SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – The Shippensburg University football team opens its season Saturday when it hosts Bowie State in a nonconference matchup at Seth Grove Stadium.
 
The Raiders head into the 2025 campaign with a positive mindset following a strong preseason camp, which has brought a strong, competitive culture to the team as well as an encouraging amount of layers and depth among the various position groups.
 
Schedule
 
Shippensburg battles the Bulldogs Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. Bowie State went 4-6 last season and was picked sixth in the 2025 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) Preseason Poll.
 
The Raiders round out nonconference play with a pair of road dates the following two Saturdays against Clarion and No. 4 Slippery Rock. SU defeated Clarion last season, 24-21, at Seth Grove Stadium.
 
Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division play begins Week 4 with a Family Day face-off against Bloomsburg at home on Sept. 27.
 
Additional home conference dates include Millersville (Oct. 11), Shippensburg University's Homecoming game against Lock Haven (Oct. 25), West Chester (Nov. 8) and California (Pa.) (Nov. 15).
 
SU's conference road games include No. 7 Kutztown (Oct. 4), East Stroudsburg (Oct. 18) and Shepherd (Nov. 1)
 
Roster
 
Shippensburg enters the 2025 season with 101 players, of which 65 return from the 2024 fall roster.
 
There are 11 players who are operating as seniors in 2025: defensive lineman Jeremiah Carothers, linebacker Josh Cordoba, offensive lineman Riley Curtin, defensive back Ely Ghameshlougy, defensive back DJ Jackson, running back Josiah Leonard, defensive back Josh Lesesne, Marshall, defensive lineman Tyler Masdea, linebacker Terrance Peterson Jr. and running back/wide receiver Tobee Stokes. Of note, some of these individuals have remaining eligibility after this season.
 
Five players: junior wide receiver Joziah Gonzalez, redshirt-freshman offensive lineman Kylan Lamke, senior defensive back Tyler Marshall, sophomore defensive back Javani Mosley and freshman running back Sam Faeflen Jr.; joined the team in the spring and participated in spring practices.
 
Gonzalez arrives at Shippensburg from Franklin Pierce, where he was a NE-10 All-Conference First Team wide receiver and set the program's single-season reception record with 56 catches last fall. Lamke started his collegiate career last season at Maine, while Marshall was a multi-year starter for Lycoming College.
 
Additionally, redshirt-freshman Mikey Preston joined the Raiders in the fall after transferring from West Virginia.
 
From an athletic eligibility perspective, the team has eight seniors, eight juniors, 28 sophomores, 27 redshirt-freshmen and 30 first-year freshmen.
                
Coaching Staff
 
Head Coach Mark Maciejewski is in his 15th year leading the Raiders. The 2025 campaign marks his 25th season overall at his alma mater. In addition to his role as the head coach, Maciejewski also instructs the secondary. 
 
Drew Gallardy, in his second season as a Raider assistant, has taken on the role of offensive coordinator in addition to leading the SU offensive line.
 
Mike Burket is in his 21st season as defensive coordinator and 24th season as a member of the Raider coaching staff. He also oversees the SU linebacking corps.
 
New to the staff is quarterbacks/wide receivers coach Brayden Long, running backs coach David Cook and graduate assistant defensive backs coach Tasir Money.
 
Pete Lee (29th season), Tony Johnson (20th season), Josh Finafrock (11th season), Ron Kerr (10th season), Evan Brandes (2nd season) and Todd Ryan (2nd season) also return.
 
Notes
 
The Raiders graduated Javon Cruz, the team's lone All-PSAC honoree last season. Cruz was an All-PSAC East Second Team linebacker.
 
Taking a look at projected starters, there are six returning starters from last season on the offensive side of the football, including four of five starters along the SU offensive line (redshirt-sophomore center AJ Baldwin, redshirt-junior guard Robert Chetirkin, Curtin and sophomore tackle Josh Graeper). Running backs Leonard and Stokes round out the returning starters for the offense.
 
Sophomore quarterbacks Riley Gunnels and Vincent Micucci are also back after gaining valuable experience last season as freshmen.
 
The SU defense features seven returning starters, including three in the defensive backfield (Ghameshlougy, Jackson and Lesesne). Other returning defensive starters are Carothers, defensive end Luke Hines, Masdea and Peterson Jr.
 
Position Breakdown
 
(This listing is tentative entering the season and subject to change. Several players may rotate between positions; this listing is sorted by their expected primary position on the field.)
 
