Football | 9/4/2025 5:28:00 PM

PITTSFORD, N.Y. – A new era of St. John Fisher football, after months of preparation, will get off the ground for real on Saturday when the Cardinals face Fairleigh Dickinson University-Florham at Robert T. Shields Field in Madison, New Jersey. 

While new head coach Ed Raby Jr. and his staff learned plenty about this team throughout the offseason and training camp, the true insight into a team's ability and identity comes when the results count for good. 

"We're super excited," Raby said. "It's also nerve-wracking because you just never know with the first game. I think the joint practices we had showed that we can be a good team, but we haven't been in a fourth-quarter situation. I am interested to see how our guys handle adversity – we haven't really had any yet. Can we take a road trip? How are we going to handle morning practices during the regular season? All that kind of stuff."

Read more about the 2025 Cardinals below.

2025 Fisher Quick Facts

Head Coach: Ed Raby Jr. (1st season at Fisher, 6th overall)

    Record: 20-22 overall (11-14 Empire 8)

Team Captains: Ryan Whitney* (Jr., QB), Ethan Curtis* (Sr., WR), Timothy Vanderbrink* (Jr., S) and Colin Faust* (Jr., LB) ...  * denotes first-time captain.

Notable Graduated Players: RB Peyton Nolan (2,050 career yds, 20 rushing TDs), LB Joe Miscia (412 career tackles, 24 TFL, 10 PD, 4 INT, 2 SCK), LB JaQuan Davis (37 tackles, 8.5 TFL, 2 INT in '24), DL Zach Dreisbach (101 career tackles, 27.5 TFL, 10.5 SCK), DB DeAndre Green (4 career INT, 23 PD, 1 TD), TE James Kennedy (16 rec for 132 yds and 2 TDs in '24), K/P Kyle Farewell (36.9 career AVG yds per-punt, 10 made FGs, 68 made PATs)

Meet The Staff

Ed Raby Jr. ( Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/Safeties) – Raby became the eighth head football coach in St. John Fisher history in February 2025 after eight years at SUNY Morrisville.

Raby spent four years as SUNY Morrisville's head coach – the first two as the interim – and led the Mustangs to a pair of ECAC Bowl appearances. He joined the Morrisville staff in 2017 as defensive coordinator and safeties coach under the leadership of head coach Curt Fitzpatrick, a 2004 St. John Fisher graduate who won a Division III national title at SUNY Cortland in 2023. 

Following Fitzpatrick's departure for Cortland in February 2020, Morrisville named Raby its interim head coach. The Mustangs went 2-8 overall (1-5 Empire 8) in 2021, the first season after the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 season, before improving significantly in 2022. They finished 7-4 (3-3 Empire 8) and reached the ECAC Robert M. Scotty Whitelaw Bowl. 

Morrisville had its best season under Raby in 2024, finishing 7-4 overall (5-2 Empire 8) and beating Stevenson University 21-18 in the Robert M. Scotty Whitelaw Bowl. The Mustangs' five conference wins marked the program's most E8 victories in a single season. 

The Mustangs consistently boasted stingy defenses under Raby's direction. In 2022, the Mustangs allowed just 11 points per game, the fewest in the Empire 8, and 290.6 yards per game, the third-fewest in the conference. They ranked third in scoring defense (18 points per game) and total defense (310.7 yards per game) this past season. 

As head coach of the Mustangs, Raby produced 48 All-Empire 8 selections, including eight first-teamers. Linebacker Ernesto Mitchell earned Empire 8 Co-Defensive Player of the Year honors and became the first Morrisville player to be named an All-American by D3Football.com in 2022. 

Raby arrived at Morrisville after three years at Allegheny College, where he served as the defensive line coach for two seasons and the linebackers coach for one. He coached tight ends and defensive linemen at Alfred University in 2014. 

Raby, who was a defensive lineman, played collegiately at Division III Alma College for four years (2009-12). He earned his master's degree in business administration from Alfred University in 2014.

Full Bio 

Brees Segala (Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach) – Segala, who served as the quarterbacks coach, recruiting coordinator and junior varsity head coach at Fisher from 2022-23, returned to the program as offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach in March 2025. 

Segala played quarterback at SUNY Cortland from 2018-21. As a senior, he passed for 2,620 yards with 31 touchdowns and rushed for 382 yards with five scores as the Red Dragons went 11-1, won the Empire 8 title and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Football Championship. Segala was one of 15 finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, presented annually to the top Division III player, that season. He also earned D3football.com All-Region honors and won the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year award.

