The Sacred Heart University (SHU) football season is in full swing. Every Saturday when SHU plays a home game, the university’s “Pio Guys” show up shirtless and loud to cheer on their team. The Pio Guys are a small group of fans that attend every home game and encourage school spirit amongst their peers.
The group’s name was a natural choice as they each line up to spell out a variation of “Pioneers” or “Pios” at each event they attend.
Sacred Heart University’s Pio Guys supporting the football team at the Homecoming game on Sept. 14.
Daniel Passapera, Sacred Heart University
The group’s motto, according to sophomore member Zach Parker is, “There are only three guarantees in life: death, taxes, and Pio Guys on Saturdays.” This motto captures the passion that this group of fans has for SHU.
The Pio Guys were formed in 2021 and have come up with a system to ensure their support year in and year out.
“They came to be when six of Sacred Heart’s biggest fans, Connor Rossi, Allan Zilnicki, Bryan Calton, Gianni DiSanto, Alex Miras and Bryce Durney, decided to paint their chests in red paint spelling ‘PIOS!’ at one of the football games. Since they graduated, each of them picked someone from SHU to take their letter and keep showing school spirit, and we have continued that tradition since,” said senior member Will Lowe.
The group’s current members include seniors Will Lowe, Victor Colonna, Hunter Harris, Julian Percoco and Kyle Vaughan, junior Sean Whitaker and sophomores Zach Parker and AJ Vreeland.
According to Percoco, the group has been a big part of his time at SHU.
“The Pio Guys are my SEC football experience. This group has given me a chance to express my love for SHU athletics with some of my best friends for the past three years,” he said.
Whitaker especially credited the seniors for “upholding the Pio Guy name and traditions.”
Though primarily run by the students involved, the Pio Guys also work with the university.
“We work directly with the Athletic Director, Judy Ann Riccio. She has been an amazing outlet to helping us get into tailgates and football games to spread as much school spirit as possible,” Percoco said. “We feel fully supported by the school and the fans, and we hope to keep showing our pride and encourage others to come join us in cheering on SHU sports.”
Along with supporting the Pioneers at games, they also promote SHU athletics on social media. This allows students to not only follow the group but also see game highlights.
“We run an Instagram account, @pio.guys, where we will often post recaps of us at football games, hype videos, and you can even learn more about some of the guys and what letter they wear,” said Vreeland.
The Pio Guys are more than just football fans. They expand their fandom to many different sports to support their peers at SHU.
“Although football is our main go to, we have done other sports. We have recently done hockey and hope to be at more games soon. Dating back to the original guys, we have also done equestrian, rowing, wrestling and basketball,” said Colonna.
The group’s members are committed to showing their school spirit and encouraging others to do the same.
“We love the SHU community and all the fans, and we hope to see everyone soon at some of these games,” said Lowe.
The Pio Guys and SHU football will be in action at this week’s home game on Saturday, Oct. 5 at Campus Field against Norfolk State University.
Aiden Reilly, Collin MacLeod and Madison Beekman contributed to this article.
