PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y. – Are you ready for some football?! The 2022 Pace University football season is finally upon us and kicks off tomorrow night under the bright Thursday night lights of Pace Stadium at 7 p.m.
 
THE OPENER
 
For the second consecutive season, and just one day shy of a year to the day, the Setters begin their gridiron campaign facing East Stroudsburg University. This will be the fourth all-time encounter between the two programs, with the Warriors undefeated in the series thus far.
 
Last season's opener, which was a 35-14 victory for ESU, was the first time Pace had competed in 656 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
Ramir Tann-Davis (Paterson, N.J./Paterson Eastside) scored both of Pace's touchdowns, one as a receiver, and one as a kick returner. Tann-Davis finished with 321 all-purpose yards, including a 94-yard kick-off return touchdown.
 
ALL-CONFERENCE GRADUATE STUDENTS
 
The Setters will not lack in leadership or experience as several graduate students who have previously earned NE10 All-Conference distinctions are back on the field.
 
Last season, team captain Kevin Toote (Saratoga Springs, N.Y./Saratoga Springs) was deemed the best center in the conference. The Saratoga Springs native was voted onto the All-Conference First Team, starting every game as the heart and soul of a unit which compiled 2,767 yards of offense, while also keeping his quarterbacks safe from incoming defenders.
 
Joining him on the NE10 First Team was Nasier Givens (Newark, N.J./Orange), another team captain. The New Jerseyite led the Setters with six sacks and piled up 74 tackles.
 
Linebacker Dustin Huseinovic (Harrison, N.J./Harrison) went off in 2021, earning himself a First Team honor for finishing first in the NE10 in forced fumbles and second in both tackles and tackles-per-game. In an epic season-finale performance against AIC, Huseinovic was a menace, racking up a career-high 16 tackles to go along with two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
 
Quarterback Carlton Aiken (Gibbstown, N.J./Paulsboro) also makes his return to the field this season. Hampered by injury last year, the 2019 NE10 Offensive Player of the Year led the conference that season with 28 total touchdowns (19 passing, nine rushing), only throwing three picks in the process, for 1,833 passing yards and 684 rushing yards.
 
Dual-threat Ramir Tann-Davis (Paterson, N.J./Paterson Eastside) netted not one but two All-Conference selections last season, as a receiver and as a return specialist. Tann-Davis led the NE10 with 902 return yards, and also hauled in 40 receptions for 616 receiving yards and five touchdowns.
 
SCHEDULE HIGHLIGHTS
 
Pace will compete in 10 games, including seven Northeast-10 Conference tilts.
 
The Setters' first road game takes place on Sept. 10 at Bentley in a non-conference matchup between conference foes.
 
The defending NE10 champion New Haven Chargers welcome the Blue & Gold to West Haven, Conn., on Oct. 8.
 
Homecoming Weekend takes place exactly one week later on Oct. 15 with a visit from American International College to Pleasantville.
 
A rematch with Bentley on Nov. 12, this time at home, closes out the season and unlike their first game is an official conference contest. The Falcons are the only team Pace plays twice in 2022.
 
The NE10 preseason coaches' poll voted the Setters to finish in fourth place.
 
HEAD COACH
 
Entering his ninth season as head coach, Andy Rondeau has been responsible for an incredible reversal of fortune for Pace's football program.
 
The Setters won just one game in the four seasons prior to Rondeau's arrival in Pleasantville, but the defensive guru immediately shifted the team's outlook. 
 
In 2018 and 2019, Rondeau guided the team to its first back-to-back winning seasons in over two decades, including a 7-3 mark and third-place finish in 2018, both all-time program bests. 


 
For all information regarding Pace University Athletics, log on to www.PaceUAthletics.com and follow Pace Athletics on Facebook (T-Bone, Official Mascot of Pace University Athletics), Twitter (@PaceUAthletics) and Instagram (@PaceAthletics).