Above: All-Time Wagner greats Dominique Williams and David Lopez among 18 Seahawks playing final home games of their Seahawk careers (Photos by Dave Saffran)
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Staten Island, NY - The Wagner Seahawks and the Monmouth Hawks will meet for the 21st time, but for the first time in a non-conference tilt, as the Hawks left the NEC after last season. Monmouth is competing as an independent in 2013 before becoming an associate member of the Big South Conference in 2014.
Prior to the Noon kickoff, the Wagner football program will honor 18 Seahawks in a Senior Day ceremony.
The Seniors (18)
19 WR
Jeremiah Bell
7 QB
Kramer Berg
44 LS
Anthony Fiumefreddo
78 OL
Chris Furner
94 DL #Davon Johnson
42 DB
Robert Joseph
8 WR
Fred Locklary
59 PK
David Lopez
17 LB
Trevor Loveland
90 DL
Josh Martinez
65 OL
Matt McBride
20 WR
Cody Morgan
10 LB
Yamir Ortiz
35 LB
Max Wassel
3 WR
Tyree Watkins
84 TE
Bryant Watts
25 RB
Dominique Williams
91 DL
Lawrence Williams
Wagner-Monmouth Series Knotted at 10-10
The winner of this matchup will take a one-game lead in the all-time series as the Seahawks and Hawks have split their 20 meetings, having met for the first time in 1993, which was Monmouth's inaugural football season.
About the Seahawks
The defending NEC Champion Seahawks, picked No. 1 in the 2013 NEC Preseason Poll and No. 24 in the 2013 Lindy's Annual Preseason Poll, are 2-7 on the season and looking to snao a three-game losing streak. After graduating 27 players from last year's title team, Wagner is in a youth movement at several positions and are particularly young on defense. Offensively, the Seahawks have started four different players at quarterback this season with junior
Brian Gehring expected to gain his second straight start vs. the Hawks. In his first career start last week vs. Central Connecticut, th strong-armed 6-4, 205-pounder completed 20-of-33 passes for 186 yards and two interceptions, while spreading the ball to seven different receivers. He was sacked five times during the game. His best moment came on the ground when he splintered off the left side and sprinted 62 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter that drew Wagner within 24-17. The Blue Devils then took advantage of several Seahawk turnovers in outscoring the hosts 28-0 the rest of the way. Senior
Kramer Berg, redhsirt freshman
Chris Andrews and redshirt junior
Matt Misley have all gained starts at QB for the Seahawks.
Dominique Is Unique
The Seahawks are led by 5-9, 205-pound senior running back
Dominique Williams, a tough, sturdy and elusive back, and one who enters the Delaware game ranked third all-time in Wagner history in rushing yards (4,273) and third in scoring (276 points). He also enters the Monmouth game ranked fourth all-time in NEC history with 5,272 all-purpose yards and fifth in rushing. Williams is a 2013 College Sports Journal Preseason Third-Team All-American and a 2012 Preseason All-NEC selection. In 41 games as a Seahawk, Williams has topped the 100-yard rushing mark 26 times.
Head Coach Walt Hameline
Now in his 33rd season as head coach,
Walt Hameline, who doubles as the Seahawks' athletic director, owns a sparkling 215-134-2 (.618) record. In 2012, he led the Seahawks to their first-ever Northeast Conference (NEC) Football Championship with a thrilling 23-17 come-from-behind win over Duquesne on November 17, 2012, while clinching a berth in the 2012 D-I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Championship. The win personified the Green & White's as Wagner began the campaign with three straight losses, before winning its next nine games. In defying the odds throughout its triumphant march to the school's first-ever NEC title and the conference's first-ever NCAA FCS win, Wagner compiled a 9-4 record, including a 7-1 mark in the NEC. The Seahawks finished the season ranked 21st in The Sports Network Top-25 Poll and 22nd in the FCS Coaches Poll, marking the first time an NEC team has ended the season with an appearance in both official Top-25 polls. The accolades soon began to pour in for Hameline. After being named the NEC Football Coach of the Year, he was tabbed the 2012 FCS National Coach of the Year by both College Football News (CFN) and the College Sports Journal (CSJ). In the 2012 home opener against Monmouth, Wagner College Stadium was renamed Hameline Field in his honor. On November 6, 2010, Hameline became just the eighth active FCS coach to win 200 games with a 31-20 victory over Monmouth, is 54th on the all-time NCAA wins list (any level) and one of just 36 coaches to win 200 games at one school. The 1987 Kodak National Coach of the Year, after guiding Wagner to a 13-1 record and to the Division III National Championship, Hameline currently ranks sixth in victories among all active FCS coaches.
