The Merrimack Warriors football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Merrimack College located in the U.S. state of Massachusetts. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and plays as an FCS Independent. Merrimack's first football team was fielded in 1996. The team plays its home games at the 4,000 seat Duane Stadium in North Andover, Massachusetts. The Warriors are led by Mike Gennetti.
History The Merrimack football program had its first official season in 1996. During this time the Warriors played their home games at Martone-Mejail Field. Which also served as the schools soccer and softball field. Led by head coach Tom Caito the warriors played a 9 game schedule. That consisted of both Division III and Division II opponents. They ended up going 5–4 in their inaugural season.
Before the 1997 season the Warriors joined the Eastern Football Conference. The conference shut down after only 3 seasons only lasting from 1997–2000. They would have their first really successful season in 1999 when they were 7–3 overall and 6–3 in conference.
In 2001 the Warriors and all the other schools from the Eastern Football Conference joined the Northeast 10 conference. Going 6–4 in 2001 and 2002. Coach Caito left after the 2002 season and was replaced by Jim Murphy. The warriors were 6–3 in 2003. Then in 2004 the Warriors had their best season in program history with an 8–2 record but did not qualify for the NCAA tournament.NE10 season archives https://northeast10.org/documents/2024/6/21/Football_Record_Book_-2023-24-_2.0.pdf At the end of the year WR Elfren Quiles was the first player in program history to be honored as an All American. After leading the nation in receiving yards per game. 2006 wound up being another historic season for the Warriors going 8–4 overall and 7–2 in conference play. Merrimack also claimed a share of the NE10 championship this season which was the first championship in program history. They also qualified for their first and only appearance to the NCAA division II playoffs. The Warriors hosted Southern Connecticut State in the first round and won 28–26. They then went on the road to face Shepherd in the second round falling 31–7 to the rams. For all the success during the season Murphy was named NE10 coach of the year. Murphy left after the 2007 season following a 4–6 record then being replaced by John Perry. The warriors were 6-4 in Perry’s first year during the 2008 campaign season. In 2009 Perry led the Warriors to their second NE10 title going 6-2 in conference play and 7-3 overall. Despite this the Warriors did not qualify for the NCAA tournament. At the end of the season QB James Suozzo was the first player in program history to be named NE10 MVP after averaging 325.1 total yards per game. After a 4-6 record in 2010, they were 6-4 in 2011 and 2012 which would be Coach Perry’s final to years as he would leave to become the QB coach for Delaware in 2013.John Perry resigns https://merrimackathletics.com/news/2013/2/7/2_7_2013_825.aspx?path=football
Warriors linebacker Shawn Loiseau was the first player in program history to sign an NFL deal in 2012, after being NE10 defensive player the year in both 2010 and 2011.
The Warriors promoted assistant coach Dan Curran to replace Perry as their new head coach. The Warriors kicked off the 2013 season on the road against FCS school Wagner. This ended up being the programs first ever victory against a Division 1 opponent beating the Skyhawks in a high scoring affair 42-41.Merrimack football schedule archives https://merrimackathletics.com/sports/football/schedule/2013 The Warriors finished the season 7-4 and would end the year with a 35-24 win over #8 Southern Connecticut State. Warriors QB Joe Clancy also became the first ever NE10 QB to throw for 4000 yards in a season. This however was the warriors last successful season at the D2 level, as they see mediocre results for the next 5 seasons.
During the 2017 season they played their first season at Duane Stadium.
