Western football set to open season at Widener in MAC-NJAC Challenge

First season under new Head Coach Joe Loth

DANBURY, CT (Aug. 28) —  The Western Connecticut State University football team opens the 2012 season on Saturday, September 1 under the tutelage of new Head Coach Joe Loth. The Colonials open the season at 25th ranked Widener University on Saturday at 1 pm in the first annual MAC-NJAC Football Challenge.

Loth returns back to Western Connecticut after being the Defensive Coordinator back in the early 90s. Since leaving the Colonials' staff, he has been the head coach at Kean University and his alma meter Otterbein University.

Loth is not the only new face on the staff as only former Western linebacker Michael Toscano is the only assistant coach back this fall. He will be the Special Teams Coordinator and coach the Linebackers in his third season.

Top returning letter winners include New Jersey Athletic Conference Michael Farnsworth (Mystic, CT) on the defensive line. A year ago, he had 44 tackles, 5 1/2 tackles for a loss and two sacks. Michael Lacaria (Watertown, CT), Bill Birdsell (Bethel, CT), Devin Myers (Waterbury, CT), and Tyrell Ballard (Bridgeport, CT) all return on the defense.

On offense, 2011 signal caller Will Arndt (Newtown, CT) heads the list of returners. A year ago, he completed 61 of 178 passes for 550 yards, threw four touchdowns and was intercepted six times.

Junior center Connor Capasso (Woodbridge, CT) and junior fullback Chris Elser (New Haven, CT) are the only other returners with experience on offense. Elser rushed 37 times for 116 yards and one touchdown in 2011.

Along with a new staff comes 51 newcomers to the program.

Transfer halfback Octavias McKoy (Sratford, CT) has shown the most promise in the pre-season camp and could be a force coming out of the backfield in his first season in Danbury.

Western, which is in its final season in the NJAC, will attempt to snap a school-record 21-game losing streak which includes identical 0-10 marks the past two campaigns.

In 2013, the Colonials will be competing as an affiliated member in the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference.

The Pride are coming off a 9-2 season and are ranked 25th in D3Football.com Preseason Poll
and sixth in Lindy's Sports Magazine's Preseason Poll.

Western opens its home slate on Saturday, September 22 when it plays host to ninth ranked Rowan University. Kick off is slated for 12 noon at The WAC.

The 2012 football campaign begins with teams in the MAC facing teams from neighboring New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) on Saturday, September 1.

See below for MAC/NJAC matchups:

MAC/NJAC Challenge "Teaser"

12:00 pm

Wilkes @ Morrisville

Morrisville, NY

TEAM	2011 Season | Conference Record	2012 Conference Preseason Ranking	Team Accolades
Wilkes	4-5 | 4-4	6 (out of 10)
Morrisville	1-9 | 1-8	8 (out of 9)

 

1:00 pm

Delaware Valley @ Rowan

Glassboro, NJ

TEAM	2011 Season | Conference Record	2012 Conference Preseason Ranking	Team Accolades
Delaware Valley	11-1 | 8-0	1 (out of 10)	-Ranked 9th in D3Football.com Preseason Poll
Rowan	5-5 | 5-4	4 (out of 9)

-Delaware Valley Senior John Lavelle: D3Football.com Preseason All-American

-Rowan Defensive Tackle Steve Williams: D3Senior Classic Preseason All-America Second Team; USA Football News Division III Preseason All-America First Team

1:00 pm

King's @ William Paterson

Wayne, NJ

TEAM	2011 Season | Conference Record	2012 Conference Preseason Ranking	Team Accolades
King's	1-9 | 1-7	8 (out of 10)
William Paterson	4-6 | 3-6	6 (out of 9)

-William Paterson Senior Running Back Dawys German: USA College Football Division III Preseason All-America Third-team; D3Senior Classic Preseason All-America Honorable Mention

1:00 pm

Lebanon Valley @ Montclair

Montclair, NJ

TEAM	2011 Season | Conference Record	2012 Conference Preseason Ranking	Team Accolades
Lebanon Valley	8-3 | 5-3	4 (out of 10)
Montclair	8-2 | 7-2	2 (out of 9)

-Lebanon Valley Senior Center Sam Colletts: USA College Football All-America First-Team; Beyond Sports College Network Preseason All-America Third-Team

-Montclair Junior Linebacker Dan Avento: D3Football.com Preseason All-America Second Team; Lindy’s Sports Preseason All-America Third Team

1:00 pm

Lycoming vs. Brockport

Williamsport, PA

TEAM	2011 Season | Conference Record	2012 Conference Preseason Ranking	Team Accolades
Lycoming	8-2 | 6-2	3 (out of 10)
Brockport	3-7 | 3-6	7 (out of 9)

-Lycoming Running Back Parker Showers, Offensive Lineman Cody Moyer, Defensive Tackle Roger Jayne, Cornerback Matt Talerico: USA Football College News Division III Preseason Northeast Region All-Star Team

-Brockport Senior Jordan Hogan: USA College Football Division III Honorable Mention Pre-Season All-American team; Northeast Region Division III Pre-Season All-Star

1:00 pm

Widener vs. Western Connecticut

Chester, PA

TEAM	2011 Season | Conference Record	2012 Conference Preseason Ranking	Team Accolades
Widener	9-2 | 6-2	2 (out of 10)	-Ranked 25th in D3Football.com Preseason Poll -Ranked 6th in Lindy's Sports Magazine's Preseason Poll
Western Connecticut	0-10 | 0-9	9 (out of 9)

-Widener Sophomore Returner Anthony Davis: Beyond Sports Network Preseason All-America First-Team
-Widener Senior Quarterback Chris Haupt: Beyond Sports Network Preseason All-America Honorable Mention; Lindy's Sports Magazine's Preseason Offensive Player of the Year

7:00 pm

Albright @ Kean

Union, NJ

TEAM	2011 Season | Conference Record	2012 Conference Preseason Ranking	Team Accolades
Albright	6-5 | 4-4	4 (out of 10)
Kean	10-2 | 8-1	3 (out of 9)	-Ranked 14th in D3Football.com Preseason Poll

-Albright Senior Jake Bentsen and Matt Pattison: USA Football News Preseason All-Northeast Region Team (Honorable Mention Preseason All-Americans)

7:00 pm ( Sep. 7)

Fairleigh Dickinson vs. TCNJ

Madison, NJ

TEAM	2011 Season | Conference Record	2012 Conference Preseason Ranking	Team Accolades
Fairleigh Dickinson	1-9 | 1-7	8 (out of 10)
TCNJ	7-3 | 6-3	5 (out of 9)

-TCNJ Junior Linebacker Nick Bricker: D3Football.com Preseason All-American