Reading, Pa. (Oct. 24, 2025) - Alvernia Football returns home on Saturday to host Widener University in a MAC Football action. Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM for the seventh meeting between the two programs.
Widener leads the series with five wins to Alvernia's one. Widener is 3-0 on Alvernia's campus, with Alvenia grabbing a win against the Pride in Chester on October 15, 2022. Last year's meeting was closely contested, with Alvernia leading 17-14 in the third quarter. But, Widener evened the game up at 17-17 and then took a 31-14 lead with back-to-back touchdowns. Alvernia got within a score on a 38-yard touchdown run by
Andrew Simmons, but Widener sealed the game at 34-24 with a 36-yard field goal with just over a minute to play.
Alvernia enters Saturday in search of its first win of the season. The Golden Wolves are coming off a 52-0 loss at King's last week. Alvernia is averaging 11.33 points per game and 226.3 yards of offense per game. Defensively, Alvernia is allowing 38.5 points per game and 394.7 yards per game. Teams are averaging 228.2 yards per game on the ground against the Golden Wolves, but Alvernia's defense is fifth best in the MAC in allowing just 166.5 passing yards per game.
The Alvernia offense is led by
Jayden Stanfield. Stanfield is a triple-threat for the Golden Wolves. He leads Alvernia with 39.8 receiving yards per game, and is Alvernia's leading kick returners at 22.6 yards per return. Stanfield is also a rushing threat for Alvernia, and has 129 yards on the season with one touchdown. Alvernia's defense is anchored by linebackers
McCabe Piavis and
Anthony Hugee. Piavis has 51 tackles on the year, which ranks him third in the MAC, and has an interception and forced fumble. Hugee has 31 tackles on the year and 3.5 tackles for a loss.
Widener enters Saturday with a 2-4 record overall and 1-4 record in MAC play. The Pride are coming off a 34-14 loss to Lebanon Valley last week, but picked up their first conference win of the season two weeks ago with a 20-17 win over FDU in overtime at home.
Widener is averaging 16.17 points per game and average just 209.2 yards per game. Widener averages 132.67 passing yards per game and 76.5 rushing yards per game. Widener's defense allows 24 points per game. The Pride allow 224.33 yards per game in the air and 119.3 yards per game on the ground.
Widener has two quarterbacks that split time under center for the Pride. Caiden Leszczynski is listed as the projected starter for the Pride. He is 32-for-90 on the year with two interceptions and two touchdowns, and averages 49.67 yards per game. Eli Warfel also takes snaps for the Pride and is 26-for-72 with two interceptions and two touchdowns and averages 62.00 yards per game. Kyhlil Jones is the leading receiver with 40.33 yards per game, and Dalton Wickel leads the Pride on the ground with 31.33 yards per game.
Defensively, Widener is led by linebacker Luke Shimko, who has 51 tackles on the year with one interception. Safety Ryan Wilson has 31 tackles with two interceptions, two quarterback hurries, and a fumble recovery.
Kickoff is set for 1:00 PM on Saturday, October 25. The stadium opens at 11:30 AM, with ticketing taking place between the Campus Commons and Physical Education.
The game will also be broadcast on gomacsports.tv/alverniawolves. Billy Fisher and CJ Edmonds will be on the call.
