MANCHESTER, N.H. - New Haven linebacker Joseph Vitale capped-off his memorable career on Tuesday night, as he earned the 2025 Northeast 10 Conference Man of the Year award during the conference's annual awards banquet. 

Vitale became the first student-athlete in New Haven history to earn the distinguished Man of the Year honor. Previously, New Haven had three student-athletes named Woman of the Year in Shannon Gagne (2011), Ivy Watts (2015) and Camryn DeBose (2023). 

Vitale was a model student-athlete during his time at New Haven and in the NE10. He served as team captain during the 2024 season, as the New Haven football program won its second consecutive league championship and its third in the past four seasons. Vitale was a First Team All-Conference selection for the first time in his career, while being named the winner of the Elite 24 Award and Sport Excellence Award for football.

He has earned a 4.0 GPA for a Masters in Healthcare Administration. Vitale has also excelled as a member of the community, assisting in initiatives for Team IMPACT, Make-a-Wish, Be The Match and West Haven Meal Donations and City Cleanups - as well as Goodwill clothing drives and as a volunteer at a soup kitchen. He is a two-year member of New Haven's Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC). 
 

Vitale is preparing to attend medical school as he pursues his future career. On Tuesday night, he was joined at the NE10 Banquet by his head coach Chris Pincince. 

ABOUT THE NE10
The NE10 is an association of 10 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.