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UConn Football's 2026 Captains Bring Variety of Experiences to Role
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- UConn Football's 2026 Captains Bring Variety of Experiences to Role
Meet the UConn football captains for the 2026 season.
The program revealed via social media the names of the four players, all transfers who have worn a UConn uniform for just one season -- combined,
Offensive lineman Ty Chan, a Notre Dame transfer, spent last season with the Huskies. Co-captains Avery Dunn and K'Von Sherman followed first-year head coach Jason Candle to UConn from Toledo, and John Lista is in his fifth college season after four at Penn.
They will make their game debuts as Huskies captains on Saturday in UConn's season opener against Lafayette. Game time is at noon at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field in East Hartford.
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Ty Chan
Position:Offensiveline
Number:69
Measureables:6-foot-5, 320 pounds
Year:Fifth
Hometown:Lowell,Mass.
High school:Lawrence Academy
College experience:Notre Dame (2023-24), UConn (2025)
Chan is theonly captain who has played a regular-season game with the Huskies. In 2025, hestarted nine games (13 appearances) and played at both left and right guard.The offensive line helped a passing offense that was 11th in thecountry in yards per game (284.4) and 15th in sacks per game (1.23).
Chan spent hisfirst two college seasons at Notre Dame but decided to return to his New England roots. His hometown is Lowell, Mass.
Notre Dame offensive lineman Ty Chan (77) played in the CFP National Championship Game against Ohio State on Jan. 20, 2025. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Avery Dunn
Position:Defensiveline
Jerseynumber:11
Measureables:6-4, 250
Year:Senior
Hometown:ShakerHeights, Ohio
High school:Shaker Heights
College experience:Michigan State (2021-24), Toledo (2025)
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Dunn took aredshirt at Michigan State in 2021, having played only one game due toinjuries. He appeared in 20 total games with six sacks and 41 total tackleswith the Spartans before transferring to Toledo. With the Rockets, he played in11 games, making 14 tackles and adding a sack.
Defensive lineman Avery Dunn (98) began his career at Michigan State. Dale Young-USA TODAY Sports
John Lista
Position:Linebacker
Jerseynumber:44
Measureables:6-1, 223
Year:Fifth
Hometown:FairHaven, N.J.
High school:Rumson-Fair Haven
College experience:Penn (2022-25)
Lista got hiscaptain experience last season at Penn, where he was a three-year starter. Heappeared in 26 games and made 183 tackles, including 14.5 for loss, and sevensacks. He added an interception, eight pass breakups, two forced fumbles andtwo fumble recoveries.
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In 2025, he wasnamed a first-team All-Ivy League selection, following second-team honors in 2024.
Before entering college at Penn, John Lista (44) played at Rumson-Fair Haven High School in New Jersey, as shown in this Oct. 9, 2021, photo. Doug Hood/USA TODAY Network
K'Von Sherman
Position:Linebacker
Jersey number:0
Measureables:6-3, 240
Year:Senior
Hometown:Pearland,Texas
High school:Pearland
College experience:Hutchinson Community College (Hutchinson, Kan., 2023), Toledo (2024-25)
Another Candle connection, Sherman played the past two seasons atToledo. In 2025, he was named first-team All-Mid-American Conference. Thatseason, the linebacker made 94 tackles (14.5 for loss) and added 4.5 sacks andsix quarterback hurries.
Washington State quarterback Zevi Eckhaus (4) is hit as he throws a pass by Toledo linebacker K'Von Sherman (38) in the second half of a game in Pullman, Wash., on Oct. 25, 2025. James Snook-Imagn Images
