SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (July 8, 2024) – The Western New England football team unveiled their 2024 regular season schedule on Monday. The season will kick off on the road in the annual SAW Pynchon game at Springfield College. Western New England football sees an even split, five road and five home games, for the 2024 campaign.

The Golden Bears are coming off an 8-3 record in 2023, winning the New England Bowl Game 37-7 over UMass-Dartmouth, one of the many highlights of the season. WNE Football ripped off five wins in a row to end the season while also claiming the President's Cup over Westfield State University in final President's Cup rivalry game. The Golden Bears would go on to finish 4-1 in conference play and take second in the overall Commonwealth Coast Conference standings a season ago.

The SAW Pynchon Game will open Western New England's schedule for the 11^th straight season, dating back to 2013. The opening kickoff will take place at Stagg Field on the campus of Springfield College on Friday, September 6, at 7:00 p.m. The SAW Pynchon trophy has stayed with the Pride the last two seasons, as the Golden Bears will look to hoist the trophy on the road for the first tine since 2016. Western New England football will then open their home slate by hosting Salve Regina University on Saturday, September 14 at 1:00 PM from Golden Bear Stadium. WNE Football will also host Family Appreciation Day for their home opening game. This will be the first meeting between Salve Regina and Western New England since the Seahawks departed the Commonwealth Coast Conference for the NEWMAC beginning in 2023. WNE is 8-2 against Salve Regina at home since 2004 and has not lost since 2012 (five meetings).

The Golden Bears will travel to St. Lawrence University for their second Friday night lights game, taking on the Saints on Friday, September 20 at 7:00 PM at Weeks Field. Western New England defeated SLU 42-21 on home field a season ago, while also defeating the Saints in overtime in 2017 at Golden Bear Stadium. This will be the first time in which Western New England travels to Canton, New York, to take on St. Lawrence. Western New England will return home for Salute to Service—Military Appreciation Day to take on Susquehanna University, last year's 14^th-ranked football team in NCAA Division III, to round out the season. Susquehanna took down WNE in a close 26-18 contest in 2023, going 10-0 during the regular season before eventually slipping in the NCAA Division III Championships First Round game.

The month of October will ring in three games for the Golden Bears, beginning on the road at Anna Maria College, whom the Golden Bears beat 33-17 a season ago. Western New England have outscored the AMCATs 92-24 in the two meetings all-time, both coming at Golden Bear Stadium. The Golden Bears netted nearly 200 rushing yards in last year's win over Anna Maria while coming away with 262 total pass yards, good for a total of 460 yards of offense. AMC will be the final regular-season non-conference opponent for Western New England in 2024. The Golden Bears will then welcome Curry College after a BYE week as the Colonels make the trek to Golden Bear Stadium on Saturday, October 19, for a 1:00 pm kickoff on Homecoming weekend. WNE has won eight straight over Curry and will host the Colonels for the annual homecoming game for the second time in three seasons. From there, the Golden Bears will remain at home to take on Endicott College for a white-out game on Saturday, October 26 at 1:00 p.m. WNE football will look for revenge on the Gulls, who finished the season last year ranked 15^th overall in Division III football, defeating the Golden Bears 24-21. Endicott has taken three straight from Western New England.

Western New England will finish out their 2024 campaign with three games in November, beginning on the road on Saturday, November 2, at Husson University for conference action beginning at noon. The Golden Bears defeated the Eagles last season, 10-9, grabbing a late touchdown score on a seven-play, 74-yard drive in 1:05 to grab the victory. Western New England has won six of seven meetings against Husson all-time. Following their first road conference game, the Golden Bears will return home for one final regular season game, taking on the University of New England for senior day at Golden Bear Stadium on Saturday, November 9 at 1:00 pm. The Golden Bears have had the upper hand against the Nor'easters all-time, outscoring Husson 219-75, including a 42-7 victory in 2023 on the road. The final game of the regular season will come on the road at Nichols College, where the Golden Bears have had a large amount of success, going 8-1 since 2004. Western New England has won the last 16 matchups over the Bison, scoring at least 30 points in the last 11 meetings. Western New England's 69-point showing over Nichols last season was the most points put up in a single game by the Golden Bears in 2023. The regular season finale will take place at Vendetti Field on Saturday, November 16 at 12:00 p.m..

To view the full schedule, click here.