Family Weekend: Family Weekend is a campus-wide celebration in honor of parents, grandparents, and extended family that takes place every September. Families can discover more about life at ESU by participating in the Warrior Bash and athletic contests, tour of the University’s Schisler Museum of Wildlife and Natural History, Dansbury Commons dining, a classic car show, the Pocono Latin Fest, and so much more! This unique weekend experience will provide families with the opportunity to spend a fun time together, explore the campus, behold the beautiful Pocono scenery, and experience the wealth of activities that are in store. For a full schedule of events on campus this weekend, visit esu.edu/family-weekend.
The Series: The meeting between the Warriors and Bald Eagles will be the 24th in program history, with ESU leading the all-time series, 14-8. First meeting in 1926, when the Warriors defeated Lock Haven, 99-0 win for East Stroudsburg, ESU has won 10 of the past 12 meetings dating back to 1999. In last season’s 45-21 win at Hubert Jack Stadium, ESU outgained LHU, 461-275, as Matt DeLaurentis threw for 276 yards, four touchdowns with zero interceptions. Rece Bender returned a program-record 99-yd kickoff return for a touchdown in the win.
Know The Foe: The Bald Eagles enter the contest with an identical 1-2 record, earning a 35-34 win in the season opener against Post, before suffering losses to Mercyhurst (49-7) and Clarion (44-7). The Bald Eagle offense features Assumption graduate transfer Easton Turner, who has completed 54.65 percent of his passes for four touchdowns, six interceptions for an average of 180 passing yards per contest. The rushing attack is led by DeAndre Wakefield, who has rushed for over 87 yards in all three games this season. The sophomore has eclipsed the 100-yd threshold over the past two contests and averages 108 yards per contest, which ranks 16th in the nation.
Last Time Out: Guided by a dominant defensive effort that forced five turnovers and a program-record-tying performance by kicker Devin Bartholomew, the East Stroudsburg University football team picked up its first win of the season with a 22-7 victory over Seton Hill on Saturday afternoon at Offut Field. The Warrior defense was the star of the show, forcing three interceptions, two forced fumbles, eight punts and a turnover on downs, as the Seton Hill offense could not get comfortable. ESU held SHU to just 217 yards, including just 70 through the air. It was the fewest passing yards allowed by an ESU defense since the Warriors allowed just 61 against Millersville on Oct. 15, 2017. 55 of the 70 passing yards were registered in the fourth quarter.
National Rankings: The Warriors rank in the top-50 in NCAA Division II in net punting (No. 45, 36.89), fewest passes had intercepted (no. 20, 1), passing offense (no. 46, 245.7), sacks allowed (no. 42, 1.33), tackles for loss (no. 22, 8.7), turnover margin (no. 8, 1.67), turnovers gained (no. 14, 8), turnovers lost (no. 27, 3).
Cirillo: QB Jake Cirillo ranks in the top-50 of NCAA Division II in categories include Jake Cirillo in completions per game (no. 27, 19.67) passing touchdowns (no. 16, 7), passing yards (no. 25), points responsible for (no. 31, 42) and total offense (no. 16, 282.3).
Breakout The Shades: As a result of the five-turnover game without giving up a possession, ESU now ranks eighth in the country and is tied with Mercyhurst for the PSAC lead in turnover margin (1.67). Without a turnover of its own, ESU +5 turnover differential is tied for the most since matching the mark of +5 in 2009 against Slippery Rock. Devon Banks, Paul Carreras and Tyler Watson earned interceptions, while Deshawn McCarthy and Matthew Davis forced fumbles.
Bartholomew the Boot: Devin Bartholomew earned PSAC East Special Teams athlete of the week are registering five made field goals on six attempts, converting kicks from 26, 50, 35, 46, 38 yards, which tied the program record for field goals made in a game. The only other Warrior to accomplish the feat was Greg Knauss against West Chester in 2007. Bartholomew's lone miss of the afternoon was from 52-yards out. In the impressive performance, Bartholomew tied his career long with a 50-yd field goal in the first half. He registered 16 total points for ESU with the five field goals and a point-after-attempt. After the big-time performance, Bartholomew ranks 11th nationally in total points scored with 31. He leads the nation in field goals per game with 2.67.
Automatic: Bartholomew’s lone PAT on Saturday extended ESU’s consecutive made point-after-attempts streak to 78, dating back to Nov. 10, 2018. Bartholomew has personally made 36 consecutive PATs (36-36), dating back to last season. Jordan Walters closed his Warrior career with 40 made in a row.
