ITHACA, N.Y. – The nationally ranked No. 9 Ithaca College football team will begin the 2023 season this Saturday, September 2 at 12 p.m. as IC travels to Baltimore to take on No. 18 Johns Hopkins University, in what will be the first-ever meeting between the two schools. Ithaca is coming off a 12-1 campaign last fall, which culminated with a trip to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Championship.

JOHNS HOPKINS GAME NOTES

IC returns 53 juniors, seniors and fifth-year student-athletes this season, along with 20 sophomore and a new group of 43 first-year players to the 2023 roster.

Among those returns are preseason All-American and reigning Liberty League Player of the Year, A.J. Wingfield, who threw for 2090 yards and 19 touchdowns and ran for 289 yards and three more scores last season.

The Bombers also welcome back seven All-Liberty League performers in Jake Williams, JoJo Puckey, Jon Crowley, Anthony D'Addetta, Jason Haber, Jordan Sosa and Derek Slywka.

Outside of that, IC returns key starters and contributors:

OFFENSE - Jalen Leonard-Osbourne, Ryan Brozovic, Anthony Forbidussi, Sam Kline, Julien Deumaga, Jake Ross, Colin Norton, Anselmo Farrell, Aidan Stewart, Alexander Rice, Harry Zielinski, Drew Miller, Joe Arico and Dan Mason.

DEFENSE – Owen O'Neill, Isaiah Couser, Jason Green, Joshua Miles, Michael Blanchard, Jon Ramsey, Jonathan Koumas, Ben Stola, Darren Brunner, Jake Connolly, Tommy Moran, Danny Portas and Ryan Salisbury.

SPECIAL TEAMS – D'Addetta, Arico and Will Richardson.

Head coach Michael Toerper, the 2022 Liberty League, AFCA Region 1 and D3football.com Region 2 Coach of the Year, reflected on training camp and the group that has been assembled on South Hill.

"Looking back on the last few weeks, it's been great to see our ability to come together as one team. Our veteran leadership has been outstanding and the way they have interacted with our newcomers has been impressive. Our camp has been productive and exciting."

Based off the D3football.com preseason poll, the Bombers will face two nationally ranked teams this season, along with two others who are receiving votes. Cortland and Johns Hopkins are ranked at No. 17 and 18 in the country, while Endicott and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute are receiving votes.

After the opener against Hopkins, IC then heads to Endicott for a Week 2 matchup on Sept. 9 for another first-time meeting. IC will remain on the road for the third straight week with a trip to Alfred on the 16th before heading into its bye week.

"This year presents some early, high-level competition and we are looking forward to those challenges," said Toerper. "We will learn a lot about ourselves as we get the opportunity to compete against some of the top teams in the Northeast."

On Sept. 30, the Bombers will host their first game of the season, and first on the newly renovated Butterfield Stadium turf, against Hobart for their Liberty League opener. Over that weekend, Ithaca will host a formal dedication for Bertino Field at Butterfield Stadium.

Ithaca will then alternate home and away games for the remainder of the schedule – away at RPI on October 7, home vs. Union on the 14th, at Rochester on the 21st and home against Buffalo State on the 28th to close out the month.

"Our Liberty League schedule is always a test and we are looking forward to the journey and pursuit of back-to-back championships," Toerper said.

Ithaca wraps up Liberty League play at St. Lawrence on November 4 and returns to Butterfield Stadium on November 11 for the 64th Cortaca Jug Game.

"We are thrilled to have Cortaca back on South Hill for the first time since 2017 and to continue the rivalry at our newly renovated stadium," Toerper expressed.

WICB will provide coverage of all 10 games this season, while ICTV will broadcast IC's four home contests. Live stats are also available for all 10 contests and links to all coverage can be found on the football schedule page on athletics.ithaca.edu.