Northeast Conference 2004 Offseason News Recap
Central Connecticut State Blue Devils
Newcomers:
Ingo Beaudet, C, Forestville, CA/Santa Rosa CC
Tristan Blackwood, G, Toronto, Canada/Eastern Commerce
Andre Brooks, F, Columbia, MD/Oakland Mills (Hagerstown CC)
Jason Hickenbottom, F, Philadelphia, PA/Simon Gratz
Jermaine Middleton, C, Inglewood, CA/South Kent (CT)
Off-Season News:
The Blue Devils had a busy summer, adding five new players to a roster which will be without the graduated 2003-04 NEC Player of the Year, Ron Robinson. The team’s all-time leading rebounder and All-American Honorable Mention has since gone on to sign a professional contract to play in Belgium. He is the last CCSU player to sign a professional contract since Corsley Edwards was drafted by the Sacramento Kings with the last pick in the 2002 NBA Draft.
Head Coach Howie Dickenman enters his ninth season on the CCSU, accumulating a 112-92 record.
Fairleigh Dickenson Knights
Newcomer:
Bernell Murray, G, Stillwater, OK/Stillwater
Off-Season News:
The Knights were the least active of all the NEC teams during the off-season, only landing one newcomer in Bernell Murray. He averaged 14 points, five and a half rebounds and three steals per game as a senior.
Head Coach Tom Green is entering his twenty-second season at the helm of the Knights, complying a 321-255 mark.
Long Island Blackbirds
Newcomers:
Kellen Allen, F, Mansfield, TX/Mansfield Summit
Albert Forbes, F, Bronx, NY/All Hallows
Randy Jones, G, West Palm Beach, FL/Notre Dame Prep (MA)
Paulius Morkeliunas, F, Roanoke, VA/Roanoke Catholic
Off-Season News:
LIU is moving forward with their youth movement. A year after the team sported a league high seven freshmen, the team has added five new faces to the locker room, making 12 of their 14 players either a freshman or sophomore. The Blackbirds are backing their next three seasons on this young core of players.
Head Coach Jim Ferry is entering his third season on the bench for the ‘Birds and has a 17-38 record during his tenure.
Monmouth Hawks
Newcomers:
John Bunch, C, Randallstown, MD/Lincoln University (Red-shirt 2004-05)
Chris Shovlin, G, Wilkes-Barre, PA/GAR Memorial
Brent Wilson, F, Chanute, KS/Dodge City CC
Off-Season News:
The Hawks took their show on the road over the summer. They crossed the pond for a five game trip to Spain where they planned a host of teams. Monmouth finished 1-4 on the trip, picking up their lone victory in the last game against Celso Miguez, 76-66. The Hawks had dropped the previous four games by scores of 86-58 (Puzuelo), 73-31 (CB Rayet Guadalajara), 74-60 (Basquet Muro) and 97-79 (Basquet Inca).
Head Coach Dave Calloway is beginning eighth season in West Long Beach, NJ. He has achieved a 95-94 record in seven seasons.
Mount Saint Mary’s Mountaineers
Newcomers:
Joseph Gates, F, Bayside, CA/Arcata
Jason Loughry, C, Odenton, MD/Archbishop Spalding
Markus Mitchel, F, Virginia Beach, VA/Salem
Chris Vann, G, Woodbridge, VA/Gar-Field
Off-Season News:
The Mount added to its bench this summer, but not just on the playing end where they signed four incoming freshmen. They also signed Tyrone Perry to be an assistant to Milan Brown and his staff. Perry, who had been an assistant coach at the University of Delaware for the last five seasons, will replace former assistant Kirk Saulny who left Mount St. Mary’s in order to pursue other business ventures.
Head Coach Milan Brown is entering his second campaign with the Mountaineers.
Quinnipiac Bobcats
Newcomers:
Gerry Corcoran, G/F, Norwell, MA/Worcester Academy
Da-Shawn Dwight, G, Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield Tech
Jason Holeyfield, F, Bridgeport, CT/Globe Institute
Kevin Jolley, F, Cheverly, MD/Hutchinson CC
John Winchester, F, Stamford, CT/ University of Tennessee (Red-shirt 2004-05)
Off-Season News:
The Bobcats added five players to its roster over the summer and none was bigger than prized transfer John Winchester who departed from the University of Tennessee. The new players will be welcomed with open arms as two of Quinnipiac’s big men from a year ago, Adam Tancredi (Cal-State Fullerton) and Jerry Fiefie (Manhattanville) both transferred. The team also will be without assistant coach Darren Savino this season who left to pursue other coaching positions.