Full Bio

Nolan Foley (Offensive Line Coach/Recruiting Coordinator) – Nolan Foley joined the Cardinals' staff as offensive line coach and recruiting coordinator in March 2025 following two years at SUNY Cortland, which won the Division III National Championship in 2023. 

Foley, who also played at Cortland, coached special teams and safeties and served as director of football operations for the Red Dragons. He was primarily responsible for recruiting the New York City and Nassau County areas.

Full Bio

Hayden Ricci (Special Teams/Linebackers Coach) – Hayden Ricci, a defensive lineman for Fisher from 2016-19, coached wide receivers at Alfred State in 2021 before returning to Pittsford in 2022. He coached Fisher's running backs for two seasons (2022-23) and quarterbacks for one (2024). 

Ricci became Fisher's special teams coordinator/linebackers coach in March 2025. 

Full Bio

Will Blake (Wide Receivers Coach) – Former All-Empire 8 wide receiver Will Blake returned to the St. John Fisher football coaching staff before the 2024 season as wide receivers coach. 

Blake first returned to Fisher in 2021 to coach the team's tight ends after having a prolific career during which he led the Empire 8 in receiving yards (993) and receptions (82) as a senior in 2019. Blake coached receivers during the 2022 season. 

Full Bio

Jayden Prina (Defensive Line Coach) – Jayden Prina joined the St. John Fisher football coaching staff as tight ends coach before the 2024 season. He became the Cardinals' defensive line coach in March 2025. 

Full Bio

Vincent Tobia (Tight Ends) – Vince Tobia joined the St. John Fisher University football team's coaching staff before the 2024 season as running backs coach. He transitioned to tight ends coach in March 2025. 

Full Bio 

Daulton Newbury (Running Backs) – Daulton Newbury joined the St. John Fisher coaching staff in 2024 as defensive backs coach. He transitioned to running backs coach in March 2025.

Full Bio  

Deorion Moore (Cornerbacks) – Deorion Moore joined the St. John Fisher football team's staff as its cornerbacks this summer. The two-time All-Empire 8 Conference defensive back played for the Cardinals from 2020-23. 

Full Bio

Position-By-Position Overview (Offense)

Offensive Line – The Cardinals return two starting offensive linemen from last season – senior Elijah Williams and junior Jacob Sturgis. 

Sturgis played and started in all 10 of Fisher's games at left tackle in 2024, while Williams played and started in each game at right guard. Williams will be the Cardinals' starting center this season. 

The rest of the Cardinals' Week 1 starting offensive line includes fifth-year senior Naseem Ashkar (left guard), sophomore Jason Kovaluskie (right guard) and senior Justin Rojek (right tackle). Ashkar and Rojek both appeared in five games last season. 

Senior Alex Day and Davis Damelio provide quality depth for the Cardinals' offensive line. 

"Kovaluskie had a great camp – he's a sophomore, the young guy in the group," Raby said. "I think we have seven starting-caliber players (on the offensive line). It's a good group." 

Quarterback – The Cardinals return their starting quarterback from last season, Ryan Whitney. Over 10 games as a sophomore last season, he completed 155 of his 257 passes (60%) for nearly 2,000 yards with 11 touchdowns. He also ran for 311 yards with three scores. 

"He's a great leader and one of the hardest workers on the team," Raby said of Whitney. "His teammates respect him. He's extremely smart and knows the offense – he knows every position on the offense, not just his own. He controls the huddle. He's got great running ability, and he's gotten a lot better over the spring and summer as a pure passer." 

Running Backs – Raby expects the Cardinals to get significant contributions from a pair of senior running backs in Deante Hall and Camden Chance. 

Chance, who played basketball at SUNY Oswego before transferring to Fisher, carried the ball 75 times for 383 yards and a team-leading eight touchdowns in eight games last year. The 6-foot, 215-pounder had Fisher's longest run of the season, a 48-yard touchdown in a win over Keystone. 

Hall played in all 10 of Fisher's games last season, amassing 165 yards rushing and 38 yards receiving on five catches. 

Raby said both players will also have roles on special teams as kick returners. 

"Both of them have been really good," Raby said. "Both of them will be pretty solid for us."

Wide Receivers – The Cardinals return plenty of talent and experience at wide receiver, arguably their top position group entering the 2025 season. 

Junior Jackson Cusack developed a strong rapport with Whitney as last season progressed. He caught a team-leading 32 passes for 426 yards and four touchdowns on his way to third-team All-Empire 8 honors. Over the last three games of the season, he caught 21 passes for 248 yards and a score.

