SETTING THE SCENE
The St. John Fisher University football program enters the 2026 season with genuine optimism to build on for the first time in a long time.
In 2025, the program’s first year under head coach Ed Raby Jr., the Cardinals authored one of the top turnaround stories in Division III, finishing 7-4 overall with a 5-2 mark in Empire 8 Conference play for their first winning season since 2016. Raby’s team vanquished two of the program’s other nine-year droughts along the way in beating SUNY Brockport in the Courage Bowl – 31-24 in an overtime thriller at Growney Stadium – and qualifying for a postseason game. The Cardinals hosted Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl to conclude the season.
St. John Fisher finished the year with 10 All-Empire 8 selections and three D3football.com Team of the Week honorees – safety Timothy VanderBrink and linebackers Kyle DaMore and Jack Tanoory. Fisher hadn’t had three different players earn weekly recognition from D3football.com in a season since 2014.
Six of the Cardinals’ 2025 All-E8 selections return, including VanderBrink and Tanoory, both of whom garnered second-team honors. Quarterback Mason Lister, offensive lineman Jacob Sturgis, wide receiver Jackson Cusack and defensive lineman Ty Rader were third-team selections.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ryan Whitney, Sr., QB – Whitney has quietly been one of the top dual-threat quarterbacks in the region since becoming the Cardinals’ starter in 2024. Over 18 games (14 starts), the 6-foot-2 signal-caller has completed 62% of his passes for 2,678 yards with 18 touchdowns to 14 interceptions and rushed for 725 yards and six scores on 192 carries. He played in eight of the Cardinals’ 10 games last season, accounting for 1,117 total yards (414 rushing, 703 passing) and 10 total touchdowns (3 rushing, 7 passing).
Whitney ended his junior season with two of his best collegiate performances. He completed nearly 80% of his passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 152 yards and another score in a dominant victory over Alfred State on Nov. 15. The following week, in the ECAC Clayton Champman Bowl against RPI, he completed more than 70% of his throws for 247 yards and three touchdowns to go with another 120 yards on the ground. With those performances, he became the first St. John Fisher quarterback since Ryan Kramer in 2011 to record multiple 100-yard rushing games in a season.
Tim VanderBrink, Sr., DB – VanderBrink had been producing like one of the top defensive players in the Empire 8 and beyond before suffering an injury midway through the season. In six games, he made 58 total tackles (39 solo, 3.5 for a loss), recovered two fumbles and forced two fumbles. He returned a fumble for a score in Fisher's season-opening win at FDU Florham on Sept. 6 for his second collegiate touchdown. The defensive back earned a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week after making 12 tackles, including one for a loss, in a September victory over St. Lawrence.
Jacob Sturgis, Jr., OL – Sturgis played and started in 10 games for the Cardinals at left tackle last season. With the help of his sturdy play, the Cardinals’ offense averaged 172.7 rushing yards per game and scored 17 touchdowns on the ground in addition to significantly improving as a pass-blocking unit. The Cardinals surrendered just 20 sacks (1.8 per game) in 2025 after allowing a dreadful 35 (3.5 per game) the season before.
Eric Sparkman Jr., Grad Sr., LB/DB – A transfer from SUNY Morrisville, Sparkman figures to be a key contributor on the Cardinals’ defense this season. Sparkman played in 31 games over the last three seasons for the Mustangs, totaling 221 tackles (10.5 for a loss), 11 pass breakups, three sacks, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. He garnered second-team All-Empire 8 honors in 2025 after making 87 tackles to go with five pass breakups and two interceptions.
DID YOU KNOW?
St. John Fisher, which went 3-7 in 2024, ended the 2025 regular season as one of 11 teams in all of Division III with a plus-four jump in victories from the previous year.
LINKS
Team Webpage – Schedule, Roster, Coaching Staff, Record Book (Click Here)
St. John Fisher Football Instagram Page (Click Here)
St. John Fisher Football Team Video (Click Here)
