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Drew Christ, a former UAlbany graduate assistant, returns to the program this year as defensive backs coach. He previously was a member of Bob Ford's coaching staff in 2001, when he worked with the outside linebackers. Christ will recruit the areas of Western Pennsylvania and Ohio. Christ served as the University of Rochester's defensive coordinator last season. He spent the previous three years as secondary coach under Al Bagnoli at the University of Pennsylvania. The Quakers won Ivy League championships in 2002 and 2003 during his stay with the program. In 1998, Christ began his coaching career at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania, where he handled the defensive backs and place-kickers for three seasons and recruited Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. A native of Bay Village, Ohio, Christ was an all-conference and honorable mention all-state scholastic defensive player. He went on to star at the University of Chicago, where he was a three-time All-University Athletic Association defensive back and kicker. He was voted special teams MVP for four consecutive years and received the overall most valuable player award as a senior. Christ played in the Professional Indoor Football League with the Madison Maddawgs.
Don Mion joined the UAlbany football staff in spring of 1997, and is in his tenth season as a defensive coach. He will assist with the defensive backs this season. Mion had been a high school head coach for 11 years in the Capital Region. Over an eight-year period, Mion served as UAlbany's defensive line coach. The unit accounted for 22 sacks and 66 tackles for a loss in 2003. The Great Danes were also ranked eighth nationally in rushing defense at 104.5 yards per game. Mion, 53, guided Shaker High School in Latham, New York, to four Section II playoff appearances, including the 1986 and 1990 seasons when each club posted a 7-2 record. Prior to being installed as head coach, Mion was an assistant at Shaker for six years. In addition, he was a UAlbany graduate assistant in the mid-1970s and an assistant coach at both Syracuse and Mohonasen high schools. Mion received his B.A. in social studies with a minor in education from UAlbany in 1975, and went on to earn his master's degree in the same discipline. A two-sport athlete in football and wrestling, Mion was inducted into the University's Athletic Hall of Fame in the fall of 2001. He ranks sixth on the school's all-time list with 271 career tackles. Mion, a graduate of Colonie Central High School in New York, was a scholastic head wrestling coach at Shaker and Syracuse. He and his wife, Sharon, have three daughters, Katie, Sara and Emily.
Will Luca is in his second year as a member of UAlbany's staff. He worked with the tight ends last year, but will now move over to defense with the outside linebackers. Luca will be responsible for recruiting in Northern New Jersey. Luca served as offensive line coach at Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa., in 2003 and 2004. In his last year with the program, the Greyhounds finished with a 7-4 record and played in the ECAC Division III Southeast Championship. At Moravian, Luca was also responsible for aspects of special teams, development of a weekly offensive game plan, video coordination and academic advisement of student-athletes. He recruited Northern New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania and Delaware. A native of Saddle River, N.J., Luca got his start in coaching as a volunteer assistant in the spring of 2003 at his alma mater Kutztown University. He was voted first-team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and second-team All-Northeast Region in 2001. Luca has an undergraduate degree of liberal arts and sciences in history with a minor in psychology.
Bill Banagan is back on the UAlbany football staff after coaching on the high school level. He previously worked with UAlbany's tight ends from 1999-2002. In his last season, the Great Danes captured the Northeast Conference and ECAC championships. Banagan, who has coached several All-NEC performers, will work with UAlbany's defensive line and recruit in both Central and Western New York. Banagan coached for nine years at Bishop Maginn High in Albany, N.Y., prior to his first stint on Bob Ford's staff. He tutored the offensive line, receivers and tight ends, and served as the program's offensive coordinator in 1998. Banagan later served as Shaker High's offensive coordinator in 2003. A Capital Region native, Banagan lettered twice for the Great Danes in 1982 and 1983. He earned his undergraduate degree in economics with a minor in business administration. In addition, Banagan was an all-league tight end for five seasons with the Albany Metro Mallers, a semi-professional team. He earned All-Big Ten League recognition as a scholastic defensive back. He and his wife, Kathy, have three children, Kyle, Liam and Kara.
Ryan McCarthy is in his fifth year with the UAlbany football program. He will coach the quarterbacks for the second consecutive season after working with the wide receivers for the previous two years and the offensive line in the 2002 campaign. His recruiting area includes Central New Jersey, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont and Georgia. McCarthy was the quarterbacks coach at Siena College prior to arriving on the UAlbany campus. He recruited a four-state region, including New York and Massachusetts. An honorable mention All-New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) quarterback at SUNY-Cortland, McCarthy passed for 2,266 yards and 13 touchdowns as a senior and established a school record with 223 completions. He received the ECAC Division III offensive player of the week award. McCarthy, who hails from Wilder, Vt., earned a B.S. in physical education from Cortland. He received a master's from UAlbany in the spring of 2004. He was an all-state high school athlete in football, basketball and baseball.
Nick LaFontaine prepares for his fourth season with the UAlbany football program. He takes on new duties this year as running backs coach and recruiting coordinator, where he will administrate areas of recruitment and work with NCAA compliance and clearinghouse details. His recruiting area includes Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Maryland and Washington, D.C. LaFontaine, who previously worked with UAlbany's offensive line and tight ends, was the running backs coach at Norwich University in Vermont from 2002-03. He also coached special teams, served as the junior varsity offensive coordinator, assisted with the strength and conditioning program and recruited in the state of Connecticut. LaFontaine spent one year at his alma mater Wesleyan University as tight ends coach. He also instructed the long snappers on special teams and served as video coordinator. He received three varsity letters as a defensive tackle, and totaled 42 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a senior. LaFontaine, who hails from Windham, Conn., has a B.A. in American Studies with a history concentration.
Mike Morita is in his first season on the UAlbany staff. He will coach the offensive tackles and tight ends, plus recruit in Eastern and Central Pennsylvania. Morita previously was the offensive coordinator and offensive line coach at Shaw University in Raleigh, N.C., a program that won the 2004 Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championship and the Pioneer Bowl with a 10-2 record. From 2000-03, Morita worked with the tight ends at Bucknell University. He also instructed the offensive line and running backs, plus coordinated video breakdown and computer analysis of opponents. During that period, he coached an All-Patriot League tight end and recruited current Tennessee Titan Sean Conover. His recruiting coverage includes New England, Central New York and Western Pennsylvania. Morita was an offensive line coach at Santa Barbara City College in 2003. His first coaching position came at Eagle (Idaho) High School as varsity running backs assistant. Morita was a two-year letterman at running back at Idaho State University, where he received a B.S. in elementary education in 1998. He was the recipient of the outstanding student achievement award from the School of Education. Additionally, Morita played center on the offensive line at the College of Marin in California for two years. A native of Mill Valley, Calif., Morita earned his master's of science in education with emphasis as a instructional specialist from Bucknell in July 2004.
John Bolt joins the UAlbany coaching staff this season after coaching at both Hudson Valley Community College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute from 2004-06. Bolt, who will handle the wide receivers, coached HVCC's defensive line. A three-year starter at defensive end for the Great Danes, Bolt played on a pair of Northeast Conference championship teams in 2002 and 2003. He totaled 83 tackles, 14.5 sacks and five pass deflections during his career. As a sophomore, Bolt was named to the Football Gazette I-AA Mid-Major All-America squad and All-NEC second team. Bolt received his B.A. in psychology with a minor in education in May 2004. A native of Watervliet, N.Y., he was named first-team all-state as a defensive end and was a consensus all-area selection. He led his high school team to the 1998 Class C state semifinals. |
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