PITMAN—After capturing a share of the NJAC Championship and claiming the league’s automatic qualification to the 2015 NCAA Tournament, Salisbury University has been selected as the 2016 preseason football favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Sea Gulls will be seeking their second consecutive league championship in just their second season of NJAC associate football membership.

Salisbury received 3-of-the-10 first-place votes cast by the league head coaches. Led by the 2015 NJAC Coach of the Year in Sherman Wood, the Sea Gulls have produced an overall record of 122-60 during his 17 years at the helm of the program. The 2015 Sea Gulls finished 7-3 overall and posted a 7-1 mark in conference play, earning a share of the league title and the conference’s NCAA bid via its head-to-head win over Wesley. Salisbury returns seven all-conference players from its 2015 NJAC Co-Championship squad, including senior fullback Connor Canonico, junior punter Timothy Steindl, junior kicker Alex Potocko, senior quarterback Ryan Jones, senior offensive lineman Riley Cannon, senior offensive lineman Justin Field, and the 2015 NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Year in sophomore defensive back Shane Gaines.

Wesley College, which claimed a share of the 2015 NJAC Championship in its first year as an associate member, was selected to place second and received a league-high five first-place votes. The 2015 Wolverines earned an at-large bid to the 2015 NCAA Tournament and posted NCAA wins over Framingham State and Johns Hopkins before falling to eventual national champion Mount Union in the NCAA third round. Wesley head coach Mike Drass has guided the Wolverines to and overall record of 210-56-1 during his 23 years in Dover, including a record of 11-2 in 2015. Wesley returns a league-high nine all-conference players from a squad that captured a share of the NJAC championship with an 8-1 mark in league play, including senior running back Jamar Baynard, senior wide receiver James Okike, senior wide receiver/returner Bryce Shade, senior offensive lineman Austin Eagle, junior offensive lineman Matt Gono, junior linebacker Samer Manna, senior defensive back Andre Connally, sophomore wide receiver Alex Kemp and senior defensive lineman Roderick Caine.

The coaches’ dark horse selection for the second consecutive season, Frostburg State University was selected to place third and received one first-place vote. Third-year FSU head coach DeLane Fitzgerald guided the 2015 Bobcats to a 6-4 overall record, including a mark of 5-4 in league play for a fourth place finish in the program’s first season as an NJAC associate football member. Fitzgerald has guided the Bobcats to a record of 10-10 during his two seasons, giving him 34 career collegiate coaching victories. Frostburg State returns six all-conference players from its 2015 squad, including senior defensive lineman William Sewell, senior kicker Isaac Robinson, junior offensive lineman Jake Townsend, senior linebacker Lyle Fugate, the reigning NJAC Special Teams Player of the Year in senior returner Austin Bonsall, and the 2015 NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year in sophomore quarterback Connor Cox.

Rowan University, which finished 6-4 overall in 2015, was selected to place fourth and received one first-place vote. The 2015 Profs tied for fourth place in the league race with a 5-4 mark in conference play. Now in his 15th season at the helm of the Rowan program, Jay Accorsi had guided the Profs to an overall mark of 109-43. Rowan returns seven all-conference players from its 2015 squad, including senior defensive back Bobby Barbieri, senior defensive back Jared Sanchez, junior defensive back Shaquille Lee, junior returner Jamel Smith, senior linebacker John Barrillo, senior punter Mark Diedrichsen, and sophomore offensive lineman Sean Henigin.

Kean University, which posted an 8-3 overall record in 2015, while earning a victory over Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the ECAC Presidents Bowl, was selected to place fifth. The 2015 Cougars finished third in the NJAC regular season race with a 6-3 mark in league play. Now in his 11th season at Kean, Dan Garrett has guided the Cougars to an overall mark of 60-45. Kean returns six all-conference players from its 2015 ECAC Bowl Championship squad, including senior linebacker Robert Meade III, senior defensive back Austin Davis, senior running back Damian Corredor, junior offensive lineman Justin Rodriguez, senior linebacker Stephan Lewis, and senior defensive back David Coleman Jr.

Montclair State University, under the direction of the winningest active football coach in NCAA Division III in Rick Giancola, was selected to place sixth. Under the leadership of Giancola, MSU has produced an overall mark of 230-110-2 in his 33 seasons at the helm of the Red Hawks’ program. The 2015 Red Hawks posted a 4-6 overall record and tied for seventh in the NJAC standings with a 4-5 mark in league play. MSU returns a trio of all-conference players from its 2015 squad, including senior defensive lineman Joe Falato, senior offensive lineman Dan Giangrande, and junior defensive lineman Vincent Cordasco.

Christopher Newport University, which posted a 4-6 overall record in 2015 while tying for seventh in the NJAC standings with a 4-5 mark of league play in its first NJAC season, was selected to place seventh. Captains’ head coach Matt Kelchner has guided CNU to an overall record of 102-57 during his 15 seasons in Newport News. CNU returns a trio of all-conference players from its 2015 squad, including senior wide receiver/returner Taylor Loudan, senior offensive lineman Scott Fahey, and senior offensive lineman Colin Moog.

The College of New Jersey, which will be led by new head coach Rocky Hager, was selected to finish eighth. Hager, who enters the season with a career collegiate head coaching record of 111-72-1, inherits a Lions squad that finished 4-5 overall in 2015 and tied for fourth in the NJAC with a 4-4 league record. TCNJ returns three all-conference players from its 2015 squad, including senior defensive lineman Abdelrahman Ragab, senior offensive lineman Hank Harvey, and junior linebacker Troy Domenick. 

William Paterson University, led by ninth-year head coach Jerry Flora, was selected to place ninth. Flora has guided the Pioneers to 31 wins during his tenure in Wayne, including an overall mark of 2-8 in 2015. WPU returns a pair of all-conference players from its 2015 squad in senior wide receiver Malcolm Robinson and junior defensive lineman Omar Mahmoud.

Southern Virginia University, which will be led by new first-year head coach Joe DuPaix, was selected to place 10th. DuPaix inherits a Knights squad that finished 0-10 in 2015 and returns a trio of all-conference performers in junior tight end Michael Carroll, sophomore offensive lineman Sam Tetterton, and senior linebacker Bill Katoa.

The 48th season of NJAC football will kick off on Friday, September 2 when Wesley hosts Delaware Valley and Salisbury hosts Albright in the first two non-conference contests of the year. The first NJAC game of the season will take place just one day later when Christopher Newport hosts Kean in the league-opener. In total, nine NJAC teams will be in action during the first weekend of play (September 2-3), with Montclair State opening its season one week later on Friday, September 9.

The winner of the NJAC championship receives the conference’s automatic qualification to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.

2016 NJAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll

1. Salisbury (3)

2. Wesley (5)

3. Frostburg State (1) (dark horse)

4. Rowan (1)

5. Kean

6. Montclair State

7. Christopher Newport

8. The College of New Jersey

9. William Paterson

10. Southern Virginia

first place votes in parenthesis