Football Announces New Class on National Signing Day

ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany and Head Coach Greg Gattuso have announced the new class of Great Danes to join the football team ahead of the 2024 season. The list includes 21 new student-athletes in total, including 11 transfers and 10 freshmen (five of which were announced on early signing day).

The Great Danes are coming off the best season in program history, winning the program’s first ever Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Championship and advancing to the NCAA National Semifinal. UAlbany posted an overall record of 11-4, taking down four nationally ranked teams in the process and falling to just two FCS level programs. 

To commemorate the unprecedented year, fans who place a $25 season ticket deposits before Feb. 9, 2024, will receive a collectable mini helmet recognizing the team’s undisputed CAA title. All fans who place their deposits before Feb. 9 will also receive the 2023 season ticket rate. After the Feb. 9 deadline, season ticket prices with increase by $25 at every level.

CLICK HERE to put your deposit down today! 

FRESHMEN

Noah Andrewson | OL | Haverford School

• Four-year starter
• First Team All-Inter AC
• First Team All-Delaware County
• First Team All-Main Line
• Second Team All-Eastern Pa.

Bryce Davis | RB | Brunswick School (Connecticut)

• New England Prep First Team All-League 
• For his career (18 games) he compiled 2,260 rushing yards, 31 rushing TDs, 47 catches, and three receiving TDs

Donald Jones | DB | CBA Albany

• 3x League Champion
• 2x NYS Large School Player of the Year
• 3x Times Union Large School Athlete of the Year
• Rushed for 2,734 yards over his career, averaging 7.5 yards per carry and collecting 17 TDs
• Had a passing line of 63-130, throwing for 1,347 yards and 18 TDs

Tavahri Groves | WR | Quince Orchard HS (Maryland)

• 4a All-Division, County, and State
• 2022 4a Maryland State Champion
• Brought in 31 catches for 648 yards and 10 TDs his senior season, adding 10 rushes for 108 yards and two TDs
• Inh is junior season, compiled 25 catches for 554 yards and eight TDs while rushing for an extra 155 yards and two TDs

Jaydon Williams | DB | Bartow HS (Florida)

• In his senior season (six games) he collected 33 tackles, five TFLs, two passes defended, an interception, and a fumble recovery

TRANSFERS

Chiebuka Aduaka | DL | Merrimack 

• Played in 24 games at Merrimack
• Totaled 55 total tackles (30 solo, 25 assisted)
• Racked up 13 TFLs, six sacks, one pass defended, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery

Before Merrimack

• Two-time MIAA All-Conference selection (2019-20)

Myles Bell | DB | Marshall

• Played one season at Marshall after three seasons at UConn
• Totaled 30 tackles, five passes defended, a forced fumble, and an interception

Before Marshall/UConn

• Played two seasons under Roger Harriot at St. Thomas Aquinas
• Totaled 14 tackles and five passes defended in his senior season

Myles Burkett | QB | Wisconsin 

• Played in two games at Wisconsin, completing 4-of-5 passes for 84 yards

Before Wisconsin

• Three-star recruit by Rivals, 247Sports and ESPN
• WFCA Large School Offensive Player of the Year as a senior
• Wisconsin AP and Gatorade Player of the Year as a senior
• Two-time WFCA First-Team All-State selection
• Won the Dave Krieg Award as the top QB in Wisconsin as a senior
• Led Franklin to a perfect 14-0 record and the Wisconsin Division 1 state title
• Completed 206-of-289 passes (71.3%) for 3,427 yards with 36 TDs and just 4 INTs as a senior
• In 31 career games, passed for 6,483 yards and 71 TDs while also rushing for 1,054 yards and 14 TDs
• Three-time conference player of the year
• Honor roll student

Jamal Cooney | WR | Dartmouth

• All-Ivy League Honorable Mention (2021)
• Phil Steele All-Ivy First Team (2021)
• Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week (Sept. 27, 2021)
• Stats Perform FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week Honorable Mention (Sept. 27, 2021)

Before Dartmouth

• Product of powerhouse prep program St Thomas Aquinas that sent 23 of his classmates to college football
• Caught 24 balls for 208 yards and seven TDs as a senior
• Averaged 30 yards on six punt returns
• Missed four games but still made All-Broward Second Team and played in Dade-Broward All-Star Game
• High school had 17 players on NFL rosters last fall
• All-Broward track and field as a senior
• Attended Miami Northwestern and Mater Academy before St. Thomas Aquinas.