In 2019, Merrimack announced they would move their athletics program up to the Division 1 level and would join the Northeast Conference with football becoming a Division I FCS program. .merrimack joins the NEC https://northeastconference.org/news/2018/9/7/gen_merrimack_joins_nec_18.aspx The Warriors played a mix of Division 1 and Division 2 schools in their first D1 season. They would finish the year 6-5 with 3 of those wins coming against D1 schools Delaware State, Presbyterian and LIU. Early on in the 2021 season the Warriors played their first game vs a ranked FCS opponent #24 Holy Cross. The Warriors pulled off the biggest win in program history beating the Crusaders 35-21. They finished the year 5-6. Jacari Carter became the first player in program history to be named a D1 all American at the end of the season. During the 2022 season they tied a program record in wins with a 8-3 overall record going 6-1 in conference play. The final game of the season ended up being a de facto conference championship game against the Saint Francis Sed Flash who were also carrying a 6-0 record in conference play going into the final week of the season. Due to the athletic program being in the last year of The NCAA's 4-year reclassification rule, the program was not eligible to qualify for the 2022 FCS Playoffs. The Warriors ended up losing 52-23 on home soil. In 2023 the Warriors found themselves in the same position overcoming a poor start to the season. The Duquesne Dukes were also 4-2 in conference play heading into the final week of the season. This set up another defacto NEC Championship Game with the Warriors being eligible for postseason berth. The Warriors met the same fate falling 26-14 on home soil. This would end up being the programs last game in the NEC.
In October 2023 it was announced Merrimack would leave the NEC to join the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference along with fellow NEC member Sacred Heart.Merrimack joins the MAAC https://maacsports.com/news/2023/10/22/baseball-maac-welcomes-merrimack-college-and-sacred-heart-university-as-newest-full-members.aspx Due to the MAAC not sponsoring football, both Merrimack and Sacred Heart became FCS independents. Shortly after the 2023 season ended, Head Coach Dan Curran left the program to take up the same position at Holy Cross. The Warriors promoted long time assistant Mike Gennetti to become the 5th Head Coach in program history. In his first season the Warriors finished with a 5-6 record in their first year as an independent during the 2024 season.
Wins vs Ranked FCS Opponents
September 11, 2021 Vs #24 Holy Cross (the Warriors won 35-21)
Classifications 1996: NCAA Division III 1997–2018: NCAA Division II 2019–present: NCAA Division I FCS
Conference memberships
1985–1995: Independent
1996: Eastern Collegiate Football Conference 1997–2000: Eastern Football Conference 2001–2018: Northeast-10 Conference 2019–2023: Northeast Conference 2024–present FCS independent
Head coaches TenureCoachYearsRecord1996–2002Tom Caito734–332003–2007Jim Murphy530–212008–2012John Perry529–212013–2023Dan Curran1153–582024–presentMike Gennetti29–14 SourceMerrimack football season archives https://merrimackathletics.com/sports/2017/7/27/archives-football.aspx
Championships
Northeast 10 YearCoachConference recordOverall record Note 2006Jim Murphy7–28–4Co champions with Post and Southern Connecticut2009John Perry6–27–3Co champions with Bentley and Southern Connecticut
Player & Coaches Awards
Player Awards George H. “Bulger” Lowe Award
Jermaine Corbett (2024) NEC offensive player of the year
Donovan Wadley (2023) FCS All-Americans
Jacari Carter (2021) Victor Dawson (2022) Brandon Roberts (2022) Donovan Wadley (First Team 2023) Jermaine Corbett (Second Team 2024)
New England Football Writers/Grinold Chapter Gold Helmet
