IC News

On the eve of a historic Cortaca Jug matchup at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, November 12, the coaches and captains of the Ithaca College and SUNY Cortland football teams gathered in Emerson Suites on Wednesday for the annual Cortaca press conference.

“Here we go!” exclaimed Susan Bassett ’79, associate vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics at the start of the event, where she thanked both schools and the New York Yankees organization for their hard work over the past year to make the game a reality. “Lots of people have been working behind the scenes to make this not only a great football event but a great event for each college.

“This is your game,” she continued, addressing the captains of both squads. “You have your chance to write your own history, and I think you’re going to put an exclamation point on what this rivalry has become.”

Ithaca captain Michael Roumes ’23 spoke about the special nature of this matchup — which for the first time ever sees both teams enter the contest at 9-0 — and the unique opportunity it presents.

“Looking at this game, it’s going to be a lot of fun,” he said. “We’re going to take all this in and have a great time there. To be able to play in Yankee Stadium is going to be a lot of fun. We’re looking forward to it.”

Ithaca head coach Michael Toerper sees the entire weekend as a marquee opportunity for not just his team, but the two colleges.

“What an opportunity for Cortland, for Ithaca, to come together in the big city,” he said. “All of our alumni, everyone who has been a part of this rivalry in the past, just to celebrate that. It’s an opportunity for both schools to be on a main stage and to be highlighted for what great institutions they are.

After the live press conference, players and coaches fielded questions and had the opportunity to reflect on the nature of the game even more.

“My final regular-season game is going to be at Yankee Stadium,” said Roumes, who was part of the team that defeated Cortland 32-20 in MetLife Stadium in 2019, in front of an NCAA Division III record 45,161 fans. “That’s so wild, and I’m so appreciative of all the fans who are going to be a part of this game. We look forward to seeing you there."

Toerper, who was the defensive coordinator on that 2019 team under then-head coach Dan Swanstrom, understands that for the tens of thousands of fans who will be in attendance, this is more than just a game.

“People want to rally behind a common cause,” he said. “This game means so much to a lot of members of the IC community because of the emotion attached to it, and the friendship of the people you’ve spent your life with, cheering for a common cause. When I think about it deeply and the ripple affect the game has on the people, I realize that we’re fortunate to be a part of that.”

Toerper also recognizes how an opportunity like this is only available due to the tireless support of the entire institution.

“Ithaca College is an institution that wants to enrich the lives of its students,” he said. “This game is us practicing what we preach. We’re enriching the lives of our student-athletes. To play in this rivalry on this stage is something you earn. And for them, the first step in that is the decision to become a Bomber and attend Ithaca College.”