Head Coach Joe DeSantis is entering his ninth campaign in Hamden, CT and has accumulated an 82-140 record for the ‘Cats thus far.
Robert Morris Colonials
Newcomers:
Cori Boston, G/F, Boston, MA/Charlestown (Northfield Prep)
Jakeel Gary, F, Linden, NJ/Coffeyville CC
A.J. Jackson, F, Monessen, PA/Monessen (East Tennessee St.; Red-shirt 2004-05)
Tony Lee, G, Boston, MA/Charlestown
Off-Season News:
The Colonials were busy in the off-season, upgrading their coaching staff significantly, with the signings of Jeff Boals (associate head coach at Charleston), Jason Dowling (assistant coach at Marymount University) and Jared Franz (assistant coach at Christian Brothers Academy in TN). They also signed four new players including East Tennessee State transfer A.J. Jackson who averaged 3.7 points and 2.4 rebounds per game playing behind the Southern Conference Player of the Year Zakeek Wadood.
Head Coach Mark Schmidt is in his fourth season at RMU and has a 36-50 overall record.
Sacred Heart Pioneers
Newcomers:
Brice Brooks, F, Silverside, WA/Central Kitsap
Ryan Howard, F, Bronx, NY/Holderness School
Eugene Pettway, F, Bridgeport, CT/Warren Harding
Drew Shubik, G, Stoystown, PA/North Star
Off-Season News:
The Pioneers added four players to a roster that did not lose a player to graduation a year ago. They will have two seniors on the team this year however. Scared Heart will not be receiving the services of former assistant head coach Kevin Vulin, who has departed from the program.
Dave Bike is back at Sacred Heart for his twenty seventh season, the longest tenure of any active head coach in the conference. He has tallied a 412-348 mark during his stint in Fairfield, CT.
St. Francis (NY) Terriers
Newcomers:
James St. Roberts, F, Copiague, NY/Copiague
Nicola Traykov, G/F, Sofia, Bulgaria/Lebanon (PA)
Jamaal Womack, G, Bronx, NY/Our Savior Lutheran
Off-Season News:
The Terriers added three players to their already deep roster over the summer while only losing one, Brian Franklyn, to graduation.
Head Coach Ron Ganulin just completed his thirteenth season for the Terriers and has compiled a 174-192 mark for St. Francis (NY).
St. Francis (PA) Red Flash
Newcomers:
Garrett Farha, G, Concordia, KS/Concordia (Cloud County CC)
Winston Robinson, F, Knoxville, TN/Bearden (Allegany CC)
Off-Season News:
The Red Flash upgraded both the coaching and playing ends of their bench over the summer months by adding John Pigatti and R.C. Kehoe to the staff. Pigatti comes from Kent State who posted a 22-9 record a year ago and received an invitation to the NIT. Kehoe had been an assistant coach the last two seasons at Shippensburg University.
Head Coach Bobby Jones is entering his sixth campaign with the reigns of the Red Flash in hand and has amassed a 52-86 career record at St. Francis (PA).
Wagner Seahawks
Newcomers:
Justin Drummond, F, Baltimore, MD/McDonogh
Joey Mundweiler, G, Olathe, KS/Olathe East
Mark Porter, G, Atlantic City, NJ/ St. Augustine Prep
Jason Rudakas, F, Jupiter, FL/St. Thomas More (CT)
Jamal Smith, G, Baltimore, MD/Towson Catholic
James Ulrich, F, Mt. Laurel, NJ/Camden Catholic
Off-Season News:
The Seahawks were arguably the busiest NEC team during the off-season, signing six players to letters of intent instantly making them one of the youngest and deepest teams in the NEC. These players will need to step in immediately to help fill the shoes of graduated Nigel Wyatte who was a formidable presence in the paint for the Seahawks in recent years. The team does return Sean Munson, how took part in an exhibition tour for the NIT All-Star team in China.
Head Coach Mike Deane will be entering his second season in Staten Island at the helm where he directed the Seahawks to a 13-16 mark in his first season.
