Courtesy of Stony Brook Athletics
STONY BROOK, N.Y. – A total of eleven standout football players signed national letters of intent today with defending Big South Conference Champion Stony Brook, head coach Chuck Priore announced. The Seawolves incoming class includes ten high school football players and defensive lineman Andrew Nelson (Uniondale, N.Y.) who will transfer from Hofstra University to join the team in the fall. The newest additions to the football team represent the largest contingent of local talent since Priore took over as leader of the Stony Brook program.
“When you have the opportunity to win a championship, it’s certainly going to affect the local recruiting landscape, and I think that’s evident with the ten Long Island football players we were able to add to our program", Priore said. Included in the talented group of new Stony Brook players are five all-New York State selections including JeVahn Cruz (Wheatley Heights, N.Y.), Jawara Dudley (Queens, N.Y.), Kevin Hauter (Moriches, N.Y.), Davon Lawrence (Central Islip, N.Y.) and Devante Wheeler (Staten Island, N.Y.). Today's signing of Cruz, along with the addition of spring transfers Brock Jackolski (Shirley, N.Y.) and Miguel Maysonet (Riverhead, N.Y.), and current Stony Brook rising junior Edwin Gowins (Bellport, N.Y.), means that the Seawolves roster will boast the last four Hansen Award winners who have all been recognized as the top high school football players in Suffolk County. “It is always our goal to try and keep the best players here on Long Island", Priore said. "I think our offense and the way it is structured will continue to attract the great running backs on Long Island."
The Seawolves, who won the 2009 Championship in only their second year in the Big South Conference, will have an overall incoming class of 19 players including eight athletes who enrolled at Stony Brook for the spring semester and will be participating in spring practices. With 26 graduating seniors, the Seawolves were also looking to bolster their roster immediately. The seven mid-year enrollees are expected to bring valuable college playing experience to the roster immediately and will help fill some of the void left by Stony Brook's graduating players.
Coach Priore and the Stony Brook Seawolves will begin spring practice on April 7 with the spring game on May 1. All practices are held in Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium and are open to the public. The official practice schedule will be posted on www.goseawolves.org once finalized. The 2010 Stony Brook football season will kick off on Saturday, September 4 in Tampa, Florida when the Seawolves take the field against the University of South Florida in Raymond James Stadium. With the addition of 19 new football players to the 2010 Seawolves roster, Coach Priore is excited about the future of Stony Brook Football. “Winning the Big South Championship, having the full complement of scholarships and with South Florida, Buffalo and Army on our schedule for the next three years, our football program is well positioned to continue enjoying great success", said Priore. "The commitment that our University has given to football shows our local athletes, our fanbase and Stony Brook alumni that we’re in a great situation to succeed."
Stony Brook 2010 Football Signing Class
Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School/Previous School)
Sheldon Armstrong* DB 5-11 180 Long Beach, Calif. (Long Beach Polytechnic/Utah State)
JeVahn Cruz QB/DB 5-8 165 Wheatley Heights, N.Y. (Half Hollow Hills West)
Jawara Dudley LB 6-0 195 Queens, N.Y. (Roosevelt)
Kyle Essington* QB 6-2 185 Chino Hills, Calif. (Brea Olinda/Fullerton Coll.)
Kevin Hauter DL 6-3 220 Moriches, N.Y. (William Floyd)
Al-Majid Hutchins* DB 5-11 185 Newark, N.J. (East Orange/Rutgers)
Brock Jackolski* RB/WR 5-10 200 Shirley, N.Y. (William Floyd/Hofstra)
Roosevelt Kirk* DL 6-3 260 Oakland, Calif. (Bishop O’Dowd/Laney Coll.)
Davon Lawrence RB 6-0 195 Central Islip, N.Y. (Sachem North)
Dominick Maddox* DB 5-11 205 Converse, Texas (Converse Judson/Navarro Coll.)
Bryant McAdoo WR 6-5 185 New York, N.Y. (Cardinal Hayes)
Miguel Maysonet* RB 5-10 200 Riverhead, N.Y. (Riverhead/Hofstra)
Nicholas Moody QB 6-1 180 Carrollton, Texas (Creekview)
Grant Nakwaasah LB 6-0 200 Dallas, Texas (Berkner)
Tanner Nehls TE 6-2 230 Houston, Texas (William B. Travis)
Andrew Nelson DL 6-4 300 Uniondale, N.Y. (Uniondale/Hofstra)
Cody Precht OL 6-3 280 Centerport N.Y. (Harborfields)
Andres Trujillo* LB 6-0 220 Miami, Fla. (American)
Devante Wheeler QB/CB 6-0 180 Staten Island, N.Y. (Poly Prep)
* Enrolled at Stony Brook Spring 2010