, is Wagner's leading scorer with 48 points. He is 10-of-13 on field goal attempts, and a perfect 9-of-9 from within the 30-39-yard range, with a career-long 52-yard effort vs. Sacred Heart (10/1). Cooper is also 18-of-20 on PATs and has recorded 16 touchbacks.
Defensive ImprovementWagner is markedly improved in all phases in 2016 vs. a year ago, no place more than on defeNse. Here's a statistical look at the 2016 and 2015 Seahawk defensive units.
Avg Allowed/Game     2016        2015
Points               20.1          36.1
Rushing Yards        142.1         211.5
Passing Yards         200.7         222.2
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