Christina Lee, Photography Editor

After completing their last season competing for Yale this fall, seven Bulldog seniors have announced their decision to continue their collegiate football career following graduation.

Grant Jordan ’25 and Dean Shaffer ’25 will be heading to the University of Massachusetts, David Pantelis ’25 will take his skills to Stanford, Tamatoa McDonough ’25 will be off to Iowa State, Sean Sullivan ’25 will be playing at Rice, Alvin Gulley ’25 will be heading to Northern Illinois University and Inumidun Ayo-Durojaiye ’25 will be at the University of Maine. 

When the News asked Shaffer why he chose UMass, he said, “[it] feels like something special is building here, and I’m excited to be a part of it”. 

These seniors made a big impact on and off the field this season. Shaffer led the team as captain, while Jordan commanded the offense as the starting quarterback. Pantelis was the team’s star wide receiver, and McDonough, Sullivan and Gulley were all forces to be reckoned with on the line. Ayo-Durojaiye ended the season with 58 total tackles, demonstrating his effectiveness on the turf. 

Jordan told the News that he and Shaffer earning the same opportunity made his decision even better, as the two have spent the last five years side by side in New Haven.

“I wanted to play in the FBS and compete at the highest level of college football. UMass checked all the boxes I was looking for: an experienced coaching staff and an opportunity to compete. I was familiar with the Massachusetts area being at Yale in New England with buddies like Connor Smith and Sean Sullivan,” Jordan told the News.

Last year, the team had a handful of players who continued their collegiate careers after Yale. Under Head Coach Tony Reno, the Bulldogs have continued to build their depth and strength, and this senior class, in particular, had a solid presence in the program. Taking up almost all the core positions, the seniors led the team as a unit and left great examples for their younger teammates to follow in the coming seasons.

For Pantelis and many athletes who compete in the Ivy League, academics is an important factor in their college decisions, and this remained true for the wide receiver as he looked to compete as a graduate-transfer.  

Pantelis told the News, “I chose [Stanford] over Michigan and other schools as I believe that Stanford offers an opportunity similar to Yale in the sense of opportunity of life after school athletically and academically. Over my time at Yale, I enjoyed being surrounded by like-minded people who have a drive to succeed, along with the genuine people who make up Yale.”

Pantelis was one of the most sought-after wide receivers this year, receiving offers from top teams such as the University of Michigan. However, the star player landed on Stanford, an excellent program where he can continue participating in rigorous academic and athletic pursuits.  

While these are all the commitments announced during Yale’s winter break, players can still commit later in the school year as they move closer to graduation. The winter transfer portal closed on Dec. 28, however, graduate transfers are not bound by the same strict rules as underclassmen and can enter the portal anytime. 

Given the flexibility of this process, the remaining seniors may continue to enter the portal, especially after seeing the success of their seven teammates in securing positions. 

The Bulldogs concluded this season 7–3 total and placed fourth in the Ivy League after defeating Harvard in their last game of the season. 

SIENNA TEJPAUL
Sienna is a sophomore in Pauli Murray and she is majoring in Ethics, Politics and Economics with a certificate in French. She currently covers Football and Basketball for the News and also enjoys writing for University and WKND on occasion. She is originally from London and now lives in Connecticut.