Pictured Above: (Left to Right): Head Coach Jason Houghtaling, RB Ryan Fulse, LB Cameron Gill
2018 Seahawk Schedule
East Rutherford, NJ – Wagner senior running back
Ryan Fulse and senior linebacker
Quintin Hampton were selected to the 27-man, 2018 Preseason All-NEC Team, while the Seahawks were picked fifth in the preseason poll, as chosen by the conference's head coaches, the league office announced at the #NECFB Social Media Day today at MetLife Stadium.
Central Connecticut was picked as the Northeast Conference preseason favorite with five first-place votes, Duquesne, which picked up one first-place ballot, was chosen second, while the Bryant, with one first-place ballot as well, is third. Saint Francis U found itself in fourth place when the survey results were tallied, followed by Wagner, Sacred Heart, and Robert Morris.
Fulse is looking to build on his maiden season on Grymes Hill where he ranked No. 4 among all FCS rushers. A Business Administration major, Fulse was named Wagner's 2017 Offensive Player of the Year at the Seahawks' postseason banquet. The Fort Meade, FL native capped his his brilliant, breakout campaign by eclipsing the 100-yard rushing mark for the fifth straight game in the season-ending win at Sacred Heart (11/11). His 26-carry, 192-yard day allowed him to finish the regular season as the NEC rushing champion (1,306 yards). In addition to ranking fourth nationally, this figure also was good for ninth on the Seahawk all-time single-season list The 5-11, 195-pound speedster closed the 2017 season with six 100-yard plus efforts in his last seven games and four straight. A three-time NEC Offensive Player of the Week honoree, his. season-high three-touchdown effort vs. Sacred Heart gave him 12 for the season, His top offensive output came vs. Bryant (10/28) when he rumbled for 228 yards on 25 carries in becoming the first Seahawk to hit the double-century mark since
Dominique Williams in 2011.
Hampton is a ball-hawking, hard hitter who has earned All-NEC Second-Team honors in each of his first two seasons on Grymes Hill after transferring from UCF. The Sociology major had team-leading 82 tackles (52 solo), computing to 7.8 per game, which ranked seventh in the NEC. The 6-0, 230-pound Hampton added 13 tackles for loss for negative 54 yards, including seven sacks for negative 40 yards. The Moultrie, GA native enjoyed a career-high 13-tackle game vs. league champion Central Connecticut (10/14) while also delivering 11-tackle efforts at Saint Francis U (9/9) and in the Homecoming victory over Lehigh (9/30).
The NEC also announced is 2018 ESPN 3 schedule with the Seahawks set to host a pair of broadcasts. On October 13, Wagner will host Saint Francis U in a noon start on ESPN 3, in addition to hosting Duquesne in front of the ESPN cameras on November 3 at noon.
2018 NEC Schedule
Sept. 22 - Robert Morris at Bryant,
1 pm
Oct. 13 - Saint Francis U at Wagner, 12 pm & Robert Morris at Duquesne,
7 pm
Oct. 20 - Sacred Heart at Central Connecticut,
1 pm
Oct. 27 - Bryant at Sacred Heart,
1 pm
Nov. 3 - Duquesne at Wagner, 12 pm
Nov. 10 - Central Connecticut at Saint Francis U,
12 pm
Nov. 17 - Wildcard,
12 pm
The 2018 Seahawks, under the direction of fourth-year head coach
Jason Houghtaling, open the season on Thursday, August 30 vs. Bowie State under the lights in a 6:00 p.m. start at Hameline Field.
#NECFB
Preseason Poll Results
1. Central Connecticut (5)
2. Duquesne (1)
3. Bryant (1)
4. Saint Francis U
5. Wagner
6. Sacred Heart
7. Robert Morris
First place votes in parentheses ().
About the Northeast Conference
Entering its 38th year, the Northeast Conference is an NCAA Division I collegiate athletic association consisting of 10 institutions of higher learning located throughout six states. Media coverage of the NEC extends to four of the largest markets in the United States - New York (#1), Pittsburgh (#23), Baltimore (#27), and Hartford/New Haven (#30). Founded in 1981 as the basketball-only ECAC Metro Conference, the NEC has grown to sponsor 22 championship sports for men and women and now enjoys automatic access to 14 different NCAA Championships. NEC member institutions include Bryant, Central Connecticut, Fairleigh Dickinson, LIU Brooklyn, Mount St. Mary's, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart, St. Francis Brooklyn, Saint Francis U., and Wagner. Duquesne is an associate member of the NEC in the sport of football. For more information on the NEC, visit the league's official website (www.northeastconference.org) and digital network (www.necfrontrow.com), or follow the league on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram and Google+, all @NECsports.
