The Sports Network Final FCS Top 25 Poll

The Final Coaches Top 25 Poll

Philadelphia, PA – The 2012 Wagner College Seahawks, a gritty, senior-laden team that defied the odds throughout their triumphant march to the school's first-ever Northeast Conference (NEC) title and the conference's first-ever NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) win, was ranked 21^st today in The Sports Network Final Top-25 Poll and 22^nd in the Final FCS Coaches Poll.
 
It marks the first time an NEC team has ended the season with an appearance in both official Top-25 polls. In 2011, Albany was ranked No. 22 in the final Coaches Poll, but was in the receiving votes category (No. 26) in The Sports Network Poll.
 
Head coach Walt Hameline's 32^nd season at the helm of the Seahawk program began 0-3 as Wagner, picked seventh in the NEC Preseason Poll, dropped narrow road decisions to FBS member Florida Atlantic (7-3) and Georgetown (13-10) before dropping a home decision to Monmouth in the NEC opener (35-17). In week four, things clicked for Wagner as the Seahawks gained a convincing 31-13 victory at Central Connecticut, the first in the nine-game win streak, the Seahawks' longest since 1981.
 
When the dust settled on the 2012 regular season, Wagner sported an 8-3 record, an eight-game win streak, which was about to become nine the following week, Hameline was the NEC Coach of the Year and Eight Seahawks were named to the All-NEC team.
 
The signature win of the 2012 campaign came on November 3 when Wagner blanked 18^th-ranked, traditional NEC linchpin Albany on the road by an attention-getting 30-0 count. On November 17, Wagner clinched the NEC title with a 23-17 win over Duquesne, giving the Green & White a 7-1 league mark, which tied Albany for first place. By virtue of the Seahawk victory over the Great Danes, Wagner won the tie-breaker and automatic entry into the NCAA FCS Championship.
 
The November 18 NCAA Selection Show on ESPNU revealed that Wagner was awarded a first-round home game opposite Patriot League champion and 24^th-ranked Colgate on November 24. In front of an audience viewing in on ESPN 3, the offense, led by record-breaking senior quarterback Nick Doscher (Staten Island, NY/ Moore Catholic) and junior running back Dominique Williams (Bridgeton, NJ/ Milford), in concert with the NEC's No. 1 defense, carried Wagner to a 31-20 win, snapping Colgate's seven-game win streak.
 
In the second round of the NCAA Playoffs, which was also viewed on thousands of computers via ESPN 3, Wagner battled No. 4 Eastern Washington in Spokane, taking a 19-14 third-quarter lead before falling 29-19.

Off the field highlights included senior offensive lineman #Steve Ciocci# being named to the exclusive 22-man (11 from the FCS) AFCA Good Works Team for his many community service initiatives. Ciocci, along with senior free safety Patrick O'Connor (Leominster, MA/ Leominster), were named to the prestigious FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team.
 
In national statistics, Wagner was No. 1 in the nation in interceptions thrown (2) and turnovers committed (6). Additionally, Doscher threw 13 touchdowns and just one interception, which came in the second quarter of the season opener vs. Florida Atlantic. This would prove to be the last interception of the season as he ended his landmark career with 231 consecutive passes thrown without an INT.
 
Doscher finished his career  ranked No. 1 in total offense ( 8,404 yards) and passing (6,100 yards), second in completions (455) and touchdown passes (44), and eighth in rushing (2,304 yards). In addition, Doscher's 8,404 yards of total offense ranks second all-time in NEC history while his 6,100 passing yards rank ninth.
 
Williams, meanwhile, gained 1,328 yards in 2012, placing him eighth on the Seahawk all-time single-season rushing list. He will enter his senior year with 3,308 career rushing yards, which ranks fourth all-time.
 
In addition to being named the 2012 NEC Coach of the Year, Hameline was tabbed as one of the 20 finalists for the prestigious Eddie Robinson Award, which, since 1987, has been given annually to college football's top FCS head coach.
 
On September 15, in a pre-game ceremony  prior to the Monmouth game, the field at Wagner College Stadium was named “Hameline Field” in honor of the man who will enter his 33^rd season in 2013 with an all-time record of 213-127-2 (.624).