Quarterback (5): Riley Gunnels, Colton Kilmer, Chase Kissell, Vincent Micucci, Brady Zapoticky
 
Running Back (6): Ethan Arneson, Nathan Beighley, Sam Faeflen Jr., Josiah Leonard, Tobee Stokes, Andre Weidman
 
Wide Receiver (15): Carmine Diaz, Brandon Fritz, Joziah Gonzalez, Trey Good, Cyrell Green, Derek Guzman, Sam Massaquoi, Ty Neal, Jaevon Parker, Caiden Pines, Tom Smyser, Carson Swartz, Marcus Sweeney, Jaron Whitehead, Steven Zerbe
 
Tight End (6): Landon Bailey, Sall Bangura, Sawyer Brookens, Nick Castorina, Jonathon Shay, Dennis Vittese
 
Offensive Line (16): AJ Baldwin, Colton Beck, Robert Chetirkin, Sam Cicchino, Riley Curtin, Peter Diaz, Josh Graeper, Lonnie Hill IV, Devon Jackson, Gavin Kelly, Brayden Kirk, Kylan Lamke, Hezikyah Latini, Cy McCall, I'zhior Moon, Wyatt Rutherford, Mason Williams
 
Defensive Line (18): Cordell Brown, Jeremiah Carothers, Surat Gill, Luke Hines, Nicholas Jackson, Aleks Jaskiewicz, Tyler Masdea, Josh McKnight, Ty Millhimes, Tyler Opong, James Rodino, Jesse Rodino, Eli Rodriguez, Micah Smith, Peyton Stadler, Carter Storm, Pejah Turner, Trevor Watts
 
Defensive Back (19): Bamm Appleby, Adryce Arp, Gabe Benjamin, Christian Broome, Alpha Diallo, Kal-El Durham, Mere Durham, Ely Ghameshlougy, Dave Hines Jr., DJ Jackson, Josh Lesesne, Tyler Marshall, Javani Mosley, Mikey Preston, Charles Robinson, Kaden Shope, Darvens Tunis, Jalen Wade, Darius Williams
 
Linebacker (12): Connor Bednarski, Connor Black, Nasir Blount, Debo Bumbrey, Josh Cordoba, Kyle Groman, Gabriel McArthur, Nate Myers, Terrance Peterson Jr., Alex Sauve, Grady Snyder, Brayden Zirkle
 
Kicker/Punter (3): Wilson Ingerski, Domenic Nardini, Derek Witmer
 
Home Breakdown
 
Pennsylvania (67)
Bamm Appleby (Steelton, Pa./Steelton-Highspire (Wheeling))
Adryce Arp (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East)
Landon Bailey (Spring Grove, Pa./Spring Grove Area)
Sall Bangura (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim)
Colton Beck (Hanover, Pa./South Western)
Nathan Beighley (Levittown, Pa./Pennsbury)
Gabe Benjamin (Lancaster, Pa./Hempfield)
Connor Black (Newville, Pa./Big Spring)
Nasir Blount (East Stroudsburg, Pa./East Stroudsburg South)
Sawyer Brookens (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim)
Christian Broome (Abington, Pa./Abington)
Jeremiah Carothers (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle)
Carmine Diaz (Bangor, Pa./Notre Dame Green Pond)
Peter Diaz (Easton, Pa./Easton Area)
Kal-El Durham (Philadelphia, Pa./West Catholic)
Mere Durham (Philadelphia, Pa./Abraham Lincoln)
Brandon Fritz (Grantville, Pa./Lower Dauphin)
Trey Good (Camp Hill, Pa./East Pennsboro)
Cyrell Green (Lewistown, Pa./Mifflin County)
Kyle Groman (York, Pa./Central York)
Derek Guzman (Hershey, Pa./Hershey)
Lonnie Hill IV (Philadelphia, Pa./Penn Manor)
Luke Hines (Lancaster, Pa./Lampeter-Strasburg)
Devon Jackson (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic)
DJ Jackson (Philadelphia, Pa./Science Leadership Academy at Beeber)
Nicholas Jackson (Archbald, Pa./Mid Valley)
Aleks Jaskiewicz (Mountain Top, Pa./Crestwood)
Gavin Kelly (Reading, Pa./Governor Mifflin)
Chase Kissell (Altoona, Pa./Bishop Guilfoyle)
Kylan Lamke (New Oxford, Pa./McSherrystown (Maine))
Hezikyah Latini (New Cumberland, Pa./Cedar Cliff)
Josiah Leonard (Bensalem, Pa./Bensalem)     
Tyler Marshall (Trappe, Pa./Perkiomen Valley (Lycoming))
Tyler Masdea (Carnegie, Pa./Carlynton)
Ty Millhimes (Hummelstown, Pa./Lower Dauphin)
Vincent Micucci (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown Community)
I'zhior Moon (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin)
Javani Mosley (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle (Alvernia))
Nate Myers (Three Springs, Pa./Southern Huntingdon)
Domenic Nardini (Upper Chichester, Pa./Chichester)
Ty Neal (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin East)
Jaevon Parker (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic (Louisburg)
Caiden Pines (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley)
Mikey Preston (Philadelphia, Pa./Roman Catholic (West Virginia))
James Rodino (Hazleton, Pa./Marian Catholic)
Jesse Rodino (Hazleton, Pa./Marian Catholic)
Eli Rodriguez (Lancaster, Pa./Manheim Township)
Wyatt Rutherford (Honesdale, Pa./Honesdale)
Alex Sauve (Mechanicsburg, Pa./Cumberland Valley)
Jonathon Shay (Lebanon, Pa./Annville-Cleona)
Kaden Shope (Newburg, Pa./Shippensburg Area)
Micah Smith (New Oxford, Pa./New Oxford)
Tom Smyser (York, Pa./Dover Area)
Grady Snyder (Ebensburg, Pa./Central Cambria)
Peyton Stadler (Fairfield, Pa./Fairfield Area (Wingate))
Tobee Stokes (York Pa./William Penn (St. Francis))      
Carter Storm (East Berlin, Pa./Bermudian Springs)
Carson Swartz (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle Area)
Marcus Sweeney (Hershey, Pa./Hershey)
Andre Weidman (Ephrata, Pa./Ephrata)
Jaron Whitehead (Philadelphia, Pa./Franklin Towne Charter)
Darius Williams (York, Pa./Dallastown Area)
Mason Williams (Canonsburg, Pa./Canon-McMillan)
Derek Witmer (Camp Hill, Pa./Cedar Cliff)
Brady Zapoticky (Dallas, Pa./Dallas)
Steven Zerbe (Hummelstown, Pa./Central Dauphin East)
Brayden Zirkle (Dover, Pa./Dover Area)
 
