ITHACA, N.Y. – Less than a month before the start of the 2026 football season, D3football.com released its Preseason All-America Teams on August 12 and Ithaca College junior safety Joe Spirra was named to the First Team.

Spirra enters his third season with the program with career totals of 133 tackles (60 solo), 18 passes defended, six interceptions and nine tackles for loss in 20 games played.

Last season, he registered 80 total tackles, including a career-high 15 (12 solo) against RPI on November 8. Spirra also intercepted two passes, broke up five more and posted 6.5 tackles for loss. He would go on to be named Second Team All-American by the Associated Press, Fourth Team All-American by D3football.com and was the Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year.

In his rookie season, Spirra notched 53 tackles with four interceptions and was an honorable mention selection by the Liberty League, as well as Rookie of the Week once.

The Bombers, who finished last season with an 8-2 record, open their 2026 season on the road at No. 4 Johns Hopkins University on September 5 and return to South Hill for the first home night game in program history against Alfred on September 12 at 6 p.m.