Photo by Braden Carmen Matt Lotter, a Fredonia High School graduate, will play in the NCAA Division III Football Championship tonight at 7 PM on ESPNU.
When he was a two-way football star at Fredonia, Matt Lotter was never afraid of big moments. As a senior, after the Hillbillies defeated the Southwestern Trojans 28-21 to earn a trip to Highmark Stadium, Lotter joked: “Once we get there, wherever Josh Allen usually sits, I’ll be all over that seat. Wherever he sits is mine.”
Two years later, Lotter is set to play in another big game with a title on the line. But this time, instead of fighting for a Division VI title, Lotter is competing for the NCAA Division III championship.
Tonight at 7, Lotter and his SUNY Cortland Red Dragons will face the nation’s top-ranked Division III team, the North Central College Cardinals, in the 50th annual Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl. The game will be played at Salem Stadium in Salem, Virginia, and will be shown nationally on ESPNU, ESPN+ and online on ESPN360. The audio broadcast is available online at D3football.com.
“I have never coached student-athletes who were able to make it to a game like this, at any level.” Fredonia coach Greg Sherlock said.
North Central College, Illinois, is the defending D-III champion. The Cardinals (14-0) were ranked as the top team in the country by D3football.com and the American Football Coaches Association all season. With a win tonight, the Cardinals will end consecutive undefeated seasons, culminating with the school’s third national title since 2019. Since the start of 2019, North Central has gone 56-2.
However, Cortland hopes to crash the party to capture the school’s first D-III national football title.
After a season-opening loss to Susquehanna (Pa.) on Sept. 16 on a game-winning kick in the final seconds, the Red Dragons have won 11 straight games. Cortland (13-1) defeated Randolph-Macon (Va.) 49-14 in the national semifinals. The Red Dragons have been the road team in three of the team’s four wins this season.
Lotter, a sophomore, has appeared in all 14 games this season for the Red Dragons. A former linebacker and linebacker at Fredonia, Lotter focused primarily on defense and special teams while in college. Lotter had 10 tackles as a freshman in 2022, but doubled that production this season with 20 tackles in 2023, including a career-high 11 tackles against Susquehanna in the team’s only defeat of the year. Lotter also had his first collegiate interception on November 4 against SUNY rival Brockport.
“He would go to work on different skills, to Buffalo to work on receivers, even though he was a linebacker in college. Any little thing he could earn was important to him. Sherlock said.
Leading the Red Dragons’ offense is another Section VI standout, Zach Boyes, a midfielder from Kenmore West High School. Boise has thrown for 3,671 yards and 39 touchdowns this season, with just five interceptions. He also added eight rushing touchdowns with 651 yards on the season. Cortland ranks sixth in Division III in total offense, with more than 500 yards per game, and eighth in scoring with 46.8 points per game.
But on the other side of the field is one of the only quarterbacks in the country to have had a more accomplished season to date. Luke Lehnen leads North Central’s offense as one of the most efficient passers in the country. He has completed more than 75% of his passes this season, scored 46 touchdowns, and thrown just two interceptions. Lehnen has just seven incompletions on the season compared to touchdown passes, and has added 11 points on the floor.
Lotter’s proven tackles could come into play on special teams tonight, as North Central has returned four kickoffs for touchdowns this season, along with a punt return touchdown as well.
Cortland is the first New York State school to reach the Division III title game since 1991, and the first East Coast team to play for the tournament since 2001. The 511-mile bus trip to Salem Stadium is the seventh-farthest trip Cortland has taken. The football program has taken from Ever.
Lotter is the son of Fredonia High School and swim coach Joanne Lotter. As a senior, he was Fredonia’s leading rusher (1,107 yards, 12 TDs) and its leading rusher (140 tackles). Lotter earned all-state honors, was the Section VI Class C Defensive Player of the Year, and was named an Observer/Post-Journal All-Star.
“He is one of the most mentally tough kids I have ever had. He will not be deterred and will never let us down on the field. Sherlock said. “He was an example to all of us of how to never give up and stay there until the end.”
Tonight, all eyes are on the national title game as two Fredonia graduates take the court. The small town of Fredonia, known for its tight-knit community and strong work ethic, is beaming with pride as these former students showcase their talent on the biggest stage in college sports. With their hard work and dedication, these individuals have proven that no dream is too big for those who push themselves to succeed. As they compete for the championship tonight, they serve as an inspiration to all who know them and a reminder that with determination and perseverance, anything is possible.