Aug. 20, 2002

Somerset, N.J. - A perennial contender for the NEC football championship, Albany has emerged as the favorite to collect its first league crown, according to a preseason poll of NEC head coaches. The Great Danes were awarded four first place votes, narrowly edging out Robert Morris, which received three votes. Defending NEC and I-AA Mid-Major champion Sacred Heart was selected third, earning a single first place nod. Monmouth claimed the fourth spot in the poll, followed by Central Connecticut State, Stony Brook, Wagner and St. Francis (PA).

Albany (7-3, 5-2 NEC) has knocked on the door in each of its three years as a member of the NEC, but has yet to cash in with its first conference championship. In 2001, the Great Danes remained in title contention until a late season loss to Robert Morris forced head coach Bob Ford and his charges to settle for third place. With many of the pieces returning this season, Albany has emerged as the preseason NEC favorite and will likely retain its status as an elite contender for the NEC crown.

While the Great Danes have led the NEC rushing offense the last three seasons, they must find a way to replace Brian Manigault, who finished his career fourth on the school's all-time rushing list and gained 946 yards in 2001. Junior Dustin Wilson (Kirkwood, NY/Susquehanna Valley) served as Manigault's understudy at tailback, but seems ready to emerge in his own right this season. He will compete for a starting spot with sophomore Rohann Vidal (Laurelton, NY/Holy Cross) and Hudson Valley CC transfer Gary Jones (Ravena, NY/Hudson CC). At fullback, junior Jon George (Scotia, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake) is as steady as they come. Senior Ryan Roeder (Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem Catholic) appears ready to take over on a full-time basis at quarterback after sharing duties with Marcus Rotondi in each of the past two seasons. Despite missing two games following off-season surgery, Roeder passed for 1,019 yards and seven touchdowns. With stellar wideouts Chris Phillis (a three-time all-NEC performer) and Jay McFarlane lost to graduation, Ford spent the spring season searching for their replacements. One possibility is Shawn Miller (Troy, NY/Hudson Valley CC), a first-team All-America receiver at Hudson Valley CC, who caught 41 passes and nine touchdowns in 2001. The Great Danes are solid up front with the return of Sports Network Preseason All-America guard Alex Argulewicz (Wallkill, NY/Wallkill Central) and second team all-NEC left tackle Geir Gudmundsen (Saugerties, NY/Saugerties).

Albany lowered its scoring defense by more than nine points per game last season, relying on the terrific all-around play of Josh Bazan (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Spellman), the Football Gazette Mid-Major Linebacker of the Year. Bazan caused an NEC-high four forced fumbles and led the Great Danes in tackles (103) and hits for a loss (17). The senior is a two-time first team all-NEC pick. The ringleader of the Albany secondary is senior free safety Samson Brown (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Spellman), a three-time NEC all-star. Brown ranked second in the conference last season with five interceptions. One of three returnees on the defensive line, second team all-NEC selection John Bolt (Watervliet, NY/Watervliet) paced the Great Danes with five sacks and bolstered a run defense that finished 17th nationally. Though the departure of Bryan Bagstad - whose 22 career field goals ranks him third in NEC history - has left a void at placekicker, senior Billy Pike (Lawrence, NY/Lawrence) returns to handle punting chores. Pike was named to the all-NEC second team in 2001 after placing an NEC-high 19 punts inside the opponents' 20 yard line.

