GROVE CITY, Pa. -- The Grove City College football program welcomes back 13 starters and numerous other veterans for the 2026 season as the Wolverines pursue their fourth straight NCAA Division III playoff berth and a return to the top of the Presidents' Athletic Conference.

Grove City returns seven starters on offense, five defensive starters and All-PAC kicking specialist Brady Lane (Jefferson, Ga./Mill Creek). Eleventh-year head coach Andrew DiDonato and his veteran staff of assistant coaches will rely upon that group to help form the foundation of the 2026 Wolverines.

OFFENSE

Grove City returns the majority of its offensive line as juniors Jed Feldmeier (Troy, Pa./Troy) and Gabe Hilty (Gibsonia, Pa./Kiski Prep) are back as starters, as is junior center Zeke Swift.

Feldmeier and Hilty started all 11 games at guard in 2025 while Swift took over as the starting center at midseason. Hilty earned First Team All-PAC and D3football.com All-Region recognition in 2025 and is expected to move to left tackle.

Senior Bobby Benton (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) started the first half of his junior season as center before being sidelined by injury. Benton has played both guard and center throughout his career and will battle to reclaim a starting post this year.

Senior guard Ian Quinn (Lower Burrell, Pa./Burrell) will contend for a starting spot after playing extensively as Grove City's sixth offensive lineman in heavier offensive packages in 2025.

Senior tackle Alex Winklevoss (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds), junior guard Tyler Francis (Lexington, Ky./Sayre) and sophomore Matthew Givens (Auburn, Ala./Auburn) will also battle for spots in the starting lineup on the offensive line.

Grove City also returns three starters at wide receiver, including three-year starter Daniel Sullivan (Simsbury, Conn./Simsbury). Sullivan led Grove City with six touchdown catches in 2025 while finishing the campaign with 31 catches and 320 receiving yards.

On the other side, senior Seth McGroerty (Middletown, Del./Red Lion Christian) returns after leading the Wolverines with 32 catches and 544 receiving yards. A deep threat, McGroerty averaged 17.0 yards per catch in 2025.

Senior co-captain Sam Penna (Johnstown, Pa./Richland) made four starts at slot receiver in 2025, his first season at the College. Penna caught 21 passes for 299 yards as a sophomore.

Seniors Noah Crawford (Manchester, Md./Delone Catholic, Pa.), Ethan Genos (Knoxville, Md./Brunswick), Zac Nagle (New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot) and Luke Shuagis (Cresson, Pa./Penn Cambria) will battle for time this year at wide receiver. 

The Wolverines also welcome back senior Darviae Gray (Buffalo, N.Y./Amherst Central), who missed the 2025 season. Gray caught seven passes in 2024.

Junior John Perry (Cortland, Ohio/Howland) and sophomore Kaden Spencer (Cabot, Pa./Knoch) will also compete for time at wide receiver in 2026.

Converted senior quarterback Sutton Ellis (Brunswick, Ga./Frederica Academy) has the inside track to take over at Grove City's hybrid tight end position after switching positions in spring practice.

Junior fullback Dustin Hottel (Damascus, Md./Damascus) will likely take over as the starter in the backfield after playing extensively as a lead blocker in 2025. Senior Lucas Lohman (Chambersburg, Pa./Chambersburg) saw action at fullback in Grove City's NCAA playoff game at Hanover last year while classmate Owen Steiner (Newtown Square, Pa./Penncrest) will also challenge for time in Grove City's heavier offensive packages.

The fullbacks will help lead the way for senior running back Chase Rankin (Coventry Township, Ohio/Coventry), an All-Conference Honorable Mention selection in 2025. Rankin charged through opposing defenses for 753 yards and six touchdowns in his first season as a starter.

Sophomore co-captain Mike Hollomon (Princeton, N.J./The Pingry School) will likely take over as Grove City's starting quarterback this fall after playing as the Wolverines' No. 3 field marshal in 2025. The 6-foot-5, 215-pounder completed 9 of 17 passes as a rookie.

Senior Nash Rieselman (North Tonawanda, N.Y./North Tonawanda) and sophomores Bryce Graham (Hanover, Pa./South Western), Will Miller (Hoschton, Ga./Mill Creek) and Sam Patton (New Castle, Pa./Shenango) are among the candidates for the backup spot.

DEFENSE

Four starters return in a defensive backfield that helped account for 24 interceptions and 29 total takeaways in 2025.

