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The NEC Football League kicked off on September 14, 1996 as Monmouth hosted St. Francis (PA) in the inaugural NEC football game. Monmouth and St. Francis (PA) were joined by Central Connecticut State, Robert Morris and Wagner as charter members of the football league. Robert Morris and Monmouth shared the league's first football title. Robert Morris went on to capture the ECAC-IFC I-AA title win a win over previously unbeaten Duquesne in the bowl game. Robert Morris repeated in 1997, both as NEC champions and ECAC-IFC I-AA champions, and the Colonials head coach Joe Walton was honored for the second straight year as the NEC Coach of the Year. Sacred Heart joined the NEC Football League in 1998, a year in which Monmouth and Robert Morris once again shared the conference title. Stony Brook and Albany were admitted as associate members to the conference in 1999, and St. John’s was added in 2000, increasing football membership to nine institutions. Robert Morris won its fourth consecutive NEC title in 1999, staving off a strong challenge from Albany. The Colonials ended the season as the #1 ranked team among I-AA non-scholarship schools, a first for the conference. The Robert Morris dynasty continued in 2000, as the Colonials held off a rejuvanated Sacred Heart team to make it five straight championships under Walton. The Colonials became the first NEC school to finish a season with a perfect record (10-0), claimed a second consecutive NCAA I-AA Mid-Major title and ended the season with an NCAA Division I best 17-game win streak. Sacred Heart enjoyed the nation's best Division I turnaround in 2000, improving from from 2-9 to 10-1 under new head coach Jim Fleming. The Pioneers went one step further in 2001 by winning its first NEC title and finishing with an unblemished 11-0 record, including a 31-15 triumph over Duquesne in the resurrected ECAC Football Classic. Albany took home its first NEC championship in 2002, and capped the season with a win over previously unbeaten Duquesne, 24-0, in the ECAC Football Classic. Albany shared the league crown with Monmouth in 2003. In 2004, Monmouth was again crowned NEC co-champion, this time with Central Connecticut State, which earned a share of its first-ever league title in the sport. Central Connecticut State made it back-to-back championships, sharing the honor with Stony Brook. In 2006, both Central Connecticut State and Albany earned the league's first ever rankings in the Sports Network Top-25 poll, but it was Monmouth which went on to earn its third conference title in four years. The Hawks also hosted the first postseason Gridiron Classic against San Diego. Albany claimed its second NEC championship in 2007 and competed in the Gridiron Classic versus Dayton. Duquesne joined the NEC as an associate member in 2008. Albany recorded its second straight unbeaten season in league play in 2008 and went on to capture the Gridiron Classic with a 28-0 shutout of Jacksonville. CCSU won its first outright championship in 2009 and took on Butler in the Gridiron Classic. The Blue Devils repeated in 2010, sharing the crown with Robert Morris. It was the Colonials, however, who claimed the NEC's first-ever NCAA FCS Playoff bid, falling at North Dakota State. A year later in 2011, Albany and Duquesne finished as NEC co-champions, with the Great Danes taking Stony Brook to the limit before dropping a 31-28 decision to the Seawolves in first round NCAA playoff action. Wagner finished as NEC co-champion in 2012, then went on to earn the league's first-ever FCS playoff win with a 31-20 triumph over Colgate at Hameline Field. The Seahawks then took #2 seed Eastern Washington to the limit in a 29-19 setback in second round play. Sacred Heart earned the NEC's AQ in 2013 and 2014, finishing as co-champions with Duquesne and Wagner, respectively. The Pioneers went from one win in 2012 to a 10-3 season in 2013, a year which ended with a close setback to Fordham in the FCS playoffs. Duquesne claimed it's first NEC auto-bid in 2015, falling to William & Mary in a 52-49 shootout. Saint Francis U and Duquesne shared the 2016 title with the Red Flash earned the AQ. SFU fell to Villanova, 31-21, in a first round FCS affair. In 2017, CCSU completed an unbeaten NEC season - the first in the league since 2008 - to win the program's third conference championship. The Blue Devils fell to New Hampshire, 14-0, in the FCS playoffs. Duquesne and SHU sharded the NEC title in 2018 with the Dukes winning the tiebreaker to represent the NEC in the postseason. Duquesne went on to dominate Towson in a first round FCS game, winning 31-10 to secure the second playoff win in league history. CCSU was a perfect 7-0 in 2019 in finishing first for the second time in three years. In an instant classic, Sacred Heart upended Duquesne, 34-27 in overtime, in the first-ever NEC championship game to wrap a unique 2020-21 conference season. The Pioneers continued their momentum in 2021, repeating as conference champion. Saint Francis U was dominant in its run to an unbeaten conference season in 2022. Duquesne won a winner-take-all game against Merrimack on the final day of the 2023 regular season to claim its sixth NEC title. It was another title showdown in the final week in 2024, as CCSU spoiled Duquesne's unbeaten NEC campaign to take the FCS bid. CCSU held off Mercyhurst on the final day of the 2025 regular season to win the NEC crown outright.
