HAMILTON, Ont. – A more experienced roster and an opportunity to build on a strong finish to last season await the McMaster Marauders football team as they prepare to open their 2026 campaign Saturday night at Ron Joyce Stadium.

McMaster enters the season looking to build off a 2025 campaign that saw the Marauders finish 4-4 during the OUA regular season before advancing to the postseason. The Marauders averaged 26.4 points and 349.6 yards of offence per game in conference play, including 237.6 yards through the air and 112.0 on the ground.

The Marauders found their stride as the season progressed. After opening the year with losses to York, Queen's and Windsor, McMaster responded with four wins over its final five regular-season games. The turnaround included a 25-15 victory over Guelph before three consecutive wins over Toronto, Waterloo and Carleton.

McMaster's offence was at its best down the stretch. The Marauders scored 35 points against Toronto, 47 against Waterloo and 41 against Carleton, averaging 41 points per game during the three-game winning streak. Their 503 yards against Carleton marked a season high.

That late-season push sent McMaster into the OUA postseason, where the Marauders travelled to Richardson Stadium to face Queen's. The Gaels ended McMaster's season with a 46-10 victory, outgaining the Marauders 465-218 and forcing six turnovers.
Now, the focus turns to taking another step in 2026.

Head coach Stefan Ptaszek has been encouraged by the development of his roster throughout training camp, particularly along both sides of the line of scrimmage.

"We're not as young anymore," Ptaszek said. "We're a little more grown up and a little more senior at both sides, O-line and D-line. So, I think our margins are not as thin."

With an experienced group of returners alongside players ready to take on larger roles, the Marauders believe that added maturity can help turn the progress made late last season into greater consistency in 2026.

Offence Ready to Take the Next Step

At quarterback, third-year Lucas Barresi (Hamilton, Ont.) enters the season with an opportunity to take on a larger role in the Marauders offence.

Barresi appeared in eight games in 2025, completing 47 of 79 passes for 652 yards and five touchdowns. He also added 114 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.

He gained valuable postseason experience against Queen's, throwing for 131 yards and scoring McMaster's lone touchdown on a one-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Barresi continued his development during the offseason with the CFL QB Internship program, spending a month with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and working alongside CFL quarterbacks Tre Ford and Bo Levi Mitchell.

"He wants to be a student of the game," Ptaszek said. "He wants to get his reads. He wants to trust the process."

In front of Barresi, McMaster returns an experienced offensive line led by Adam Woods (Hamilton, Ont.), who enters his third season as the Marauders' starting centre. Woods will be joined by Quin Cassidy (Brantford, Ont.) and Christian Cote (Toronto, Ont.), giving McMaster continuity up front as the group looks to establish a consistent running game and create opportunities through the air.

The Marauders also return several familiar weapons.

Fifth-year receiver Aidan Nemeth (North Vancouver, B.C) is back after recording 31 receptions for 453 yards and five touchdowns in 2025. Nemeth averaged 14.6 yards per reception and finished tied for the team lead in receiving touchdowns.

Micah DuChene (Brantford, Ont.) returns to the backfield after rushing for 236 yards while adding 116 receiving yards last season. Nathan Denkers (Hamilton, Ont.) also returns after missing last year's regular-season meeting with Windsor due to injury, giving McMaster another experienced option on offence.

Experience Returns on Defence

McMaster will feature plenty of returning experience on the defensive side of the ball, beginning with a defensive front that Ptaszek believes can be a strength in 2026.

Christian Chukwuali II (Hamilton, Ont.) returns following an impressive rookie campaign in which he recorded five sacks and six tackles for loss across eight games. His five sacks led the Marauders.

"I don't know that we've had as pure a pass rush guy in a long time," Ptaszek said. "Christian's really good."

Chukwuali will be joined up front by Ryan Broome (Grimsby, Ont.), Domenic Limanni (Orangeville, Ont.) and Nick Garcia (Hamilton, Ont.). Broome recorded 3.5 sacks and four tackles for loss last season, while Limanni appeared in all nine games and Garcia added two sacks.

Behind the defensive line, Isaiah Shields (Hamilton, Ont.) and Anthony Sestanovic (Oakville, Ont.) return after leading McMaster in tackles last season.

Shields finished with a team-high 49 tackles and two interceptions, while Sestanovic recorded 45.5 tackles, 2.5 sacks, five tackles for loss, a forced fumble and an interception.

Sean Underhill (Hamilton, Ont.) provides another veteran presence in the secondary after recording 30 tackles and an interception in 2025.

The unit will also have a new voice on the coaching staff, with Greg Marshall joining the Marauders as defensive line coach.

New Faces Ready to Make an Impact

Along with its returning core, McMaster will welcome several newcomers and younger players looking to earn larger roles in 2026.

Among them is Hamilton product Ben Kingston (Hamilton, Ont.), who is expected to contribute at receiver and in the punt return game. Several other young players on both sides of the ball will have opportunities to make an impact as the season progresses.

The combination of returning veterans and emerging talent gives McMaster greater depth than it had a season ago, something the Marauders hope will prove valuable throughout the OUA schedule.

A New Season Begins

For the Marauders, 2026 represents an opportunity to build on the progress shown during the second half of last season.

After starting 2025 with three consecutive losses, McMaster demonstrated its ability to respond, winning four of its final five regular-season games and earning a place in the OUA postseason.

Now, with more experience on both sides of the ball and several returning players stepping into larger roles, the Marauders will look to turn that late-season momentum into sustained success.

Ptaszek's message throughout training camp has been to keep the focus on what is immediately in front of the team.

"You should win the day, win the drill, win the meeting, win the task at hand," Ptaszek said.

The first task comes Saturday night.

McMaster opens its 2026 OUA regular season on Aug. 29 when the Marauders welcome the Windsor Lancers to Ron Joyce Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. You can secure your tickets at marauders.ca/tickets