STONY BROOK, N.Y. — When Malik Love visited Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium with the New Hampshire football team last Oct. 12, the receiver already knew he intended to spend the 2020-21 academic year elsewhere.

He had no clue while on Long Island last season that he would be joining his CAA Football opponent from that day.

Love went on to sign with the Seawolves in late April as a graduate transfer.

"I honestly had no idea at that point," Love said. "I was just preparing for the game."

Love graduated from UNH in 2019 with a bachelor's degree in recreational management and policy and minor in business. He then spent the past year at the Durham, N.H., school studying sports kinesiology. Some of those graduate credits will transfer to Stony Brook, where he will study liberal arts while also pursuing a certificate in coaching.

He was the Wildcats' leading receiver in 2019, with 48 catches and 542 yards.  That included MVP honors in the season-ending 28-10 rivalry win against Maine, when he capped his UNH career with 115 receiving yards.

He had a career-best 70 receptions for 733 yards as a sophomore. In all, he totaled 180 receptions for 1,810 yards. 

Love had an additional year of eligibility after suffering a torn hamstring in 2018 that limited him to two games, although he was always intrigued by spending a graduate year elsewhere.

He was attracted to Stony Brook because of its potential to propel him into the professional ranks. With Saturday's signing of Connor Davis by the New York Jets, the Seawolves currently have four players in NFL camps.

"Talking to Coach P and all of the coaches, I just felt it was the best position for me to further my career academically and on the field," Love said, referring to Stony Brook head coach Chuck Priore.

Love aspires to play professional football. He has his sights set on coaching after his playing career is done — whether that's football, basketball or baseball.

At Alcoa (Tenn.) High School, he played all three sports, including point guard on the basketball team and center field on the baseball team. He was district MVP and all-state in football and all-region in basketball and baseball. He then spent a year at Holdnerness Prep in New Hampshire and amassed 1,197 yards and 20 touchdowns in eight games en route to being named to the All-New England prep team.

During his lone season on Long Island, Love is particularly looking forward to becoming a favorite target of Stony Brook redshirt senior quarterback Tyquell Fields. The Seawolves graduated 2019 leading receiver Nick Anderson (870 yards) as well as No. 2 Andrew Trent (507) and No. 3 Jean Constant (439).

"He's definitely athletic," Love said about Fields. "He can keep those plays going. When the pocket breaks down, or maybe a lineman misses a block, he can extend the play. I'm definitely looking forward to catching the ball from him as well as making some big plays with him.

"Watching him in the games — even watching some film on him since being here — you can tell he has that leadership role that you want from a quarterback. He's experienced. I can't wait to get started with him."