Robert Morris (6-3, 6-1 NEC) found itself in a completely unfamiliar position at the conclusion of the 2001 season - second place. After five straight years of either sharing or winning the NEC championship outright, Robert Morris succumbed to I-AA Mid-Major Champion Sacred Heart, which defeated the Colonials, 44-31, in an early season matchup of the two best teams in the conference. However, there are many who believe the head-to-head result may have been different had the contest taken place later in the season when the Colonials regrouped after an 0-3 start to win their final seven games, all in dominating fashion. With just four starters returning on a defense that ranked eighth in the NEC and a key loss on offense, head coach Joe Walton has his work cut out for him as Robert Morris heads into battle to reclaim its crown. There is no other way to describe the graduation of Tim Levcik - the all-time leading passer in both Robert Morris and NEC history - as anything other than devastating. Levcik was a two-time NEC Offensive Player of the Year and the Colonials posted a brilliant 29-11 record during his tenure. While Levcik attempts to earn a roster spot with the Miami Dolphins after signing as a free agent, Walton spent most of the spring looking for a new quarterback. Sophomore Richard Demaio (Pittsburgh, PA/Chartiers Valley), who did not see any time behind center in 2001, appears to be the favorite, but he will be pushed by a number of candidates including senior Shawn Martin (Jamaica, NY/Canarsie), who caught 25 passes at wide receiver last season. While quarterback will be a huge question mark, there is no such trepidation at running back, where senior Sam Dorsett (Hollywood, FL/Flanagan) returns for his senior campaign. Dorsett, a two-time all-NEC honoree who was named a I-AA Mid-Major All-America, is a lightning quick tailback who has posted back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons to lead the NEC in rushing yardage in 2000 and 2001. Junior Dante Settles (Washington, D.C./Northwestern) made a smooth transition from running back to wide receiver in 2001, grabbing 16 passes. He will be joined by sophomore Stephen McNair (Miami, FL/Miami Edison), a speedy wideout and preseason all-NEC pick who made an impact as a long ball threat as a freshman. The offensive line features junior center Kevin Wachhaus (Lancaster, PA/Manheim), a two-time NEC all-star and the 6-8, 320 lb. Scott Konchek (Coatesville, PA/Coatesville), a senior who is a preseason all-NEC selection. A number of new faces will be integrated into Dan Radakovich's defense this season. Junior defensive end Alex Wilson (Staten Island, NY/St. Peter's) is the most experienced hand on a young defensive line, while sophomore linebackers Jon LeDonne (Aliquippa, PA/Aliquippa) and Justin Marino (Uniontown, OH/Green) will look to pick up some of the slack left by the graduation of Reggie Chambers, a first team all-NEC standout. Senior Jason Hempstead (Richmond, VA/Highland Springs) enters his fourth year as a starter at strong safety. He is the team's leading returning tackler (66). Preseason all-NEC senior cornerback Corey Oaks (Pittsburgh, PA/Perry) picked off a team-best three passes to earn second team status in 2001. Walton will also have to find a way to replace placekicker. Jeff Carlo, the NEC's all-time leader with 35 field goals.

