Former UAlbany quarterbacks lift Utica over RPI football
Szalkowski spent his first four college seasons at the Division I Football Championship Subdivision level. He appeared in four games in two seasons at UAlbany.
Utica quarterback Tyler Szalkowski and his former University at Albany backup, Braeden Zenelovic, powered the Pioneers to a dominant 38-14 victory over RPI in a game played on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Szalkowski completed 29 of 38 passes for 402 yards and two touchdowns, while Zenelovic contributed to the team's success. Utica's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, Zenelovic, is another former UAlbany reserve quarterback who joined the team this season.
The victory marked Utica's second straight 2-0 start, while RPI dropped to 1-1. Szalkowski, a Rochester native, praised the strong relationship between him and Zenelovic, noting their similar perspectives on the game. Wide receivers Tyshawn Taylor and Gabriel Zawolo also played crucial roles, with Taylor setting an eight-catch, 244-yard single-game record and Zawolo scoring a touchdown.
RPI senior linebacker P.J. Poknis led the Engineers with 16 tackles but admitted the Utica team's strong quarterback and scheme posed a challenge.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
Also reported by 1 other outlet
- UAlbany football rebounds strongly in dominant win over Long Island sports.yahoo.com