Awards defines the Most Valuable Player during each week of the College Football Season in New England Jermaine Corbett (Week 7 2024) | 170 Rushing Yards, 16 Receiving Yards, 2 TD, 106 Yards on KOR, 48-28 W vs Stonehill (October 19, 2024) Carlton Thai (Week 4 2025) | 3-5 FG (1 Blkd), Long of 38, 1-1 PAT, 19 Yard Game Winner, 16-14 W vs Central Connecticut State (September 20, 2025)
D2 All Americans
Robert Slattery (1998, 1999) Tony Johnson (2010, 2011) Elfren Quiles (2004) Andrew Jackson (2006, 2008) Anthony Smalls (2009) Tony Johnson (2010) Shawn Loiseau (2010, 2011) Isaiah Voegeli (2011, 2012) Jere Brown (2013) Joe Clancy (2013) Quinn McDonough (2013) Ben Polci (2015) NE10 Most Valuable player
James Suozzo (2009) Isaiah Voegeli (2012)
NE10 Offensive player of the yearNE10 football history page https://northeast10.org/documents/2024/6/21/Football_Record_Book_-2023-24-_2.0.pdf
Joe Clancy (2012, 2013) Jere Brown (2015)
NE10 Defensive player of the year
Jimmy Festa (1999) Shawn Loiseau (2010, 2011)
NE10 Freshman/Rookie of the year
Elfren Quiles (2004) Chris Carter (2018)
NE10 Defsinve Lineman of the year
Robert Slattery (1998, 1999) Tony Johnson (2010, 2011)
Coach Awards NE10 Coach of the year
Jim Murphy (2006)
Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Assistant Coach of the Year
Mike Gennetti (2022)
Merrimack Athletics Hall of Fame The following is a list of people associated with the Merrimack football program who were elected into the Merrimack college Athletic Hall of Fame (induction date in parentheses)Merrimack hall of fame https://merrimackathletics.com/sports/2017/7/12/HOF-index.aspx
Andrew Jackson (2017) Tony Johnson (2019) Isaiah Voegeli (2023) Joe Clancy (2024)
Duane Stadium
The warriors play their home games at Duane Stadium located in North Andover Massachusetts (capacity of 4,000). The stadium is named after Ken and Jincie Duane. Ken was a member of Merrimack's class of 1980 and was on the schools hockey and lacrosse programs. His wife served as a member of board of trustees. The stadium was opened in 2017 for bigger attendance figures as Merrimack’s enrollment began to grow. Daune Stadium review https://www.stadiumjourney.com/stadiums/duane-stadium-merrimack-warriors
Notable players Shawn LoiseauLB2008–2011Houston TexansIndianapolis ColtsMassachusetts PiratesJay NyamwayaDL2022Pittsburgh SteelersMassachusetts PiratesDarion McKenzie DB2017–2023Pittsburgh SteelersAlouettes de MontréalAnthony WitherstoneDB2017–2022 Kansas City ChiefsWinnipeg Blue Bombers
Postseason results Merrimack has made one appearance in the NCAA Division II football playoffs; their record is 1–1. 2006 First RoundSecond Round Southern ConnecticutShepherd W, 28–26L, 7–31 Playoff Record 1–1
Future opponents Announced schedules as of July 28, 2026 Rhode Island (8/28) at Central Connecticut (9/4) at Brown (10/7) at Delaware (9/3) at Rhode Island (11/13) at Maine (9/12) at Maine (TBD) at Tarleton State (9/19) New Haven (9/26) at Yale (10/3) at Dartmouth (10/17) New Hampshire (10/24) Wagner (10/31) at Wake Forest (11/7) at Monmouth (11/14) Sacred Heart (11/21)
Season-by-season record 19965–4 / 5–4Thomas Caito19973–6 / 3–5Thomas CaitoJoined Eastern Football Conference19983–6 / 2–6Thomas Caito19997–3 / 6–3Thomas Caito20004–6 / 4–5Thomas Caito20016–4 / 6–4Thomas CaitoJoined NE-1020026–4 / 6–4Thomas Caito34–33 (.501)Thomas Caito Career20036–3 / 6–3Jim Murphy 20048–2 / 7–2Jim Murphy20054–6 / 3–6Jim Murphy20068–4 / 7–2Jim MurphyNE-10 co-championsSouthern Connecticut (NCAA Division II Playoffs – First Round, W 28–26)Shepherd (NCAA Division II Playoffs – Second Round, L 7–31)20074–6 / 4–5Jim Murphy30–21 (.588)Jim Murphy Career20086–4 / 4–3John Perry20097–3 / 6–2John PerryNE10 Co-champions 20104–6 / 4–4John Perry20116–4 / 5–3John Perry20126–4 / 4–4John Perry29–21 (.580)John Perry Career20137–4 / 5–4Dan Curran 20144–7 / 4–5Dan Curran20156–5 / 6–3Dan Curran20163–8 / 2–7Dan Curran20174–6 / 4–5Dan Curran20185–5 / 5–4Dan Curran20196–5 / 0–0Dan CurranJoined NCAA Division I FCS2020*