The golden era of football at defending I-AA Mid-Major champion Sacred Heart (11-0, 8-0 NEC) has a new man at the controls. Bill Lacey, who handled offensive coordinator duties the last two seasons, will attempt to follow in the footsteps of Jim Fleming, who in two seasons at the helm of the Pioneers posted a superb 21-1 record, and in 2001 presided over the program's first NEC championship and ECAC Football Classic victory over Duquesne before landing a job as secondary and special teams coach at North Carolina. While this will be Lacey's first opportunity as head coach, he does not enter the season empty-handed. Sacred Heart returns 51 players from last season's 11-0 squad, though Lacey will have to fill gaping holes at quarterback, running back and wide receiver where NEC all-stars Justin Holtfreter, Marvin Royal and DeVeren Johnson (a sixth round pick of the Dallas Cowboys) helped the Pioneers average a league record 40.9 points per game but were all lost to graduation. Vying for the quarterback position are sophomores Steve Clayton (Pontiac, MI/Pontiac Central) and EJ Nemeth (Mercerville, NJ/Notre Dame), both of whom come off strong spring practice seasons. Also in the running is Joe Kroells (Burbank, CA/Glendale CC), a transfer from Glendale (CA) Community College. Junior Jason Bonadies (Southbridge, MA/Southbridge), who was productive in limited action last season, will attempt to fill Royal's shoes at running back, while wideouts Doug Geoffrey (Meriden, CT/O.H. Platt) and Andrew Gonzalez (Willimantic, CT/Windham) are veterans who combined for 49 receptions and five touchdowns in 2001. The offensive line is headed by preseason all-NEC senior tackle Jason St. John (Oakville, CT/Watertown). Defense should continue to be a strong suit for the Pioneers - the team paced the NEC in scoring defense (15.2 ppg) and interceptions (24) last season - with two-time NEC Defensive Player of the Year Kayode Mayowa (Providence, RI/Lasalle Academy) returning for his senior campaign. Mayowa, who plugs holes at middle linebacker, is a terrific athlete whose pursues the ball as well as anyone in the conference. He is joined at linebacker by Craig Capurso (Bristol, CT/Bristol Central), who appears primed for a big senior season after finishing fourth on the team in tackles in 2001. All four starters return on the defensive line, including first team all-NEC standout Shaun Hubbard (Neptune, NJ/Fort Scott CC), whose 8.5 sacks tied for the league lead. In the secondary, senior Blake Neri (Dover, NH/Dover) led the league with six pickoffs and was voted to the all-NEC second team, while 2000 NEC Rookie of the Year Brian Pawlowski (Branchburg, NJ/Immaculata) broke up ten passes, including three interceptions. Senior Tim Redican (Meriden, CT/Maloney) booted nine field goals last season and led all NEC placekickers with 76 points.

One of only three schools to ever win an NEC football crown (the others: Robert Morris and Sacred Heart), Monmouth (7-3, 5-2 NEC) reemerged as a title contender last season, relying on a suffocating defense. The Hawks shutout three opponents, allowed 20 or more points in a game just twice and ranked second in the conference in both scoring and total defense. With improved offensive output - the Hawks lifted their scoring average by nearly six points per contest - Monmouth hung in the title race until losing to Sacred Heart on the final weekend of the season. Though head coach Kevin Callahan returns six starters on offense, the most telling loss will be that of running back Matt Merklinger, who ranked second in the conference in all-purpose yardage in 2001. Senior tailback Chad Smith (Pleasantville, NJ/St. Augustine Prep) will likely inherit his spot in the lineup. After a strong freshman campaign, Smith saw limited playing time in each of his next two seasons, though he was effective when called upon - witness his 5.6 yards per carry in 2001. Handing the ball to Smith will be strong-armed junior signal caller Bill Rankin (Toms River, NJ/Toms River South), who ranks second on the Monmouth career passing list with 3,179 yards. The Hawks are 12-8 in games he has started over the last two years. Rankin will look to establish new connections in 2002 with just one returning player on the roster - junior wideout Billy Lynn (Fair Lawn, NJ/Fair Lawn) - who has caught a collegiate pass. Lynn hauled in 24 aerials last season. The offensive line suffered a blow with the graduation of all-NEC performers Eric Buraszeski and Matt Herdman, but the return of a healthy Mike Viturello (West Orange, NJ/West Orange) at right tackle (6-4, 340 lbs.) should help cushion the losses. A terrific defense could even get better in 2002 with nine starters back in the fold. A wealth of talent is spread across the defensive line, including a pair of all-NEC standouts in Chris Ammacher (Hawthorne, NJ/Hawthorne) and Sean Kerr (Summit, NJ/Summit). Ammacher, a senior defensive end, tied for the league lead with 8.5 sacks last season, while Kerr, a junior defensive tackle, was effective in plugging the run. The linebacking corps features the return of Joe Sentipal (Hasbrouck Heights, NJ/Hasbrouck Heights), a first team all-NEC pick in 2000 who contracted mono two games into the 2001 campaign. He joins sophomore Dan Blazosky (Coaldale, PA/Panther Valley), a two-time NEC Rookie of the Week last season. In the secondary, All-America free safety Aaron Edwards must be replaced, but Monmouth can rely on second team all-NEC cornerback Michael Pitts (Tenafly, NJ/Tenafly). Pitts, a senior, picked off a team-high three passes. Senior Justin Rosato (Old Bridge, NJ/St. John Vianney) logged 39 solo tackles from his strong safety spot. One of the top placekickers in the conference, senior Ryan Peterson (Monroeville, PA/Delsea Regional) was successful on 10-15 attempts, while punter Glenn Nicholl (Hazlet, NJ/Raritan) dropped 17 kicks inside the 20-yard line.