Junior co-captain Noah Wheeler (McKinney, Texas/McKinney Christian) returns at one cornerback post after earning All-America, All-Region and All-PAC honors in 2025. Wheeler picked off four passes and scored on a pair of returns as a sophomore.

On the other side, converted wide receiver Cameron Epps (Pittsburgh, Pa./South Allegheny) looks to secure the other starting cornerback position. Epps played extensively on special teams as a rookie in 2025.

Two All-PAC honorees return at the safety positions. Graduate student Ryan Montgomery (Harrisville, Pa./Slippery Rock) recorded 48 tackles and a pair of interceptions in 2025 while earning Honorable Mention All-Conference.

A team co-captain, Montgomery will be entering his fourth season as a starter in the secondary.

Junior Mason Clouse (Templeton, Pa./Redbank Valley) emerged in 2025 as he recorded three interceptions, 10 pass breakups and 34 tackles as a first-year starter. The conference's head coaches recognized Clouse as a Second Team All-PAC performer.

Senior Dominic DiNinno (Apollo, Pa./Kiski Area) made five starts at cornerback in 2025 before being sidelined by a season-ending injury. DiNinno intercepted three passes and is a candidate to start at either cornerback or safety in the Wolverine secondary.

Senior cornerback Levi Teets (Morgantown, W.Va./Trinity Christian) has played extensively over the last two seasons and will also push for a full-time starting assignment this fall. Teets had one interception and four pass deflections in 2025.

Sophomore Owen Bish (Rimersburg, Pa./Union) will also be in the cornerback mix this season.

Senior letterman Johnny Ruggles (Austintown, Ohio/Austintown Fitch) will also compete for a starting spot this year. Seniors Jadon Burkholder (New Holland, Pa./Garden Spot) and Broderick Schreyer (New Florence, Pa./Ligonier Valley), a converted quarterback, will look to break into the secondary at safety.

Sophomore Josh Carr (Allison Park, Pa./Hampton) is also expected to contend for time at safety after playing as a reserve in 2025.

Graduation thinned Grove City's linebacker corps as all three starters must be replaced. Sophomore Nick Clemens (Moon Township, Pa./Moon) started at linebacker late in 2025 and finished the season with 3.5 quarterback sacks and blocked three kicks.

Junior Danny Franco (Mars, Pa./North Catholic) is a two-year letterwinner at inside linebacker and will look to capture a starting spot.

Senior Brock Batche (Windber, Pa./Richland), sophomore Aidan Kitts (Rancocas Valley, N.J./Rancocas Valley), sophomore Andrew Moberg (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster) and sophomore Oliver Smith (Vienna, Va./Marshall) are also among the candidates to start at linebacker.

Senior letterman Jase Herrick (Greenville, Pa./Greenville) switched from safety to linebacker late in 2025 and will also press for a starting spot this fall.

Senior Dave Cowher (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mount Lebanon) returns at defensive end in Grove City's three-man front. Cowher earned Honorable Mention All-Conference last year, his first season as a starter. Cowher has played both end and tackle during his career at the College.

Junior Caleb Kuhl (Winfield, W.Va./Winfield) made one start at end in 2025 and will challenge for one of the vacant spots on the defensive front. Senior Mason Kraeer (Washington, Pa./Trinity) and sophomore Cole Savage (Greensburg, Pa./Greensburg Salem) are also contenders for time at defensive end, as is converted sophomore offensive lineman Michael Ulery (Brownsville, Pa./Brownsville).

Sophomore Jack Hricovec (Avon, Ohio/Avon), sophomore Dom Maple (Weirton, W.Va./Madonna) and junior Ryan Principe are in the mix at nose tackle. All saw action as reserves in 2025.

SPECIAL TEAMS

Special teams have played a major role in Grove City's ascent onto the national scene and the Wolverines will feature several veterans in the kicking game in 2026.

Lane earned First Team All-PAC at kicker as a freshman in 2025 and will likely handle all kicking duties again this year. He went 36 for 37 on extra points and drilled four field goals. Lane also averaged 36.3 yards per punt and forced 32 fair catches last year.

Senior Devon Thomas (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) has also kicked for the Wolverines over the last three seasons.

Ellis returns as holder while several men will compete for the long snapper's job. DiNinno, Epps and Wheeler have all returned kicks and punts in their respective Grove City careers.