New Jersey (11)
Nick Castorina (Sparta, N.J./Pope John XXIII)
Robert Chetirkin (Wayne, N.J./Wayne Valley)
Sam Cicchino (Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Egg Harbor Township)
Josh Cordoba (Plainfield, N.J./Plainfield (Wingate))
Sam Faeflen Jr. (Trenton, N.J./Nottingham)
Josh Graeper (Mount Holly, N.J./Rancocas Valley)
Riley Gunnels (Galloway, N.J./Ocean City)      
Terrance Peterson Jr. (Hopewell, N.J./Hopewell Valley Central)
Darvens Tunis (Hillside, N.J./Hillside)
Dennis Vittese (Delran, N.J./Delran)
Jalen Wade (Linden, N.J./St. Joseph Regional)
 
Maryland (10)
Ethan Arneson (Union Bridge, Md./Linganore)
AJ Baldwin (Jarrettsville, Md./Harford Tech.)
Cordell Brown (Upper Marlboro, Md./Frederick Douglas (St.Francis))
Riley Curtin (Calvert, Md./Huntingtown)
Alpha Diallo (Severn, Md./Meade)
Josh Lesesne (Bowie, Md./Archbishop Carroll (Susquehanna))
Gabriel McArthur (Baltimore, Md./Concordia Prep (American International) 
Cy McCall (Perryville, Md./Perryville)
Pejah Turner (Baltimore, Md./Dunbar)
Trevor Watts (Hagerstown, Md./North Hagerstown)
 
Virginia (7)
Debo Bumbrey (Woodbridge, Va./Gar-Field)
Ely Ghameshlougy (Woodbridge, Va./Garfield (W.Va. Wesleyan)
Surat Gill (Haymarket, Va./Gainesville)
Colton Kilmer (Bristow, Va./Gainesville)
Sam Massaquoi (Alexandria, Va./Woodbridge)
Tyler Opong (Triangle, Va./Woodbridge)
Charles Robinson (Fairfax, Va./Stone Bridge (Fork Union Military Academy))
 
Connecticut (1)
Joziah Gonzalez (Meriden, Conn./Francis T. Maloney (Franklin Pierce))
 
Delaware (1)
Wilson Ingerski (Lewes, Del./Cape Henlopen)
 
New York (1)
Connor Bednarski (Syracuse, N.Y./Cicero-North Syracuse)
 
Washington D.C. (1)
Dave Hines Jr. (Washington D.C./Eleanor Roosevelt (Geneva))
 
West Virginia (1)
Brayden Kirk (Martinsburg, W. Va./Spring Mills)