Dasean Dixon | DL | East Stroudsburg University

• Totaled 23 games at ESU
• Collected 81 total tackles (34 solo, 47 assisted)
• Collected 16 TFLs, 8.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery

Before ESU

• Named All-MET Honorable Mention by the Washington Post
• Garnered 18 sacks and 50 tackles in 10 games at Archbishop Carroll

Chris Gales | DB | Toledo

• Appeared in three games with two tackles at Toledo

Before Toledo

• Second Team All-Ohio as a senior
• First Team All-Conference as a senior
• Also played basketball and ran track
• Set a school record in the 4x200 relay as a senior

Jack Iuliano | DL | UPenn

• 17 games played at UPenn
• Collected 52 total tackles (22 solo, 30 assisted)
• Racked up 11 TFLs, five sacks, and one forced fumble

Before UPenn

• Three-year letterwinner at Rye HS
• Served as team captain
• 2018 All-League selection
• 2018 Section 1 Most Valuable Lineman
• 2018 first-team All-County
• 2018 Second-Team All-State
• Named to Westchester’s Golden Dozen
• Lettered twice in lacrosse
• National Honor Society member

Chance Roberts | OL | Tiffin University

• Appeared in 15 games for the Dragons on the offensive line

Before Tiffin

• Second Team All-OCC honoree
• Iron Jag Award winner

Ibrahim Sanogo | DL | California University of Pennsylvania

• Played in 21 games
• Accumulated 59 total tackles (30 solo, 29 assisted)
• Racked up 22.5 TFLs, 14 sacks, four passed defended, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery

Before PennWest Cal

• Received All-DelCo and All-Area honors as a senior
• Selected to PSFCA All-Star Game
• Named Defensive MVP of Delaware County Hero Bowl
• Also a member of basketball and track & field teams
• Featured on Honor Roll

Aaron Steinfeldt | TE | Indiana

• Appeared in 20 games, making four starts
• Recorded seven receptions for 63 yards and one TD

Before Indiana

• Attended Bloomington North High School
• Two-time All-State, All-Area, and First-Team All-Conference selection
• Indiana Football Coaches Association Mr. Football position award winner
• Closed his career with 94 receptions (second in school history) for 1,444 yards and 12 touchdowns
• Hauled in 31 passes for 603 yards and five scores during his senior campaign
• Bloomington North won its first conference championship in 2019 and its first sectional game in seven years in 2020
• Ranked the No. 10 prospect in Indiana and the No. 34 tight end nationally by Rivals
• Four-year football and baseball letterwinner
• Three-year basketball letterwinner

Marcus Winfield | DL | Kent State

• Totaled 12 tackles and two sacks at Kent State

Delaware State

• All-MEAC (2021)
• Preseason All-MEAC (2022)
• Appeared in 23 games over four season for the Hornets
• Totaled 36 tackles, including 6.5 TFLs, four sacks, and a blocked kick

Before Delaware State

• Two-year varsity letter winner at Cheltenham HS
• First Team All-Suburban One Conference defensive and offensive lineman as a senior
• All-Southeastern Pa., First Team (DE) All-State Second Team (DE) and First Team Class 5A (DE) selection during senior season
• Credited with 86 tackles, four sacks, 17 tackles-for-loss, and three pass deflections during senior season

EARLY SIGNING CLASS

Devin Harper | LB | Lackawanna JC

• In 10 games, totaled 34 tackled, 7.5 TFLs, two sacks, and one interception

Zakar Morris | DL | Iona Prep (New York)

• Team Captain
• First Team All-League CHSFL
• First Team All-County CHSFL
• Led team in sacks and TFLs
• 56 Tackles, 7 Sacks, 23 TFLs, 1 INT

Nwojo Uga | RB | Worcester Academy Prep (Massachusetts)

• Weston HS Captain (2021 & 2022)
• 2021 & 2022 DCL All-League
• 1,200 all-purpose yards, 12 TDs (2022 at Weston HS)
• Worcester Academy Captain (2023)
• Rushed for 869 yards on 99 carries in 7 games with 12 TDs
• All-NEPSAC Class B
• All-Evergreen

Van Weber | QB | Rutherford HS (New Jersey)

• 2x League Champion 
• 2x First Team All-County
• First team All-North New Jersey
• First Team All-State Group 2
• NJIC Player of the Year
• New York Jets High School Player of the Week
• Phil Simms North/South NJ All Star Game MVP
• Varsity Aces Player of the Year Nominee
• 21-3 as a starting QB in high school
• Senior year – New Jersey passing touchdown and QPR leader 
• Senior year: 127-177 passing, 2,228 yards, 33 TDs, 1 INT
• Team Captain

Ervin Wiggins Jr. | DB | East HS (New York)

• 3x Team Captain
• 3x First Team All-Conference
• 2x All-Greater Rochester
• 2x All-NYS 
• 2023 Section 5 Defensive Player of the Year
• 226 Career tackles, 30 TFLs
• 7 INTs (5 returned for TDs)
• 76 Career receptions, 1,324 Yds
• 29 Career TDs

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