UAlbany Names Tom Perkovich As New Head Football Coach
ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany and Director of Athletics Mark Benson have officially announced the hiring of Tom Perkovich as the next head coach of the Great Danes’ football program. A veteran leader with over two decades of experience, Perkovich becomes the third full-time head coach in the program's history.
"We are thrilled to welcome Tom, Brandi, Georgia, Trey, and Reed Perkovich to the Great Dane family!", said UAlbany Director of Athletics Mark Benson. "When we embarked on this search, we hoped to find someone who is a proven leader with sustained success. We found that in Coach Perk. He has a remarkable track record of building championship culture and developing student-athletes. A native New Yorker, he brings a strategic brilliance that aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of this program. We look forward to seeing him lead our young men and developing them into Great Leaders, Great Champions, Great Danes."
Perkovich joins the Great Danes after an extraordinary tenure at Susquehanna University, where he compiled an impressive 84-25 overall record over 10 seasons. Under “Coach Perk’s” leadership, Susquehanna became a fixture in the national postseason conversation, securing four consecutive conference championships and NCAA Division III Championship appearances from 2022 to 2025. Over that span, the River Hawks were invincible in league play, going a perfect 27-0.
"It is a tremendous honor to be named the head football coach at the University at Albany," said Perkovich. "I want to sincerely thank President Dr. Havidán Rodríguez, Director of Athletics Mark Benson, and Deputy AD Vic Cegles for their trust and for the opportunity to lead this historic program. I have long admired the tradition of excellence established by Coach Ford and Coach Gattuso, and I am eager to build upon that foundation. My wife, Brandi, and our children are so excited to join the Capital Region community and call Albany home. I cannot wait to get to work and begin this next chapter of Great Dane football."
His leadership earned national prestige when he was named the 2023 Andy Talley Regional Coach of the Year by the Maxwell Football Club. This award, presented to the top prep or college coach in the Northeast, followed a 2022 season where Perkovich guided the River Hawks to a 10-1 record, their first Centennial Conference title, and an NCAA Championship appearance. He was recognized at the Maxwell Football Club's National Awards Gala alongside an elite group of honorees that included Jalen Hurts, Nick Sirianni, Joe Klecko, Caleb Williams, and Drake Maye, among others.
Perkovich’s postseason record is defined by a consistent ability to win on the big stage, characterized by a steady ascent into the national spotlight. This success reached a pinnacle during a landmark 2024 campaign where the River Hawks captured their first NCAA Division III playoff victories in over 30 years. After defeating Hobart College in the second round, the team secured a dramatic victory over No. 3 Saint John’s University on a game-winning field goal as time expired. A subsequent win over No. 21 Bethel University sent Perkovich and his squad to the NCAA Division III Semifinals, marking just the second time the program had reached that stage in school history.
In 2025, Coach Perkovich capped off his remarkable tenure at Susquehanna with another dominant season, leading the River Hawks to an 11-3 overall record. The 2025 campaign featured an explosive offense (39.93 PPG) and a suffocating defense (17.79 PPG) that outscored conference opponents by a staggering margin. Perkovich’s squad marched through the first three rounds of the NCAA Division III Championship with victories over Washington and Jefferson College, Christopher Newport University, and Eastern University to reach the national quarterfinals. Under his guidance, the 2025 team swept the conference’s major individual awards and produced five Associated Press All-Americans.
Before his tenure at Susquehanna, Perkovich spent nearly a decade at Muhlenberg College in Eastern Pennsylvania. He started as a strength and conditioning coordinator before climbing up the ranks to become the program’s offensive coordinator. While at Muhlenberg, Perkovich was a part of a staff that compiled an overall record of 39-11 (.780 winning percentage) with the offense breaking multiple school records under his control.
A Tonawanda, New York native, Perkovich earned his degree from Canisius University in 2003. A standout dual-sport athlete, he was the first Golden Griffin since 1949 to letter in both football and basketball for all four years. On the gridiron, he was a three-year starter on the offensive line, a Team MVP, a First Team All-MAAC selection, and a Second Team All-American.
Perkovich and his wife, Brandi, have three children: Georgia, Trey, and Reed.