After a near complete roster upheaval by Paul Schudel in his first year guiding the Central Connecticut State (2-7, 2-5 NEC) program in 2001, the 37-year coaching veteran seems to have the pieces in place for a surge into the upper half of the NEC standings. In compiling a 2-7 record last season, the young Blue Devil squad dropped four games by seven points or less and nearly defeated St. Peter's, which ranked #3 in the final Sports Network I-AA Mid-Major poll. With an abundance of talent at skill positions on offense and nine starters returning on a defense that ranked third in the NEC, the Blue Devils are loaded with potential, but will be challenged immediately with games at Maine and UMass to kickoff the season, followed by road tilts at Albany and Robert Morris. One of the few holdovers on offense last season, senior tailback Clinton Dunston (New Bedford, MA/New Bedford) looks to put an exclamation point on his fine career at CCSU. Dunston finished fourth in the conference with 761 yards and scored five touchdowns in 2001. The preseason all-NEC performer has led the Blue Devils in rushing in each of his three seasons and ranks eighth on the NEC career chart with 2,053 yards. Though Dunston has the edge in experience, he will be fighting for the starting tailback position with senior Major Cole (Buffalo, NY/Alfred JC), who galloped for 487 yards and averaged over five yards per carry in 2001. One of the positives to come out of last season was the play of quarterback Scott Dolch (Finksburg, MD/Hargrave Military), who was handed the reigns as a freshman. A pocket quarterback, Dolch threw for 1,113 yards and ten touchdowns. His prime target was classmate Nick Dresko (Southington, CT/Southington), whose 37 receptions tied an NEC single-season record for freshman. Dresko also grabbed five touchdown catches. Senior wideout Brian Frederick (Meriden, CT/Platt) and senior tight end Mike Malone (Williamstown, NJ/Williamstown) are experienced hands, each of whom caught 18 passes last season. On the offensive line, senior guard Gaeton Camillo (Sloan, NY/St. Francis) is a three starter and junior left tackle Anthony Almeida (Rehoboth, MA/Dighton-Rehoboth) is a rising star in the conference. Defense was CCSU's strong suit last season, and figures to be once again in 2001. Senior defensive tackle Michael Kirk (Stormville, NY/Carmel) is a Sports Network Preseason I-AA Mid-Major All-America selection, coming off a fine junior campaign that saw him effectively bottle the run while making 49 tackles. Seniors Ramsby Roland (Brooklyn, NY/Nazareth) and Travis Lewis (Brentwood, NY/Brentwood) stood out at linebacker and combined for 131 tackles, 17 of which were for losses. In the secondary, Chris Blackshear (Fort Pierce, FL/Port St. Lucie) made an instant impact as a freshman, intercepting four passes and breaking up eight others. Frederick will once again handle double duty by serving as the Blue Devils' placekicker. Senior Michael Kien (Penfield, NY/Penfield) averaged 34.2 yards per punt in 2001.

