A running back who transferred to USF from North Dakota State in the Spring of 2023…played in 28 games for the Bison, running for 1,134 yards and five touchdowns…older brother played baseball at USF…will have two seasons of eligibility remaining.
2022 (NORTH DAKOTA STATE): Played in 10 of 11 games before leaving the team after the regular season...fifth on the team with 40 rushing attempts and 259 yards...averaged 6.5 yards per carry...made one start at Indiana State, where he had a season-high 51 yards on four carries...scored a touchdown in the season-opener against Drake.
2021 (NORTH DAKOTA STATE): Played in the first nine games of the year and made eight starts at running back before missing the rest of the season with an injury...rushed 65 times for 380 yards and two touchdowns...averaged 5.8 yards per carry...scored both of his touchdowns in the season opener against Albany, including a career-long 75-yard run...finished with 135 yards on 13 carries against Albany.
2020-21 (NORTH DAKOTA STATE): Played in all nine games of the spring season including one start at running back against South Dakota State...leading rusher with 91 carries and 495 yards...scored two touchdowns, both in the first round of the NCAA playoffs against Eastern Washington when he rushed 20 times for 163 yards...caught seven passes for 26 yards...named to the Missouri Valley Football Conference Honor Roll.
BLOOMINGDALE HS: 2020 graduate of Bloomingdale High School...four-year starter who played running back and linebacker under coach Jake Coulson...three-time all-conference performer...averaged 6.5 yards per carry his senior year finishing with 98 carries for 640 yards and 12 touchdowns...also had 10 receptions for 111 yards and one touchdown...rushed for 2,606 yards and 27 TDs over 43 career games averaging 5.9 yards per carry...All-conference baseball player in 2018 and 2019...hit .387 as a sophomore for team offensive MVP honors.
PERSONAL: Signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks organization out of high school...
played in the Arizona Complex League during the summers of 2021 and 2022...son of Joseph and Rachel Gonnella...father played baseball at FIU and mother was on the soccer team...older brother, Anthony, played baseball at South Florida and Florida Gulf Coast.
Gonnella Game-By-Game
2023 Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
WKU (2-2-0); Rice (2-1-1); FAU (1-0-1); UCONN (1-1-0)