Back for a fifth year, Jaylen Brantley had a monster start to 2024 before suffering a season-ending injury. He caught 12 passes for 333 yards in three games, with most of that production coming in Fisher's 42-40 win over Keystone. Brantley had arguably the best performance by a wide receiver in Fisher history in that contest, catching six passes for a program single-game record 249 yards with touchdowns of 91 and 81 yards. 

Ethan Curtis, who missed all of last season with an injury, will be another key part of Fisher's offense. As a sophomore, he caught 23 passes for 340 yards with a team-high four touchdown receptions. 

Raby also expects contributions from sophomores Gavin Horton, Shawn Watson and Michael LoRusso and junior Mykel White. 

"We have three guys who can be all-conference level players in Cusack, Brantley and Curtis," Raby said. "But even the guys behind them – we are really, really talented at receiver." 

Tight Ends – The Cardinals will rely on junior Nate McGoldrick, who caught 19 passes for more than 200 yards in each of his first two collegiate seasons. He had three receiving touchdowns as a freshman in 2023.

Junior Nathan Delill and senior Carson Crandall bolster the Cardinals' depth at the position. 

"McGoldrick is the key piece in that group," Raby said. "I think he can have a great year in the passing game. We expect him to have a solid year."

Position-By-Position (Defense)

Defensive Line – The versatile Ty Rader will be counted on to lead the Cardinals' defensive line this season. Rader, who can play nose tackle and defensive end, played in 10 games and made three starts last season. He recorded five tackles, including one for a loss of yards, and a half sack.

Juniors Nick Politowski, Jedrek Olkowski, Brad Coleman and sophomores Dom London and Brendan Toomey will fill out the Cardinals' rotation on the defensive line. 

"Ty has nice versatility," Raby said. "We will definitely play a lot of guys at that position. We've had a lot of guys step up – Politowski, Toomey, Coleman, London and Olkowski. We'll rotate a decent amount of guys to keep everyone fresh with Ty being the leader of the group."

Linebackers – The Cardinals enter the season with ample depth at linebacker, even with the departures of 2024 starters Miscia and Davis. 

On the outside, the Cardinals have senior Tyler Marks, junior Kyle DaMore and sophomore Jack Bierman, who will see plenty of action once he returns from injury. Juniors Alexander Hofmann, Colin Faust and Isaiah Bretz, along with sophomore Jack Tanoory, will play key roles at inside linebacker. 

Faust played in seven games last season, recording three tackles and returning a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Bretz made 35 tackles, broke up three passes and snagged an interception while playing and starting in each of Fisher's 10 games as a safety. 

"I really like our linebackers," Raby said. "Nobody really knows about these guys because they didn't play a lot in the past."

Defensive Backs – The Cardinals have the leader of their defense in the secondary in junior safety Tim Vanderbrink, who had a strong sophomore season in 2024. He finished just behind Miscia in total tackles with 65, recorded four stops for a loss of yards, broke up two passes and returned an interception for a touchdown while playing and starting in all 10 games. 

The Cardinals will be otherwise young in the back end with just one other upperclassman – junior safety Matt Bonk – in the mix. Sophomore Trent Hill is Fisher's most experienced cornerback, having played in eight games with one start last season. He made 12 tackles and defended a pass. 

"Tim is our best defensive player – he has star-level talent," Raby said. "But we're pretty young (in the secondary). I think Trent is a guy to watch at corner – I think he's a high-level player. Tim and Trent are definitely the leaders of the group." 

Special Teams

Sophomore specialists Dominik Greco (kicker) and Kieran Patel (punter) will be making their collegiate debuts against FDU on Saturday. 

Numbers To Know

1 – Saturday's contest will mark the first meeting between Fisher and FDU. 

1 – Brantley set Fisher's single-game receiving yards record with 249 in a win over Keystone last September. 

2 – Two of Raby's defenses at SUNY Morrisville allowed under 20 points per game. His 2022-23 unit finished 11th in Division III in scoring defense (11.1 points allowed per game), and his group this past season wasn't far off (18 points allowed per game). 

3 – Raby has won three consecutive season-opening games as a head coach. Fisher is looking to snap a streak of back-to-back losses in season openers. 

3 – The Cardinals scored three defensive touchdowns last season. Vanderbrink and Green ran back interceptions for touchdowns, while Faust returned a fumble for a score. 

3 – Fisher is one of three Empire 8 football teams with a new head coach this season. Hartwick and Morrisville are the other two. 

7 – The Cardinals return seven of their 12 receiving touchdowns from last season. 

8 – Raby is the eighth head football coach in program history. He took over for Paul Vosburgh, who retired last November after more than three decades as the Cardinals' head coach. 

9 – The Cardinals are looking for their first winning season in nine years.