New Haven University Football: A Legacy of Grit and Transition
The University of New Haven Chargers, located in West Haven, Connecticut, have a rich athletic history marked by success in NCAA Division II and a recent transition to Division I. The football program, a longtime staple of the athletics department, is a significant part of this story, characterized by grit, Division II dominance, and a forward-looking approach to a new era.
Early Conference Affiliations and Division II Identity
New Haven's athletic identity has been uniquely linked to Division II, which was officially formed in 1973. Throughout its Division II tenure, New Haven was a part of three playing conferences: the New England Collegiate Conference (NECC), the East Coast Conference (ECC), and the Northeast-10 Conference (NE10).
It wasn't until the 1981-82 academic year that New Haven joined its first Division II conference in the NECC. The following year, all of its sports except football started being scheduled as NECC members. For women's sports, New Haven was in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) until the NCAA began sponsoring women's athletics in 1981.
The NECC dissolved in the late 1990s, leaving its members with the option of trying their luck in Division I or staying in Division II. New Haven was one of many to remain with Division II, as it became a member of the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference (NYCAC) - which would later be renamed as the East Coast Conference (ECC).
The Football Program's Hiatus and Return
From 2004 to 2008, New Haven did not sponsor a football team. It wasn't until New Haven joined the NE10 that the football program would return to action in the 2009 season for the first time with a conference affiliation. This return was due to the efforts of Debbie Chin, who served as Director of Athletics from 1993 to 2017.
Read also: Hilgard Haven Article
Key Figures in New Haven Athletics
Several individuals have played pivotal roles in shaping New Haven's athletic legacy. Joe Machnik was one of the most influential figures in the history of New Haven athletics. Machnik, a head coach for men's soccer, women's soccer and men's ice hockey during his time at New Haven, remains recognized mostly for his contributions as Director of Athletics. He served in the position during the introduction of women's athletics to New Haven and was instrumental in elevating New Haven's department from NAIA to NCAA status. For more than four decades, Debbie Chin served in leadership roles at New Haven - most notably during her 24-year tenure as Director of Athletics. Chin was the primary architect in building New Haven's athletics program into a national power within NCAA Division II. Under her leadership, New Haven teams made more than 70 NCAA postseason appearances and claimed dozens of league championships.
Success in Division II
New Haven's athletic program has achieved significant success in Division II. On March 21, 1987, the New Haven women's basketball team won the NCAA Division II National Championship with a 77-75 upset victory over California Poly-Pomona, the two-time reigning national champion. It was the first national championship in the history of New Haven athletics. Joy Jeter, Carolyn Bell and Sonja Beamon each recorded double-doubles for the Chargers in the title game. New Haven finished with a 29-2 record that season, including a stretch of 28-consecutive victories, under head coach Jan Rossman.
In its Division II history, the New Haven baseball program has advanced to 28 NCAA Regionals, 16 World Series, and finished as the Division II runner-up in both 1980 and 1989. Volleyball has a robust Division II history at New Haven. The program has advanced to the NCAA Tournament 36 times, as well as the Sweet 16 on 22 occasions, the Final Eight 14 times and won 13 conference championships.
Individual athletes have also achieved remarkable feats. Gagne is the most decorated individual student-athlete in New Haven history, winning five national championships and being named a nine-time All-American. Her first three NCAA titles came in the long jump, 200m and 400m events in the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Championship in 2011. Graham won the Harlon Trophy behind 1,687 rushing yards in 1993, while guiding New Haven to the NCAA Tournament. He capped his career as the runner-up for the Harlon Trophy in 1994 with 1,607 rushing yards. Graham was a three-time All-American and was twice chosen as the Sports Illustrated Small College Player of the Year. Bedrosian won the National League Cy Young Award in 1987 as a relief pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies after posting a league-leading 40 saves and earning votes in the MVP race. A First Team All-American at New Haven, Bedrosian went 13-3 with three saves to help lead the Chargers to a third-place finish at the 1978 College World Series.
Transition to Division I
The University of New Haven started a new era. This summer, the school moved all 20 of their athletic teams to NCAA Division I competition. The Chargers will compete in the NEC, joining schools such as Long Island University, Stonehill College and Central Connecticut State University.
Read also: A Guide to UNH Admissions
According to the university, most Charger teams will be integrated into conference schedules for this upcoming academic year. However, the football team will continue to compete independently as discussions continue about its placement within the NEC’s structure and schedule. The NEC football schedule is updated every two years, and the university missed the most recent deadline to be added to the conference play schedule.
“It feels like a new journey, and I’m excited to be part of history,” said Reynolds. “For me, coming into a new system is natural. But this is different, we’re the first group to play D1 football here. “The competition is different. The athletes we’re facing are bigger, faster, stronger,” said Powell. But preparation doesn’t end with game plans, film, practice or lifts. “Kids have more on their plate now, longer travel, tougher opponents, but they’re still expected to handle study hall, class checks, everything that comes with being a student-athlete,” Powell said.
“The response has been unbelievable,” Powell said. “Our president, athletic director, and fellow teams have all rallied behind us. “People talk about the tradition here and how much pride there is,” he said. “This program has such a strong culture,” Bower said. “The players, the coaches, and even the wider community in New Haven are incredibly supportive. That kind of environment makes it so much easier to step into a higher level, because we’re not doing it alone. Not every benefit of moving to Division I will be evident immediately. This allows New Haven athletics to continue finding their identity in Division I, while also establishing a name in the NEC. New Haven is not the first to make such a transition. ESPN reported that two other NEC schools, Stonehill College and Le Moyne College, are currently undergoing the same transition. “This first year is about building details and culture that will last,” Powell said. “We want to be remembered as the first group that started it all,” he said.
The University of New Haven Today
The University of New Haven is a diverse and vibrant community of more than 9,200 students from across the globe. The University of New Haven has been recognized as one of The 390 Best Colleges in the country by The Princeton Review. The University of New Haven's main campus is located on 82 acres in West Haven, Connecticut, a suburban hillside community minutes from the bustling city of New Haven and miles of Connecticut shoreline and beaches. Additionally, the University has satellite campuses in Orange, Connecticut; and Prato, Italy. The University boasts more than 150 clubs and organizations, and students have access to hundreds of different study abroad programs, including at our own Tuscany Campus in Prato, Italy. About 75 percent of undergraduate students live on campus or in University-sponsored housing in 20 different residence halls.
The University offers 20 varsity sports and we have approximately 526 student-athletes. Collectively, the University of New Haven's teams have been to the playoffs over 275 times. The Chargers have won conference, regional, and even national championships, and our student-athletes excel in the classroom and community. At the University of New Haven, campus recreation is called "ChargerREC," with a home base in the David A. Beckerman Recreation Center. There are 20 intramural offerings in three divisions (men's, women's, and co-REC), subdivided into divisions by skill level as well.
Read also: Applying for the New Haven Scholarship
tags: #new #haven #university #football #history
