Sacred Heart Pioneers football

For information on all Sacred Heart University sports, see Sacred Heart Pioneers.

Sacred Heart Pioneers football
2026 Sacred Heart Pioneers football team
First season1991; 35 years ago
Athletic directorJudy Ann Riccio
Head coachMark Nofri
14th season, 82–72 (.532)
LocationFairfield, Connecticut
StadiumCampus Field
(capacity: 3,334)
NCAA divisionDivision I FCS
ConferenceIndependent
(CAA Football in 2026)
ColorsRed and white[1]
   
All-time record174–194 (.473)
Playoff record0–4 (.000)
Bowl record1–0 (1.000)
Conference championships
NEC: 2001, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021
Consensus All-Americans3
Websitesacredheartpioneers.com

The Sacred Heart Pioneers football program is the intercollegiate American football team for the Sacred Heart University located in Fairfield, Connecticut. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level. In its most recent 2025 season, it was one of two NCAA Division I FCS independent schools. The school's first football team was fielded in 1991.[2] The 2001 Sacred Heart Pioneers football team compiled a perfect 11–0 record and won the school's first conference championship. The team plays its home games at the 3,334-seat Campus Field.

The Pioneers started competing as an NCAA Division I FCS independent in 2024. Their departure from the Northeast Conference (now officially known as the NEC) coincided with the move of the Sacred Heart Pioneers athletic program to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, which has not supported football competition since 2007. They joined the Merrimack Warriors football program, also joining the MAAC as a full member, as the only two schools competing in the 2024 NCAA Division I FCS football season independent of conference affiliation, and remained in that status in the 2025 season. On July 22, 2025, CAA Football announced Sacred Heart would be its newest football member and begin conference play in the 2026 season.[3]

History

Classifications

Conference memberships

Notable former players

Championships

Conference championships

Year Coach Conference Record
2001 Jim Fleming Northeast Conference 11–0
2013 Mark Nofri Northeast Conference 10–3 †
2014 Mark Nofri Northeast Conference 9–3 †
2018 Mark Nofri Northeast Conference 7–4 †
2020 Mark Nofri Northeast Conference 3–1
2021 Mark Nofri Northeast Conference 6–1
Conference Championships 6

† denotes co-championship

Playoff appearances

NCAA Division I

Sacred Heart has made four appearances in the NCAA Division I Football Championship playoffs. The Pioneers combined record is 0–4.

Year Round Opponent Result
2013 First Round Fordham L 27–37
2014 First Round Fordham L 22–44
2020 First Round Delaware L 10–19
2021 First Round Holy Cross L 10–13

Future non-conference opponents

Future non-conference opponents announced as of December 16, 2025.[4]

2026 2027 2028
at UMass (9/12) Morgan State (9/11) at Morgan State (9/2)
Stonehill (10/10) Brown (9/16)
at Merrimack (11/21)

References

  1. ^ SHU Pioneers Official Logo Art. Retrieved April 6, 2016.
  2. ^ Sacred Heart Pioneers Archived 2016-10-25 at the Wayback Machine, College Football Data Warehouse, retrieved October 1, 2016.
  3. ^ Washburn, Rob. "CAA Football Welcomes Sacred Heart University As Its Newest Member For 2026 Season". caasports.com. Retrieved July 22, 2025.
  4. ^ "Sacred Heart Pioneers Football Future Schedules". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
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