Wagner's Rick Sarille was named to the Associated Press' I-AA All-American team as an all-purpose player in 1999. Matt Farabaugh of St. Francis (PA) was selected a first team GTE Academic All-American in 1999. Albany offensive tackle J.T. Herfurth received numerous honors following the 2000 season, including Associated Press I-AA First Team All-American, AFCA I-AA All-American and Verizon Academic All-American. Sacred Heart linebacker Kayode Mayowa earned third team AP All-American status in 2000. Albany's Gary Jones was tabbed to the AP All-America second team in 2002, while Monmouth's Joe Sentipal earned third team recognition. Jones was also honored as a I-AA Third Team All-American by the Sports Network. Jones was selected to the Associated Press I-AA All-America Football team for a second straight season in 2003, while Sentipal claimed AFCA I-AA All-America plaudits. Albany's Victor Camacho and David Parks were named first and second team CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, respectively, in 2003. Monmouth earned The Sports Network Mid-Major National Championship in 2004, the same year Albany's Kurt Campbell became the league's second player taken in the NFL Draft when he was picked in the seventh round by the Detroit Lions. Robert Morris' James Noel and Albany's Geir Gudmundsen were tabbed to the AFCA I-AA All-America team in 2004, and the Colonials' Jonathan LeDonne was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team. In 2005, St. Francis (PA)'s Michael Caputo earned Associated Press and Sports Network Third Team All-America honors. St. Francis (PA)'s Luke Palko (first team) and Robert Morris' Ray Gensler (second team) were named ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans. In May, 2006 the NEC and Pioneer League announced a two-year agreement to compete in the Gridiron Classic, an exempt postseason event pitting the champions of the two conferences. The NEC also altered its financial aid policy from need-based to athletic-based aid for the 2006 season. In 2006, CCSU running back Justise Hairston placed eighth in the Walter Payton Award balloting, became the second NEC player to participate in the Hula Bowl and joined Robert Morris lineman Ray Gensler and Albany linebacker Colin Disch as All-Americans in the sport. Hairston, along with Albany’s Rashad Barksdale, were chosen in NFL Draft in April. Gensler was tabbed to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team, while CCSU's Ryne Nutt was named to the second team. Nutt was named an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American for the second consecutive season in 2008, while Wagner senior Robert Brown (AP, third team), Albany senior Michael Dungey (College Sporting News), and Czech (AFCA) all earned All-American status for their on-field performance. In a watershed moment for the conference, it was announced in April, 2008 that the NEC will gain automatic access to the Division I Football Championship beginning in 2010 after the bracket is expanded for the first time in 21 years. The NEC produced a host of All-Americans in 2008 led by a pair of Monmouth standouts in running back David Sinisi and lineman Kevin Walsh, who were both tabbed to the Associated Press third team. Albany running back David McCarty was chosen by Sports Network as a third-team All-American, while Albany offensive tackle Raphael Nuguti and Monmouth tight end John Nalbone were both honored as AFCA FCS All-Americans. Monmouth tight end John Nalbone raised the number of NEC players competing in the NFL when he was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2008 draft. In 2009, CCSU running back James Mallory was named the NEC Offensive Player of the Year and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the outstanding college football player at the FCS level. Mallory was named to the Associated Press and AFCA All-American teams, and was also picked as an ECAC All-Star. Robert Morris senior offensive lineman Corey Konycki (AP, AFCA) and junior tight end Shadrae King (AP, Sports