PITMAN—After capturing a share of their second consecutive NJAC Championship and claiming the league’s automatic qualification to the 2016 NCAA Tournament, Wesley College has been selected as the 2017 preseason football favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Wolverines will be seeking their third consecutive league championship as an NJAC associate league football member.
Wesley received a league-high eight first-place votes cast by the league’s 10 head coaches. Under the leadership of 25th-year head coach Mike Drass, the Wolverines have produced an overall record of 219-59-1, including a mark of 20-5 since joining the NJAC in 2015. The 2016 Wesley squad finished 9-3 overall and shared the league title with Frostburg State. Both programs produced identical 8-1 conference records, but Wesley garnered the league’s automatic bid via a head-to-head win over the Bobcats. The Wolverines then proceeded to defeat Middle Atlantic Conference Champion Stevenson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before falling on the road to national semifinalist John Carroll in the NCAA second round. Wesley returns a league-high nine all-conference players from its 2016 NJAC Co-Championship squad, including junior wide receiver Alex Kemp, senior offensive lineman Matt Gono, senior linebacker Samer Manna, senior quarterback Nick Falkenberg, senior defensive lineman Isaiah Ingram, senior defensive back DeJahn Lowery, senior offensive lineman Blake Roberts, junior defensive lineman Nick Glover, and the 2016 NJAC Offensive Co-Rookie of the Year in sophomore running back E.J. Lee.
Frostburg State University, which claimed a share of the 2016 NJAC Championship in just its second year as an associate league member, was selected to place second and received two first-place votes. The 2016 Bobcats earned a share of the league title with an 8-1 mark in conference play before claiming a victory over St. John Fisher in the ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl to wrap up a 10-1 season overall. Led by the 2016 NJAC Coach of the Year in DeLane Fitzgerald, the Bobcats have produced a 20-11 mark during his three seasons in Frostburg, improving Fitzgerald’s career collegiate coaching record to 44-41. The Bobcats return seven all-conference players from their 2016 NJAC Co-Championship squad, including senior offensive lineman Jake Townsend, senior defensive lineman Niles Scott, senior linebacker Dre’Quan Reed, senior defensive back Josh Washington, senior wide receiver/kick returner Russell Neverdon, senior offensive lineman Christian Walsh, and senior defensive lineman Jordan Procter.
Salisbury University, which finished 8-3 overall in 2016 including a victory over Carnegie Mellon in the ECAC Legacy Bowl, was selected to place third. The 2016 Sea Gulls tied for third place in the NJAC conference race with a 6-3 mark in league play. Led by 19th-year head coach Sherman Wood, Salisbury has produced an overall record of 130-63 under his leadership. The Sea Gulls return four all-conference players from their 2016 ECAC Bowl winning squad, including senior kicker Alex Potocko, senior running back Ryan Kolb, senior running back Brady Curley, and the 2016 NJAC Special Teams Player of the Year in junior kick returner Sean Rowland.
Rowan University, which finished 6-4 overall in 2016, was selected to place fourth. The 2016 Profs tied for fifth place in the conference race with a 5-4 mark in league play. Now in his 16th season at the helm of the Rowan program, Jay Accorsi had guided the Profs to an overall record of 115-47. Rowan returns one all-conference players from its 2016 squad in senior safety Shaquille Lee.
The coaches’ dark horse selection, Kean University was selected to finish fifth. The 2016 Cougars posted a 7-4 overall record including a victory over former NJAC foe SUNY Cortland in the ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl. Kean tied for fifth place in the 2016 conference race with a 5-4 mark in league play. Led by 12th-year head coach Dan Garrett, the Cougars have produced an overall record of 67-49 during his tenure in Union. Kean returns six all-conference players from its 2016 ECAC Bowl winning squad, including senior defensive lineman Darin Hungerford, senior running back Brian Matthews, senior offensive lineman Joe Bick, senior offensive lineman Justin Rodriguez, junior defensive lineman Peter Lejawa, and senior kicker Aryeh Moslavi.
Christopher Newport University, which will be led by new first-year head coach Art Link, was selected to finish sixth. Link inherits a Captains squad which tied for third in the 2016 conference race with a 6-3 league mark en route to finishing 7-3 overall. CNU returns five all-conference players from the 2016 season, including senior quarterback K.J. Kearney, senior defensive lineman Chris Coggins, senior linebacker Brennan Gary, senior defensive back Justus Drakeford, and senior tight end Danny Mattson.
Montclair State University, under the direction of the winningest active football coach in NCAA Division III in Rick Giancola, was selected to place seventh. Under the leadership of Giancola, the Red Hawks have produced an overall mark of 234-116-2 during his 34 seasons at the helm of the MSU program. The 2016 Red Hawks posted a 4-6 overall record. MSU returns a trio of all-conference performers from its 2016 squad, including senior defensive lineman Vincent Cordasco, senior offensive lineman Kevin Merkle, and senior linebacker Joshua Betts.
Southern Virginia University, led by second-year head coach Joe DuPaix, was selected to finish eighth. The Knights posted a 2-8 overall record in DuPaix’s rookie season of 2016. SVU returns four all-conference players from the 2016 season, including senior defensive lineman Anthony Sillata, sophomore defensive back Mitch Orme, the 2016 NJAC Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year in sophomore quarterback Ty Jones, and the 2016 NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Year in sophomore defensive back Neil Davis.
William Paterson University, led by 10th-year head coach Jerry Flora, was selected to place ninth. Flora has guided the Pioneers to 33 wins during his tenure in Wayne, including an overall mark of 2-8 in 2016. WPU returns a pair of all-conference players from its 2016 squad in senior linebacker Charles Faulkner and sophomore linebacker Taheem Jackson.
The College of New Jersey, which will be led by new head coach Casey Goff, was selected to finish 10th. Goff, who enters the season with a career collegiate coaching record of 5-5, inherits a Lions squad that finished 2-8 overall in 2016. TCNJ returns a pair of all-conference players from the 2016 season in senior defensive lineman Shane Kelly and sophomore punter Zach Warcola.
The 49th season of NJAC football will kick off on Thursday, August 31 when Frostburg State hosts Stevenson and Wesley travels to Delaware Valley in the first two contests of the year featuring a pair of Top 25 match-ups. The first NJAC game of the season will take place just two days later when Southern Virginia hosts Christopher Newport in the league-opener. In total, eight NJAC teams will be in action during the first weekend of play (August 31-September 2), with only Kean and Montclair State opening their seasons one week later on Saturday, September 9.
The winner of the NJAC championship receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
2017 NJAC Football
Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Wesley (8)
2. Frostburg State (2)
3. Salisbury
4. Rowan
5. Kean (dark horse)
6. Christopher Newport
7. Montclair State
8. Southern Virginia
9. William Paterson
10. The College of New Jersey
(first place votes in parenthesis)