PITMAN—After winning the NJAC title outright and claiming the league’s automatic qualification to the 2017 NCAA Tournament, Wesley College has been selected as the 2018 preseason football favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Wolverines will be seeking their fourth consecutive league championship since becoming an NJAC associate league football member.

Wesley received a league-high seven first-place votes cast by the league’s 10 head coaches. The Wolverines have claimed at least a share of the NJAC title in each of the program’s first three seasons as an NJAC football member (2015-17). In 2017, the Wolverines finished 10-2 overall and claimed the NJAC championship with a perfect 9-0 record in league play. During the program’s 13th consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, Wesley defeated Rensselaer in the opening round before falling to eventual NCAA Tournament semifinalist Brockport in the tournament’s second round.

The 2018 season will be one of transition for the Wolverine program following the tragic passing of head coach and athletic director Mike Drass. The 2017 NJAC Coach of the Year, Drass accumulated an overall record of 229-61-1 during 25 years at the helm of the program. Chip Knapp, who served as an assistant at Wesley for 29 seasons, was elevated to the position of head coach on May 29. Knapp inherits the reins of a defending NJAC champion Wolverine squad that returns a league-high seven all-conference players from the 2017 season, including senior quarterback Khaaliq Burroughs, senior wide receiver Alex Kemp, senior defensive back Cappadonna Miller, senior tight end Andrew Eagle, senior offensive lineman Nick Glover, junior kicker/punter Nick Bruhn, and the 2017 NJAC Offensive Player of the Year in junior running back E.J. Lee.

Frostburg State University, which advanced to the national quarterfinals of the 2017 NCAA Tournament after earning an NCAA at-large bid, was selected to place second and received three first-place votes. The 2018 Bobcats finished 8-1 in conference and 11-2 overall including NCAA Tournament road wins over undefeated Wittenberg and Washington & Jefferson before falling at eventual NCAA Division III national champion Mount Union in the quarterfinals. Under the leadership of fifth-year head coach DeLane Fitzgerald, Frostburg State has accumulated a record of 31-13, while Fitzgerald’s career collegiate coaching record stands at 55-43. The Bobcats return six all-conference players from their 2017 NCAA Tournament squad, including senior quarterback Connor Cox, senior running back Jamaal Morant, senior offensive lineman Riley Hartman, senior wide receiver Sergio Andrino, senior offensive lineman O’Shane McCall, and junior linebacker Monte Jones.

Salisbury University, which finished 7-4 overall in 2017 including a postseason appearance in the ECAC Scotty M. Whitelaw Bowl, was selected to finish third. In three seasons as an NJAC associate football member, the Sea Gulls have never placed lower than third, highlighted by a first-place finish in 2015. Under the leadership of 20th-year head coach Sherman Wood, Salisbury has accumulated an overall mark of 137-67. The Sea Gulls return a trio of all-conference players from a team that notched a third-place NJAC showing in 2017 with a 7-2 conference record, including junior offensive lineman Tyler Rossello, senior offensive lineman Andrew Houck, and junior defensive back Keith Payne. 

Kean University, which finished 4-6 overall in 2017, was selected to place fourth. The 2017 Cougars notched a sixth-place finish in the NJAC with a 4-5 record in conference play. Led by 13th-year head coach Dan Garrett, the Cougars have produced an overall record of 71-55 during his tenure in Union. Kean returns three all-conference players from its 2017 squad, including senior offensive lineman Chris Vurchio, senior defensive lineman Nick Sachs, and senior tight end Kyle Rooney.

Christopher Newport University, which placed fifth in the 2017 NJAC race with a 4-5 league mark, was again selected to finish fifth. The 2017 Captains notched a 5-5 record overall under first-year head coach Art Link, who is serving as just the second head coach in program history. CNU returns three all-conference players from the 2017 season, including junior offensive lineman Matt Rittenhouse, senior linebacker B.J. Hill, and the 2017 NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year in sophomore wide receiver Cole Blais. 

Rowan University, under the leadership of 17th-year head coach Jay Accorsi, was selected to place sixth. Accorsi has guided the Profs to an overall mark of 119-53 during his tenure in Glassboro, including a record of 4-6 overall in 2017. Rowan returns one all-conference player from its 2017 squad in senior defensive lineman Kevin Stokes. 

The coaches’ dark horse pick, The College of New Jersey was selected to place seventh. First-year head coach Casey Goff guided the 2017 Lions to a 4-6 overall record, giving Goff nine career coaching victories on the collegiate level. TCNJ returns a trio of all-conference performers from the 2017 season, including junior punter Zach Warcola, junior wide receiver Vincent Guckin, and senior linebacker Max Busca. 

Montclair State University, under the direction of the winningest active football coach in NCAA Division III in Rick Giancola, was selected to place eighth. Under the leadership of Giancola, the Red Hawks have produced an overall mark of 239-121-2 during his 35 seasons at the helm of the program. The 2017 Red Hawks posted a 5-5 overall record and finished fourth in the conference race with a 5-4 mark in league play. MSU returns three all-conference players from the 2017 season, including junior offensive lineman Stephen Gaffney, senior linebacker Mauro Altamura, and the 2017 NJAC Special Teams Player of the Year in senior kicker/punter Hunter Daly.

Southern Virginia University, which will be led by new first-year head coach Edwin Mulitalo, was selected to place ninth. The former 10-year NFL veteran player inherits the reins of a Knights squad which finished 2-8 overall in 2017 and returns a pair of all-league players in junior defensive back Neil Davis and sophomore running back Jewka Patetefa.

William Paterson University, which will be led by new first-year head coach Dustin Johnson, was selected to place 10th. Johnson inherits a Pioneers squad that finished 0-10 in 2017 but returns two all-conference players in senior linebacker Charles Faulkner and junior linebacker Corey Anthony.

The 50th season of NJAC football will kickoff on Thursday, August 30 when Frostburg State and Rowan travel to face Stevenson and Widener respectively. The first NJAC game of the season will take place just two days later when Southern Virginia travels to face Christopher Newport. In total, seven NJAC teams will be in action during the first weekend of the season (August 31-September 1), with only Kean, Montclair State and William Paterson opening their seasons one week later with home contests on Saturday, September 8.

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

2018 NJAC Football
Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Wesley (7)
2. Frostburg State (3)
3. Salisbury
4. Kean
5. Christopher Newport
6. Rowan
7. The College of New Jersey (dark horse)
8. Montclair State
9. Southern Virginia
10. William Paterson
(first place votes in parenthesis)