CNBNews

Link to complete tournament bracket

http://www.ncaasports.com/football/mens/brackets/straight32_dyn/2007/DIII

Ewing, NJ (11/11/07) – With the release of the field for the 2007 NCAA Division III Football Championships, The College of New Jersey football team has drawn in Rensselaer (8-1) first round contest on Saturday, November 17 in a Noon start. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens. The Lions will take to the road and face the Engineers at ’86 field in Troy, NY.

The winner of the game between RPI and TCNJ faces either top-seeded Mount Union (10-0), the top-ranked team in the nation, or Ithaca (8-2) on November 24. On the other side of the bracket, St. John Fisher (9-1), the second seed, hosts fifth-seeded Hobart (8-2) and Curry (11-0), the third seed, hosts seventh-seeded Hartwick (8-2). The winners of those two games face one another.

The 2007 Lions earned the bid after winning the New Jersey Athletic Conference after going 6-1 in the league. The 2007 NCAA Tournament appearance for the Lions marks the fifth time the Lions have earned a spot in the tournament as they bring a lifetime record of 3-4 into the 2007 action.

TCNJ first appeared in the NCAA’s in 1990 and opened the tournament with a 24-14 win over Ithaca College before falling to Hofstra University 38-3 in the Eastern Regional Championship game. TCNJ next appeared in 1996 and opened play with a 17-16 win over the U.S. Coast Guard Academy before falling to Rowan University 7-3 in the Eastern Regional Championship game. TCNJ returned the next year compete and opened with a 34-30 win over SUNY Cortland in the first round, only to fall to Rowan University in the NCAA Eastern Regional Championship game, 13-7. In 1998, TCNJ fell to Rowan University 26-2 in the first round of the tournament.

The most successful head football coach in school history, Eric Hamilton is in his 31st season as the head coach for his alma mater. The coach of seven NJAC championship teams, he is now in his third decade in the league. Five times cited as the NJAC Coach of the Year, he has also guided the Lions to six postseason appearances as well.

Hamilton now owns a 187-117-6 career record. His 187 wins ranks fourth all-time in Division III entering the campaign amongst active Division III coaches. His 187 victories also ranks 19th all-time amongst all active coaches in every division.

His accomplishments have not gone unnoticed, as he has twice been selected Coach of the Year by the New Jersey College Football Writers Association (1980 & ’81) and as NJAC Coach of the Year by the conference coaches in 1983, 1990, 1994, 1996 and 1998. To date, Hamilton has produced 20 All-American performers, 63 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) All-Star selections, and 130 All-NJAC first team performers.

Hamilton now owns an NJAC career record of 114-59-4 after a 6-1 mark in 2007 in the NJAC. TCNJ has captured to the NJAC crown now seven times (1980, 1983, 1988, 1994, 1996, 1998, and 2007). TCNJ has gone unbeaten in the NJAC only two times under Hamilton (1980: 6-0, and 1996: 5-0).

TCNJ brings an 8-2 record having averaged 334.7 yards per game of total offense, while allowing only 240.0 yards per game from their opponents. Sophomore quarterback Chris James (Brick, NJ/Brick Memorial) leads the Lions this fall and now has 160.5 yards per game passing, while completing 122 of 252 passes with 14 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. He also leads the Lions with his 195.1 yards per game of total offense.

A frequent target for James has been sophomore wide receiver Cameron Richardson (Burlington, NJ/Burlington Township) who now has 30 catches for 577 yards with five TD’s.

On the ground, TCNJ’s senior co-captain Dan Dornacker (Jersey City, NJ/Brick Memorial) is enjoying a career-best campaign having rushed for 618 yards on 140 carries with four touchdowns, while James has four rushing scores as well this fall.

Defensively, the Lions have found several leaders as well. Senior lineman Joe King (Mountainside, NJ/Governor Livingston) now has a team-high 63 tackles with 25.5 tackles for a loss (-153 yards), while adding 12 sacks for -106 yards. On his career, King now has now has 31.5 career sacks for -280 yards, while adding 134 career tackles. On his career, he has made 53.5 tackles for a loss (-318 yards). As of November 5, he was ranked third in Division III in sacks per game (1.4), while ranking third as well in tackles for a loss (2.8).

Senior co-captain Andrew Larkin (Hamilton Square, NJ/Notre Dame) continues to add to the big play book this fall. Larkin returned an interception against Buffalo State in the third quarter 91 yards for a TD. That marks his second interception return for a touchdown this fall. The 91 yard return for a score was just eight yards shy of tying TCNJ’s school record for an interception return for a TD, which stands at 99 yards and was set in 1975 by Don Covin against Glassboro State. On the year, Larkin now has 55 tackles with a team-leading six interception for 179 yards with six pass breakups. He leads the NJAC with his six interceptions (0.67) and is ranked third in the league with his 12 passes defended. He ranked 24th in Div. 3 with 0.6 interceptions per game as of October 29.

Junior linebacker Marc Fabiano (Scotch Plains, NJ/Scotch Plains-Fanwood) now has 57 tackles. He currently has 25 solo stops with 32 assisted tackles and is averaging 6.1 tackles per game which is 19th best in the NJAC.

Senior linebacker Nick Steffner (Bridgewater, NJ/Bridgewater) as added nine tackles in the win over Buffalo State and now has 58 tackles with three sacks, four pass breakup and 9.5 tackles for loss (-34 yards). Both Fabiano and Steffner were tapped for the 2007 ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District College Division team last week for their accomplishments on and off the playing field.

Senior kicker Matt Dalessio (Marlton, NJ/Cherokee) has three-game winning performances to his credit this fall. The leading scorer this year, he has 82 career points as a Lion. Dalessio is ranked second in the NJAC with his 1.11 FG per game, while ranking third in the league in kick scoring leaders.