PITMAN—After earning a 42-14 victory over Westminster in the 2018 ECAC Clayton Chapman Bowl, Wesley College has been selected as the 2019  preseason football favorite in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. The Wolverines will be seeking their fourth league championship since becoming an NJAC associate league football member in 2015.

Wesley received three-of-the-eight first-place votes that were cast by the league’s head coaches. The Wolverines have claimed at least a share of the NJAC title during three-of-the-four seasons in which they have competed in the NJAC. In 2018, Wesley finished 7-4 overall and placed sixth in the NJAC regular season race with a 5-4 mark in league play. But Wesley’s four 2018 NJAC losses were by just a combined five points, including three one-point defeats and one loss by only two points. 

The 2019 Wolverines will be led by second-year head coach Chip Knapp, who was elevated to the position on May 29, 2018 following the tragic passing of former head coach and athletic director Mike Drass. Wesley returns five all-conference players from its 2018 ECAC Bowl winning squad, including senior running back E.J. Lee, senior wide receiver Ruhann Peele, junior defensive back Isiah Mitchell, senior defensive back Coray Williams, and the reigning NJAC Special Teams Player of the Year in senior wide receiver/returner Corterris Simpson.

Salisbury University, which earned an invitation to the 2018 ECAC Asa S. Bushnell Bowl en route to an 8-3 overall record, was selected to finish second and received one first-place vote. The Sea Gulls were on the verge of winning the 2018 conference title outright in their traditional Regents Cup Game at Frostburg State, before falling in overtime to the eventual NJAC Champion Bobcats to finish second in the conference with a 7-2 league mark. Now in his 21st season at the helm of the program, head coach Sherman Wood has guided the Sea Gulls to a 145-70 overall mark during his tenure. Salisbury returns five all-conference performers from its 2018 NJAC runner-up squad, including senior linebacker Patrick Bernardo, senior defensive lineman Matthew McFarland, senior linebacker Harold Kwigova, senior offensive lineman Tyler Norwood, and junior defensive back Sean Carroll.

Montclair State University, which finished third in the 2018 NJAC regular season with a 7-2 conference mark play despite being picked to place eighth in the preseason coaches’ poll, was picked to again finish third in 2019 and received three first-place votes. The Red Hawks will be led by 37th-year head coach Rick Giancola, who currently stands as the active Division III wins leader with a career mark of 247-123-2. The 2018 Red Hawks finished 8-2 overall, including a five-game winning streak to start the season and a three-game winning streak at the end the year. MSU returns a league-high eight all-conference players from its 2018 squad, including senior wide receiver/returner Kason Campbell, junior quarterback Ja’Quill Burch, junior fullback Craig Merkle, senior offensive lineman Stephen Gaffney, senior defensive back Jaier Garrett, senior tight end Brian Kowalczyk, sophomore linebacker Brennan Ray, and junior defensive back Jalen Harris.       

The coaches’ dark horse selection, Christopher Newport University, was selected to place fourth and received one first-place vote. The 2018 Captains finished 7-2 overall and 6-2 in conference for a fourth-place finish, but with both losses occurring at home in overtime.  The 2018 Captains did not get the opportunity to face eventual NJAC champion Frostburg State due to Hurricane Florence which forced postponement of the contest that was scheduled for September 15, 2018. Third-year head coach Art Link has guided CNU to an overall mark of 12-7 during his first two seasons in Newport News. The Captains return seven all-conference performers from their 2018 squad, including senior offensive lineman Matt Rittenhouse, senior defensive lineman Ben James, senior defensive back Damian Jiggetts, senior quarterback Jack Anderson, junior wide receiver Cole Blais, junior defensive back D.J. Wright, and senior linebacker Conner Ryan.

Rowan University, under the leadership of 18th-year head coach Jay Accorsi, was selected to place fifth. Accorsi has guided the Profs to an overall mark of 125-57 during his tenure in Glassboro, including a record of 6-4 overall in 2018. Rowan returns a trio of all-conference players from its 2018 squad, including senior defensive lineman David Gajderowicz, senior wider receiver/returner Elijah Rehm, and junior offensive lineman Scott Dunscomb. 

Kean University, led by 14th-year head coach Dan Garrett, was selected to place sixth. The 2018 Cougars finished with a 1-9 overall record. Kean returns five all-conference honorees from the 2018 season, including senior defensive lineman DeShawn Reed, junior linebacker Dante Capozzoli, senior running back/returner Paris Crawford, senior defensive lineman Jemel Daniels, and the 2018 NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Year in sophomore defensive back Anthony Bassani.

The College of New Jersey, which returns the second-most all-conference players from the 2018 season (7), was selected to place seventh. Third-year head coach Casey Goff has guided the Lions to a 12-18 overall record in his first two seasons in Ewing, including a record of 3-7 in 2018. TCNJ returns all-conference performers from the 2018 season in senior punter Zach Warcola, senior wide receiver Jack Clevenger, senior defensive back Xavier Santos, senior defensive lineman Erik Graham, junior linebacker Gavin Liepe, sophomore linebacker Sal Tardogno, and the 2018 NJAC Offensive Rookie of the Year in sophomore quarterback Dave Jachera.

William Paterson University, which will be led by second-year head coach Dustin Johnson, was selected to place eighth. The Pioneers return a pair of all-conference players from a 2018 squad which finished 0-10 overall, including sophomore offensive lineman Richie Squeo and senior linebacker Corey Anthony.

The 51st season of NJAC football will kickoff on Friday, September 6 when Kean hosts Delaware Valley and Salisbury travels to Albright for the first two non-conference contests of the year. With a new eight-team alignment in 2018, all eight NJAC programs will participate in non-conference contests during the opening weekend of NCAA Division III play on September 7-8. The first NJAC games of the season will take place four weeks later with seven consecutive weeks of conference play beginning on Saturday, October 5.

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


2019 NJAC Football
Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Wesley (3)
2. Salisbury (1)
3. Montclair State (3)
4. Christopher Newport (1) (dark horse)
5. Rowan
6. Kean
7. The College of New Jersey
8. William Paterson
(first place votes in parenthesis)