Dutchmen host Ithaca for Homecoming

This Weekend The Union College Dutchmen return home for 2018 Homecoming and Family Weekend, hosting Ithaca on Saturday 13, for a 1:30 p.m. (ET) kick off. Bertagna-Class of 1985 Stadium Dedication Fans are invited to attend a special dedication ceremony beginning at 12 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, just outside the main gates of Frank Bailey Field. Bob Bertagna '85 was a junior on the 1983 football team, and in honor of his leadership and support of the College, Union has named the home field of the Dutchmen in honor of Bertagna and the class of 1985. Homecoming Recognitions During halftime on Saturday, Union College will recognize and honor the 35th and 25th anniversaries of the 1983 and 1993 football teams. The 1983 Union College football team had one of the most successful seasons in program history, winning two NCAA Tournament games to reach the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl and play for a national championship. Led by Region 1 Coach of the Year Al Bagnoli and All-Americans Tim Howell and Alex Rita, the team finished 10-2, still the third-most wins in a season in school history, and was named the ECAC Team of the Year. The team was inducted into the Union Athletics Hall of Fame in 2008. The 1993 Union College football team finished the regular season undefeated with a 9-0 record, one of only nine Union teams ever to accomplish that feat. The squad dominated its opponents, outscoring teams by a 290 to 90 margin during the regular season, while All-American linebacker Marco Lainez was named the school's first Gagliardi Trophy finalist. The team would advance to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in program history. Honorary Captain Former standout linebacker Kevin Flike '06 will serve as the team's honorary captain for their Homecoming match against Ithaca. After graduating from Union College, Flike served as a Special Forces Engineer assigned to the 1st Special Forces Group and deployed to the Philippines, Thailand and twice to Afghanistan. On September 25, 2011 during his second deployment to Afghanistan, he was shot in the lower abdomen and was medically retired due to his injuries. In the spring of 2016, Kevin completed dual masters degrees from the MIT Sloan School of Management (MBA) and the Harvard Kennedy School of Government (MPA). For the past year he has been working on a documentary, Wounded By War, about his story, which is set to debut Nov. 13 at the Fairmont Copley in Boston. All proceeds go to the Green Beret Foundation. Visit WoundedByWar.com for more information. Last Time Out Despite leading 28-19 in the third quarter, the Union College football team suffered its first loss of the season, losing to Hobart 29-28, last Saturday in Geneva, N.Y. Will Bellamycompleted 15 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns. Andre Ross Jr. kept his 100-plus yard per game streak alive, catching six passes for 152 yards and one touchdown. Ike Irabor led the Dutchmen on the ground, rushing for 86 yards and one TD on 21 attempts. Irabor also had one TD through the air, catching a 19-yard pass in the second quarter. Tucker Newman had his third interception of the season, returning it for 57 yards. Hobart totaled 429 yards on offense, the most Union has given up this season. Last Season vs Ithaca The Bombers snapped the Dutchmen's seven-game winning streak last season, as Union fell 20-3 in Ithaca on Nov. 2017. In that contest, the Dutchmen scored first with a 29-yard field goal to go up 3-0 early in the second quarter. However, the Bombers would go on to tie the game before haltfime, and end up kicking one more field goal in the third quarter and scoring two touchdowns in the fourth. Airing Out the Pigskin The Dutchmen rank 27th in the nation for passing offense, averaging 291.8 yards per game. With 1,459 yards through five games, Union ranks 31st in the nation for total passing yards. Sophomore QB Will Bellamy is 21st in the nation for total passing yards (1,446) and 19th for passing yards per game (289.2). He is also ranked 54th in the nation for completion percentage (.630) and 26th in passing efficiency (165.0). You Shall Not Pass Union ranks 20th in the NCAA for total defense, as the Dutchmen's opponents average 255.8 yards per game. Union also ranks 40th in the NCAA for rushing defense, allowing only 86.6 rushing yards per game. Rookie Sensation Wide receiver Andre Ross Jr. earned three-straight Liberty League Rookie of the Week honors, twice been named to D3Football.com's National Team of the Week, and was lately named ECAC DIII North Rookie of the Month. The Washington, D.C., native already has nine touchdowns on the season, with 37 total catches for 771 yards. Ross Jr. has recorded over 100 yards receiving in each game so far this season, and he leads the entire NCAA in receiving yards per game, averaging 154.2. He is also third in the nation for total receiving yards.