Pride chasing another playoff run

More news about: Springfield

Nov 25, 2025

Bode Dunn, who ran for 64 yards all season in 2024, is part of the four-person rushing attack for the Springfield Pride.
Springfield athletics photo by Ella Travaglino

By Joe Sager
D3sports.com

Last year, Springfield enjoyed a record-setting season.

On the way to a national quarterfinal appearance, the Pride set a multitude of single-season program records with 12 wins, 583 points scored and 808 rushing attempts as well as 5,557 rushing yards, which are the most in NCAA Division III history as well.

That was 2024, though, and Springfield is focused on this season, the program’s 135th campaign.

“We have a standard here. Even though we are always adjusting our standard, we try to separate ourselves from previous teams,” Springfield junior fullback Bode Dunn said. “That team was incredible. But, as soon as that quarterfinal game against North Central ended, 134 was done and we started building for 135 and we’ve been going from there. We’re our own team and having our own run. Last year was a great experience, but this is something new for this team.”

Springfield (9-2) finds itself in familiar territory, though, in the NCAA second round at Johns Hopkins (9-1).

“It’s the best. We want to play as long as we can,” Dunn said. “The best-case scenario is we’re playing in January. We’re not done yet. We want to keep going and get as many games as we possibly can.”

Advancing to the second round means another Thanksgiving spent together as a team. It’s something the Pride wants to make an annual tradition, just like turkey and stuffing.

“One of the big goals we have each year is eating Thanksgiving dinner at Cheney — our dining hall,” Springfield coach Mike Cerasuolo said. “It’s an experience I wish every team in this program could have.”

“It’s such a blessing being on such a great team where we can experience this. There’s nothing better,” Springfield junior quarterback T.J. Welch said. “It’s such a blessing being here, continuing to play the game we love and enjoying everything with our seniors. Each week, we’re fighting for that one more week to play with them again. We’re appreciating every day we have with them and we’ll do anything to stay together as a team.”

That team bond has grown strong throughout the year. The Pride graduated multiple key players on both sides of the ball from the 2024 squad that saw its historic run end with a 27-3 setback to North Central in the quarterfinals.

Many new faces stepped into key roles, including Welch and Dunn. There were some growing pains as the team started the year 1-2, but the Pride has won its last eight.

“Just the trust we’ve built between each other is incredible,” Welch said. “When we played Western New England (to open the season), it was like my second time on the field in a game. We went out there with just a bunch of guys who hadn’t had that game experience before and we were getting used to that game tempo. Because we’ve gotten so many reps on the field, we’ve built that connection and have that trust with each other.”

Each snap and game situation is crucial for its unique option-based offense. It’s all paid off as Springfield leads the county with 3,767 rushing yards.

“Throughout the week, we stay locked in with whatever we do and it really reflects on the field. We do feel better every week. We start clicking more and more in this offense,” Dunn said. “We go in every week with the mentality that teams know we’re going to run the ball, but they have to try to stop it.”

With 632 rushing yards, Dunn is one of multiple go-to offensive personnel. Welch has rushed for 1,054 yards, while Stanford Davis (782) and James Green (574) are others who regularly carry the ball.

“It doesn’t matter who has the ball in his hands — we trust him,” Dunn said. “We have so much trust with everybody who gets the ball that they will give a good performance because we know we have a good offensive line to lead the way, too.”

Welch distributes the ball as he sees fit. Last week, Dunn was the biggest beneficiary as he ran 27 times for 113 yards and two scores.

“When I am able to give it to the fullback or pitch it to the halfback, it makes it so difficult for a defense to stop us,” Welch said. “Plus, having the defense we have is huge. They have had outstanding performances. It makes our job so much easier.”

The Pride’s defense has allowed one touchdown in seven of the team’s last eight games.

“They are just elite,” Welch said.

Cerasuolo, last year’s D3football.com Region 1 Coach of the Year, is proud of how much his group has grown throughout the season.

“Each week, we can see that development. We’re really building something special here that’s bigger than the game. I always tell them the game is what brought us all together to build something special with each other,” he said. “I am really proud of how hard they’ve worked. We had a lot of new faces on both sides of the ball and they’ve continued to build and grow together. They should be proud of that. Too often, we miss it when we’re in it. It’s never bad to take a step back and see where you’ve come from and where you are now.

“You should never take for granted the opportunity to keep playing,” he continued. “We’ll enjoy our Thanksgiving lunch together as a team and get on a bus, stop at a hotel about halfway and then go the rest of the way Friday. It’s those moments in the locker room or hotel or on the bus that are the things you remember the most. Games and scores will start to blur, but those other moments and memories will last a lifetime. We’re extremely grateful for the chance to experience more of those.”