Coastal Football Also Finishes 24th in FCS Coaches Poll

Jan. 9, 2013

CONWAY - For the first time since 2006, the Coastal Carolina football program has ended the season ranked among the nation's top 25 in both the FCS Coaches Poll and The Sports Network Poll, finishing 24th in both.

Coastal Carolina opponents from this past season to finish in the FCS Coaches Poll include Old Dominion (#6), Appalachian State (#8), Stony Brook (#12), Eastern Kentucky (#19) and Bethune-Cookman (#23).

The Chanticleers were 8-5 this past season and 5-1 in the Big South Conference, finishing in a three-way tie for first in the league for the program's fifth championship in 10 years of football. Coastal earned the Big South's automatic bid to the NCAA Division I Football Championship and made its league-best third appearance in the playoffs.

First year head coach Joe Moglia was named the Big South Coach of the Year and he was a finalist for two national honors, including the Eddie Robinson FCS Coach of the Year and the Liberty Mutual FCS Coach of the Year.

The Chanticleers featured All-American linebacker and 2012 Big South Defensive Player of the Year Quinn Backus, a sophomore from Greenwood, as well as first team All-Big South honorees Aramis Hillary (QB), Matt Hazel (WR), Pat Williams (C), Quinton Davis (DL), Johnny Hartsfield (DL), Dontavais Johnson (DB) and Niccolo Mastromatteo (PR - also earned second team as a wide receiver). Second team honorees include Jeremy Height (RB), David Duran (TE), Chad Hamilton (OL) and Mike McClure (LB).