With a brand new, state-of-the-art stadium ready for its unveiling on September 14, Stony Brook (3-6, 3-5 NEC) football has generated quite a buzz on Long Island as the Seawolves look for their first winning campaign since 1996. Under the leadership of longtime head coach Sam Kornhauser, Stony Brook may be the sleeper team of the NEC with 17-of-22 starters returning on offense and defense. Kornhauser's decision to start Scott Bard (Plantsville, CT/Southington) at quarterback last season was brilliant in retrospect. Bard ranked first in the conference in passing yardage per game (243.3 ypg) and completion percentage (59.2 percent), and gave the Seawolves a legitimate big play threat. Now a senior, Bard is flanked by an array of talented wide receivers, including Chris McGovern (Deer Park, NY/Deer Park) and preseason all-NEC pick Londre Blocker (Manhasset, NY/Manhasset). McGovern reeled in 48 passes in 2001 to rank second in the league, while Blocker was named the NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year following a 31-catch campaign. Taking some of the pressure off Bard is junior tailback Ken Lockhart (Flanders, NJ/Mount Olive), who came into his own last season, churning out 618 yards on the ground. After missing the entire 2001 season with injuries, junior running back Clinton Graham (Milton, MA/Worcester Academy) returns to the gridiron. Graham displayed vast potential in 2000, gaining 456 yards in a limited role. Four year letterwinner Adam Sabia (Centereach, NY/Centereach) anchors the offensive line at center. With ten defensive starters back in the fold, Stony Brook should show marked improvement, especially against the pass where the Seawolves ranked seventh in the conference. Defensive tackle Chimezie Okobi (Freeport, NY/Freeport) was one of the top first year defensive players in the league last season and led the team with 6.5 sacks. Senior linebacker Aden Smith (Rockville Centre, NY/Malverne) was a second team all-NEC pick in 2001 after topping the conference with 112 tackles. Veteran free safety Dan Bertzos (Plantsville, CT/Southington) comes off another solid campaign that saw him finish second on the Seawolves with 81 takedowns. The senior is paired in the secondary with rising star Ernie Williams (Teaneck, NJ/Teaneck), a sophomore cornerback who picked off two passes last season. Junior Mike Soto (East Rockaway, NY/East Rockaway) is a dependable placekicker who booted six field goals in nine attempts.

Wagner (3-6, 3-5 NEC) fans may have been caught somewhat off guard in 2001, when the Seahawks dropped under .500 for the first time since 1978 and the only time in Walt Hameline's 21-year tenure as head coach. While Wagner scored with relative ease last season, the team struggled defensively, yielding nearly 31 points per outing en-route to a 3-6 campaign. Hameline returns ten starters on defense but continued to stockpile defensive talent in the offseason in an attempt to reverse the momentum and return the Seahawks to contender status. After sharing time with Aaron Smith last season, senior Chris Spina (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) will direct Wagner's offense full-time in 2002. Blessed with good football instincts, Spina displayed glimpses of potential in limited action, most notably his three touchdown performance in a 35-30 loss to Albany last September. After losing Jason Bain and Chuck Kinsley - the NEC's all-time pass reception leaders - to graduation following the 2000 campaign, the Seahawks are now faced with replacing All-American tight end Daryn Plummer and all-NEC wideout Lou Simone, who combined for 92 catches and 17 touchdowns last season. Look for newcomers Sean Simmons (Gilroy, NY/Cal-Northridge) and Shaun Grover (Cheshire, CT/Cheshire) to step into the void. No such problems confront Hameline at running back, where junior Chris Davis (Windsor, CT/Tabor Academy) and sophomore Tyshon Henderson (Neptune, NJ/Neptune) give the Seahawks one of the better one-two punches in the conference. Davis finished sixth in the league with 627 yards rushing, while the ultra-quick Henderson averaged 5.6 yards per carry. The Seahawks must replace three starters on the offensive line, but do return junior center Brian Dilworth (Atlantic Highlands, NJ/Middletown South). While Wagner finished eighth in the NEC in scoring defense and ninth in passing defense, the building blocks are in place for a turnaround, with several talented performers making their way back. The most recognizable figure is senior linebacker Jeremy Balina (Neptune, NJ/Neptune), a second team all-NEC selection who led the conference with 27 tackles behind the line of scrimmage in 2001. The secondary features senior strong safety Kharee Shorter (Wyncote, PA/Cheltenham), a second team all-league honoree and senior strong safety/linebacker Ryan Castellani (Peckville, PA/Valley View), each of whom picked off three passes last season. On the defensive line, juniors Luke Schmidt (Lake Oswego, OR/Lakeridge) and Franklin Bright (Waltham, MA/Belmont) combined for 30 TFL's, while senior John Harrison (Hart, CA/College of the Canyons JC) tied for the team lead with five sacks. Castellani has led the NEC in punt return average in each of the last two seasons and maintains a career mark of 13.1 yards per return. Junior Robbie Pate (Huntington Beach, CA/Orange Coast College) will step in and take over placekicking duties.