Network) were both named FCS All-Americans in 2010. Former Robert Morris standout and current St. Louis Rams center Hank Fraley was tabbed to the inaugural NEC Hall of Fame class in December, 2010. RMU defensive lineman Nolan Nearhoof was voted a Capital One Academic All-American in both 2010 and 2011. Bryant running back Jordan Brown (Sports Network), Monmouth defensive back Jose Gumbs (Sports Network) and Duquesne safety Serge Kona (AP, Sports Network) were all named FCS All-Americans. Brown was also a finalist for the Walter Payton award, which recognizes the top FCS running back in the nation. Following the NFL Draft, Gumbs signed a free agent contract with the New Orleans Saints. In 2012, Wagner’s Walt Hameline was named the College Sporting News and College Sports Journal FCS National Coach of the Year, as well as an Eddie Robinson Award finalist. He was joined by Bryant wideout Jordan Harris (Sports Network All-American, 2nd team; AP All-American, 2nd team), Duquesne linebacker Dorian Bell (Sports Network All-American, 3rd team) and Robert Morris defensive lineman Nolan Nearhoof (Sports Network All-American, third team). Following in the footsteps of Wagner’s Julian Stanford, who worked his way onto the Jaguars’ 53-man roster and eventually into the starting lineup last fall, Wagner linebacker C.O. Prime (Colts), along with Albany linebacker Jon Morgan (Lions) and Great Dane running back Drew Smith (Bills) all signed free agent contracts following the NFL Draft. CCSU wideout Deven Baker (Raiders), Wagner safety Sidiq Soulemana (Rams) and Monmouth quarterback Kyle Frazier (Browns) also received Rookie Camp invites. In 2013, former Monmouth players Chris Hogan (Bills) and Jose Gumbs (Redskins) made 53-man rosters. The perfect blend of student and athlete, Saint Francis U senior running back Kyle Harbridge was not only named a Sports Network second team All-American in 2013, but was also tabbed to the Capital One Academic All-America team. Harbridge finished fifth in the nation with over 1,600 rushing yards in 2013. He was one of nine NEC players to earn All-American status, joining RMU’s A.J. Dalton (2nd team, OL) and Antwan Eddie (3rd team, PR), CCSU’s Rob Holloman (2nd team, AP), SHU’s Troy Moore (2nd team, DL) and Keshaudas Spence (3rd team, RB), Duquesne’s Christian Kuntz (3rd team, LB) and Wagner’s Phil Faccone (3rd team, LS). Sacred Heart defensive back J.D. Roussel was named to the AP All-America third team. Sacred Heart and Wagner finished the 2014 season as NEC football co-championswith 5-1 league records. It marked the third conference crown for the Pioneers and second for the Seahawks. Based on its head-to-head win over the Seahawks, Sacred Heart claimed the NEC’s automatic bid to the NCAA FCS playoffs for the second straight year. In the second consecutive postseason meeting between the programs, Fordham broke open a close game in the third quarter to win, 44-22. Sacred Heart finished the year ranked 23rd in the FCS Coaches’ Poll and 24th in the final Sports Network FCS Poll. The Pioneers became the second NEC program to finish the year ranked in both national polls, matching the 2012 Wagner squad. Bryant ranked as high as #21 in the national polls during the regular season, while SHU reached 22nd in the weekly rankings. NEC teams were ranked nationally seven different weeks, the most in league history. Sacred Heart running back Sean Bell and Robert Morris offensive lineman Nick Faraci were both tabbed to the Capital One Academic All-America second team. The two seniors also shared the NEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year in football. Five NEC players earned Sports Network All-American honors: Sacred Heart’s Gordon Hill (2nd team, DB) and Jamie Martinez (3rd team, OL), Saint Francis U’s Khairi Dickson (3rd team, RB), and Wagner’s Jarrett Dieudonne (3rd team, CB) and Phil Faccone (2nd team, long snapper). Dieudonne (2nd team) and Covitz (3rd team) were also named to AP All-America squads.
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