East Rutherford, N.J. – According to a poll of Northeast Conference (NEC) head coaches, the
Robert Morris University football team has been picked to finish seventh in the NEC in 2019. The poll was released as part of the conference's fifth annual NEC Social Media Day, held at MetLife Stadium.
Earning a spot on the 2019 Preseason All-NEC Team was senior tight end
Matthew Gonzalez. In 11 games last season, Gonzalez paced the receiving corps for the Colonials by finishing with 40 receptions for 642 yards and 12 touchdowns.
In addition to establishing an RMU single-season record for touchdown catches, Gonzalez paced the NEC in the category and ranked 10th in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). Among FCS tight ends, he finished third in the nation with an average of 16.1 yards per reception. For his efforts last year, Gonzalez was named to the 2018
Associated Press FCS All-America Second Team.
Gonzalez is just the fourth student-athlete in program history to earn AP All-American accolades, joining an impressive list of who's who in program annals. Gonzalez joined inaugural running back Tim Hall (1995) and a pair from RMU's 2010 team that was the first in NEC history to earn the automatic bid to the NCAA FCS Playoffs, offensive lineman Corey Konycki and tight end Shadrae King.
RELATED: Robert Morris 2019 Schedule
Entering his final season in 2019, Gonzalez has compiled 62 career receptions for 910 yards and 13 touchdowns. He needs just nine catches to crack the top 10 all-time at Robert Morris, while he is just two scores away from the top five in the category.
Picked as the 2019 preseason favorite is Duquesne, which earned seven first-place votes. Sacred Heart earned a first-place vote and is second in the preseason poll, followed by Central Connecticut, Wagner, Bryant, Saint Francis and RMU. Long Island, which is making its first appearance in the NEC in 2019, rounds out the poll in eighth.
Led by second-year head coach Bernard Clark, Robert Morris opens its 2019 campaign Thursday, August 29, at the University of Buffalo. It marks the first time in program history the Colonials will play an opponent from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS).
Robert Morris also has non-conference home games slated against Kentucky State (Sept. 7) and Dayton (Sept. 14), the latter of which is part of the University's Homecoming festivities. For
season or individual tickets, please visit
Ticketmaster.
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