Monmouth Head Coach Kevin Callahan Has Wagner Ties
Kevin Callahan is in his his 21st season as Monmouth head coach and is the only head coach in the history of the Hawks' program. Included in his rise through the coaching ranks was a stop in Staten Island, NY, where he served as Wagner's defensive coordinator under
Walt Hameline from 1981 to 1983. During his three seasons on Grymes Hill, the Seahawks, compiled a 25-4-2 record and were ranked in the top 10 in Division III each of his three seasons. In 1983, Wagner reached the quarterfinals of the Division III playoffs. Callahan's younger sister, the former Ann Marie Carmody, was a standout guard at Wagner from 1980-1984. She is the sister of former Northwestern and Princeton head men's basketball coach Bill Carmody.
Hawks Flying to Big South
Monmouth, which enters today's game with a 4-5 record, is in a transition year in 2013. The Hawks left the NEC after last season and will be a member of the Big South Conference an an associate member in football. The Hawks will compete in the Big South in 2014 and will be eligible for the League's championship and automatic bid to the FCS Playoffs upon entry.
Lopez, Williams Look to Add to Record Numbers in Final Career Home Game
Senior kicker
David Lopez now has now made 41 career field goals, just four shy of matching the Wagner and NEC all-time leader, Piotr Czech, who nailed 44 field goals between 2004 and 2007.
Field Goals
1. Piotr Czech (2004-07)...................................44
2. DAVID LOPEZ (2009 - )................................ 41
3. Tom O'Riordan (1983-86)............................35
4. Walter Lopez (1988-91)................................32
5. Carl Franke (1994-97)..................................21
WILLIAMS TOP FIVE CAREER RUSHING GAMES
Dominique Williams' 177-yard rushing day vs. Robert Morris (10/26) tied for the third-highest game of his career.
1. 216 yards at Robert Morris, 11/12/11
2. 180 yards Saint Francis U, 9/3/11
3. 177 yards vs. Robert Morris, 10/26/13
177 yards vs. Holy Cross, 11/10/12
5. 145 yards vs. Albany, 10/29/11
WILLIAMS TOP FIVE CAREER RUNS FROM SCRIMMAGE
Dominique Williams' 73-yard run day vs. Robert Morris (10/26) tied for the third-longest of his career. All five of
his all-time longest runs have gone for touchdowns.
1 81 yards at Sacred Heart, 10/6/12, TD
2. 79 yards at Robert Morris, 11/12/11, TD
3. 76 yards at Monmouth, 11/19/11, TD
4 73 yards vs. Robert Morris, 10/26/13, TD
5. 63 yards at Maritime (NY), 9/10/09, TD
WILLIAMS IN ALL-TIME WAGNER RECORD BOOK
Wagner All-Time Rushing Yards
1. Rick Sarille (1995-99) 5290
2. Terry Underwood (1985-88) 5010
3. DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS (2009-pres.) 4,273
Wagner All-Time Scoring
1. Rick Sarille (1995-99) 334
2. Terry Underwood (1985-88) 330
3. DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS (2009-pres.) 276
4. Piotr Czech (2004-07) 243
5. Tom O'Riordan (1983-86) 237
DAVID LOPEZ (2009pres.-) 232
Frank Melos (1958-61) 232
7. Alonzo Patterson (1979-82) 226
Wagner All-Time Total Offense
(Passing + Rushing)
1.
Nick Doscher (2009 - 12) 8,404
2 John Sciarra (2004-0) 5,845
3. Rick Sarille (1995-99) 5,290
4. Terry Underwood (1985-88) 5,010
5. Don Cavalli (1958-61) 4,393
6. Jesse Foote (1984-86) 4,273
7. Jason Cue (1993-94) 4,232
8. DOMINIQUE WILLIAMS (2009-)4,2 88
