Football 2/20/2025 10:41:06 AM New Haven Football Recognized for NE10 Championship Chargers Were Honored at Halftime of Men's Basketball Game WEST HAVEN, Conn. - The New Haven football program was formally recognized for its 2024 Northeast-10 Conference Championship on Wednesday night as part of a halftime ceremony at the New Haven - Southern Connecticut men's basketball game in Charger Gymnasium. The Chargers won their second-straight NE10 title this past fall, and its third in four years, under head coach Chris Pincince with a 7-1 record in conference play. For the fourth-consecutive season, New Haven qualified for the NCAA Division II Football Championship. On Wednesday night, Joseph Vitale was officially named the winner of the Elite 24 Award, which honors the student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA participating at the finals site of each NE10 Championship. Since football does not sponsor a championship game, it is awarded to the player with the highest cumulative GPA on the championship-winning team. Vitale had a 3.9 GPA as a Healthcare Administration major as part of his graduate work. Vitale was also recognized with the NE10 Sport Excellence Award for football, which is given to one top individual from each of the league's 24 sports to honor both their academic and athletic accomplishments. Jack Quander was awarded NE10 Defensive Lineman of the Year for the second year in a row and Justin Cesaire was named a first-time recipient of NE10 Offensive Lineman of the Year. Pincince earned NE10 Coach of the Year for the second time in his career. New Haven captains accepted the NE10 Football Championship trophy, which is the sixth in program history. The Chargers trail only LIU Post in all-time NE10 titles. ABOUT THE NE10 The NE10 is an association of 11 diverse institutions serving student-athletes across 24 NCAA Division II sports. Together we build brilliant futures by embracing the journey of every student-athlete. Each year, 4,500 of those student-athletes compete in conference championships in 24 sports, making the NE10 the largest DII conference in the country in terms of sport sponsorship. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the NE10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes. Fans can subscribe via this link to follow NE10 NOW on FloSports this season. The partnership between the NE10 and FloSports works to provide funds back to the athletic departments of the Northeast-10 Conference in support of student-athletes while promoting the league on a national platform.