On the heels of two consecutive winless campaigns, St. Francis (PA) (0-10, 0-7 NEC) opted for a change in leadership in the offseason, hiring Dave Opfar as the 24th head coach in the program's football history dating back to 1909. Opfar brings a legacy of success to Loretto, going back to his playing days at Penn State, where he was a starting defensive tackle on the Nittany Lions' 1982 national championship team. Most recently, he concluded a successful three year stint as defensive coordinator at Washington & Jefferson, where he helped lead the Presidents to a 29-6 record during his tenure. While Opfar's objective is to inject new life into the struggling program, he may be forced to take a trial-by-fire approach with just eight seniors listed on the 2002 roster. With a year of experience under his belt, sophomore signal caller Kevin McCray (Jacksonville, FL/Stanton College Prep) has a leg up on the competition. An option quarterback with excellent athletic instincts, McCray threw for over 900 yards as a freshman. He will contend with newcomers Nathan Coughlin (San Diego, CA/Scripps Ranch) and Derek Border (Huntingdon, PA/Huntingdon) for the starting position as the Red Flash look to improve on their scoring production (7.8 ppg in 2001). Juniors Michael Hall (Baltimore, MD/Parkville) and Tim Smith (Brooklyn, NY/Holy Cross), along with sophomore Ryan Williams (Southfield, MI/Southfield-Lathrup) are expected to carry the load at running back. Hall has led the team in rushing in each of his first two seasons, while Williams paced the Red Flash in all-purpose offense in his first year with the club. Smith has seen limited playing time, but comes off an outstanding spring season. Veteran Cedric Hudson (Harrisburg, PA/Bishop McDevitt) is a long ball threat at wideout and will team with junior Matt Rychlicki (Greensburg, PA/Hempfield), the team's leading receiver in 2000 who returns to the gridiron after a year away from the program. Senior Albert Hammers (Warriors Mark, PA/Tyrone) is a three-year starter on the offensive line. The Red Flash had trouble keeping teams out of its own end zone last season, allowing a league-high 38.1 ppg. With that in mind, Opfar will look to his secondary to shoulder much of the burden in 2002. Senior Daunte Neal (Marbury, MD/Lackey), an all-NEC pick two seasons ago and a 2002 preseason all-league honoree, will be switched from free safety to strong safety. He has made a team-high 210 stops over the last two years. Junior Marcus Haines (Pittsburgh, PA/Westinghouse), who led the Red Flash with 77 tackles in 2001, will take over at free safety. Junior cornerback Jimmy Landrom (Pontiac, MI/Pontiac Northern) is also back after leading last year's squad with four interceptions. Senior Joe Ott (Lehighton, PA/Marian Catholic) is a mainstay at inside linebacker for St. Francis, while junior defensive end Aaron Herring (Pontiac, MI/Pontiac Northern) and sophomore defensive tackle Jason Dean (Nanjemoy, MD/Lackey) are steady hands on the defensive line.

Northeast Conference
2002 Football Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Albany (4)
2. Robert Morris (3)
3. Sacred Heart (1)
4. Monmouth
5. Central Connecticut State
6. Stony Brook
7. Wagner
8. St. Francis (PA)
First place votes in parenthesis