EASTON, Mass. (May 19, 2025) – Stonehill College Football head coach Eli Gardner announced the addition of three new coaches and the promotion of two assistants to round out the Skyhawks coaching staff going into the 2025 season.
The 2025 Skyhawk coaching additions include:
Dan Hebert – Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks
Zahneer Shuler – Wide Receivers
Thomas Walsh – Video Coordinator/Tight Ends
Along with the new coaching additions, returning coaches Jerry Maher – Special Teams Coordinator/Running backs, and Dylan Berardelli – Run Game Coordinator/Offensive Line, received promotions from their previous positions.
Hebert was named Offensive Coordinator and Quarterbacks coach in March after most recently spending the 2024 season as the Wide Receivers coach at Dartmouth College. In his lone season with the Big Green, the team posted an 8-2 record and won the Ivy League. He helped guide Big Green wide receiver Paxton Scott to an All-Ivy League Honorable Mention with 34 catches and 411 receiving yards in just six games played.
Hebert also has experience at the University of Kentucky, where he assisted with quarterbacks and running backs, including NFL draftees, quarterback Will Levis of the Tennessee Titans, and running back Ray Davis of the Buffalo Bills. Hebert coached and played at Central Connecticut State and was a two-year team captain for the Blue Devils.
“Hebert has a great background and brings great energy to our program,” said Coach Gardner. “He has great experience coaching at both the FBS and FCS levels, including a successful coaching and playing career in the NEC. The players love the direction Dan is taking our offense, and I am excited for his future here.”
Shuler will enter his first season as the Wide Receivers coach for the Stonehill Football program ahead of the 2025 season. He joins the staff after spending the past season at McKendree University, where he was the Bearcats’ wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.
At McKendree, Shuler helped guide two receivers to all-conference honors as the Bearcats finished second in the conference in passing yards while also assisting with various operational duties.
Shuler also spent two seasons at Notre Dame College (OH), where he was the wide receivers coach, leading two student-athletes to all-conference honors. He also assisted in special teams drills on top of receiver and recruiting duties. Shuler began his coaching career with a one-year stint at Lackawanna College, where he was the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator.
Shuler played two seasons at Lackawanna College, earning himself the role of team captain as well as Second Team All-Conference honors before transferring to the University of New Mexico. At New Mexico, Shuler played both tight end and running back and was named to the 2018 All-Region Team.
“Zahneer has great energy, along with a technical approach to coaching,” said Coach Gardner. “He has multiple coaching stops already in his young career and brings a good knowledge foundation. He is clear and direct in his coaching, and our guys gravitate towards him and his approach.”
Walsh returns to his alma mater to begin his first season as Video Coordinator and Tight Ends coach. Most recently, Walsh spent the past season at Wagner College, where he was the Offensive Line Coach, Run Game Coordinator, and an Offensive Quality Control Coach for the Seahawks football program.
A 2024 Stonehill graduate, Walsh was a five-year starter on the offensive line, a two-time team captain, and was named to the NE10 All-Conference Second Team and the Phil Steele FCS All-NEC Team. Walsh also interned in the Stonehill Equipment room as a student-athlete.
“Having Tom return to Stonehill was a no-brainer when the opportunity presented itself,” said Coach Gardner. “He was an extremely successful student-athlete and former captain of our program. He knows and loves Stonehill, and that comes out in his approach in recruiting and coaching. He provides great perspective and relatability for our student-athletes.”
With coaches entering and departing ahead of the 2025 season, Gardner promoted both Dylan Berardelli and Jerry Maher with new titles and responsibilities.
Berardelli will retain his role as Offensive Line coach while beginning his first stint as Run Game Coordinator for the Skyhawks. For the past three seasons, Berardelli has been the O-Line coach, guiding multiple Skyhawks to All-Conference honors, including Walsh and David Satkowski, ’24, who most recently played professionally in the United Football League (UFL) with the DC Defenders.
Satkowski became the first Stonehill football player to receive a minicamp invitation from an NFL team when he participated in the Chicago Bears’ offseason program. Berardelli has also coached at Rice University, Kenyon College, and Western New England. He played four seasons at Hamilton College and was a four-year starter at left guard before becoming a team captain.
“Berardelli has done a great job of developing our offensive line room and maintaining the culture we have,” said Coach Gardner. “He is extremely intelligent and thoughtful in his approach, and his guys play hard. He has a shared vision for the style of offense we want to run and will continue to help us win games up front.”
After spending the past three seasons as Video Coordinator and Running Backs coach, Maher will take on the new role of Special Teams Coordinator while retaining his responsibilities with the running backs.
Maher has guided the Stonehill rushing attack to new heights, which includes three straight seasons with at least 10 rushing touchdowns and the top rushing attack in the Northeast Conference in 2022 when the Skyhawks rushed for 21 touchdowns and over 200 yards per game. Along with his work on offense, Maher has also worked with various special teams units over the past two seasons.
“Maher did a great job overseeing multiple special teams units the last 2 seasons, which made the decision easy for me to expand his role,” said Coach Gardner. “He is very organized, thoughtful, and direct in his coaching philosophy. I am excited for him to play a larger role on Special Teams and for him to provide the edge we need to win that phase of the game.”
Stonehill football will open its 12-game 2025 season on August 30 in Fairfield, Conn., when the Skyhawks take on Sacred Heart University to begin their fourth Division I campaign. The first game at the comforts of W.B. Mason Stadium will be on Saturday, Sept. 6, with Lafayette College making the trip to Easton, Mass.
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