Football | 9/9/2025 2:00:00 PM
The Utica University duo of quarterback
Tyler Szalkowski and linebacker
Isaiah Thomas were named to the D3football.com Team of the Week on Tuesday, Sept. 9.
Szalkowski, a senior from Rochester, NY, dominated in his Utica debut to the tune of a program-record 528 passing yards along with 28 completions and four touchdowns in a 49-31 victory at Washington & Jefferson. The Division I transfer tore through the Presidents' secondary, launching a barrage of deep balls with precision as he notched scoring passes of 33, 77, and even 82 yards en route to logging 13.2 yards per attempt. He shattered the previous program record passing yards mark of 467 and became the first E8 quarterback to eclipse 500 yards passing in a game since 2022.
Thomas, a sophomore linebacker from Kingston, NY, was a ball hawk all afternoon in the win over Washington & Jefferson Saturday, grabbing a team-high 12 tackles with eight of those being solo stops. He was also at the scene of a well-timed fumble, scooping up the loose ball and returning it 31 yards to set up a late Utica score. He also recorded a pass breakup during the contest.
All eight E8 teams are in action on Saturday, Sept. 13, all against Liberty League opponents. Utica hosts Rensselaer at 6 p.m., while each of the other seven games kickoff at noon.
Here is the complete 2025 Empire 8 football schedule.
2025 Empire 8 D3football.com Team of the Week Recipients
Sept. 9 (Week 1) - Tyler Szalkowski, QB, Utica
Sept. 9 (Week 1) - Isaiah Thomas, LB, Utica
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The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
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