DeLAND, Fla. - The Stetson Hatters kicked off their 2024 season with a commanding 31-3 victory over the Ave Maria Gyrenes on Saturday night at Spec Martin Stadium. The win marks the fourth straight season-opening triumph for Stetson under Head Coach Brian Young.

The Hatters, now 9-3 in season-openers since the program's revival, showcased a dominant defense that allowed the fewest points in a game since their 31-3 win over Warner on August 31, 2013. Stetson's defense held firm, shutting out the Gyrenes in the second half while the offense surged, scoring 35 unanswered points.

After leading 6-3 at halftime, the Hatters exploded offensively in the second half. Quarterback Brady Meitz led the charge, throwing for 338 yards and three touchdowns while wide receiver Dalton Bailey made an impressive debut, catching eight passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns, contributing to Stetson's fifth-highest point total in a season-opener and their largest margin of victory since a 56-14 win over Presbyterian on October 30, 2021. It was the most yards by a Stetson debut in a season-opener in program history and already ranks tied for 7th for most yards in a game.

The game started slowly, with both teams struggling to find the end zone in the first quarter. Ave Maria struck first with a 22-yard field goal early in the second quarter. Stetson quickly responded as sophomore kicker Daniel Holbrook connected on a 33-yard field goal, tying the game at 3-3. As time expired in the first half, Holbrook came through again, nailing a 45-yarder to send the Hatters into the locker room with a 6-3 lead.

After halftime, the Hatters returned with renewed energy. On their first possession of the third quarter, quarterback Brady Meitz found wide receiver Brayden Miller with an 18-yard over-the-shoulder pass, marking Stetson's first touchdown of the season. The defense, led by a crucial third-down sack from Cooper Aurilia, forced Ave Maria to punt. Stetson capitalized, driving 93 yards in just three minutes, culminating in a 5-yard touchdown pass to Bailey, extending their lead to 20-3.

The fourth quarter began with a methodical 11-play drive, capped off by freshman running back Trey Clark's 3-yard touchdown rush up the middle. The Hatters' momentum continued as Trey Lockhart Jr. forced a fumble on the ensuing kickoff, recovered by Bailey. Just two plays later, Meitz connected with Bailey again, this time for a 22-yard touchdown pass, his second of the day.

The defense continued to dominate, with reigning PFL Freshman Defensive Player of the Year Andrew Martin recording back-to-back sacks to stifle Ave Maria's offense. Graduate quarterback Matt O'Connor took over late in the game, leading a 10-play, 65-yard drive that ended with a touchdown pass to Aanjay Feliciano on a slant over the middle. Linebacker Jhoel Robinson then sealed the game with a fumble recovery on a botched snap, allowing the Hatters to run out the clock.

Stetson's dominant performance not only put them at 3-0 all-time against Ave Maria but also extended their winning streak over Sun Conference opponents to ten consecutive games. The victory improved their record to 10-0 all-time against Sun Conference teams and 9-11 at home under Coach Young.

With this win, Coach Young secured his 12th victory as a collegiate head coach, and the Hatters matched their season-high point total from last season in just one game.

Stetson will look to continue their momentum next Saturday when they host Warner at 6:00 PM.