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| Scott James |
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| Cazzie Kosciolek |
(01-17-08)
WEST HAVEN, Conn. -- University of New Haven Director of Athletics Deborah Chin and head football coach Peter Rossomando announced that Scott James and Cazzie Kosciolek have joined the Charger Football staff as assistant coaches. They begin their duties immediately.
James and Kosciolek have a combined 19 seasons of collegiate coaching experience, including 10 at the NCAA Division I level. James was most recently the outside linebackers coach at Northeastern University, while Kosciolek returns to UNH after serving last season as running backs coach for the College of Holy Cross.
“The staff is really taking shape with energetic, young coaches that have a lot of experience," Rossomando said. "We're going to have a very well-rounded group of coaches. Our assistants are very passionate about the success of the University of New Haven football program. We're already out on the road recruiting the best possible student-athletes to form the basis of the 2009 Charger Football team and make our alumni, fans and supporters proud.”
ASSISTANT COACH SCOTT JAMES
James served for three seasons at Northeastern, including the final two as outside linebackers coach. In 2006, James led a group of Huskies that produced 9.5 sacks. James spent his first season as the Huskies' defensive tackles coach and video coordinator.
“Scott James is a high-energy guy who works extremely hard in all areas of coaching," Rossomando said. "He has worked at the Division I level and brings a wealth of knowledge with him, from places like Boston College and Northeastern.”
Prior to his arrival at Northeastern, James served two seasons as an assistant coach at Boston College, working with a talented group of linebackers under head coach Tom O’Brien. James worked closely with players such as Brian Toal, the 2004 Big East Rookie of the Year and a Freshman All-American, and Ray Henderson, a second team All-Big East selection. During his time with the Eagles, the team brought home bowl victories in the Diamond Walnut Bowl (2003) and the Continental Tire Bowl (2004).
Before arriving in Boston, James, 30, spent one season at College of the Holy Cross, working with the defensive ends in 2002. He spent the 2001 season alongside Rossomando at the University at Albany, serving as defensive tackles coach and helping the Great Danes to a 7-3 record in their third season of Division I football. His first coaching job was at his alma mater, Norwich University, in 1999 and 2000. There, he oversaw the defensive line and strength and conditioning program.
James graduated from Norwich in 1999 with a degree in Sports Medicine and received his master’s in Curriculum Development and Instructional Technologies from UAlbany in 2002. He collected a second master’s in Administrative Studies from Boston College in 2005.
ASSISTANT COACH CAZZIE KOSCIOLEK
With a name very familiar to local sports fans, Cazzie Kosciolek returns to the school he helped lead to the Division II national championship game as a quarterback in 1997.
“Cazzie is a very knowledgeable coach who is a great recruiter," Rossomando said. "Being a former player for the Chargers, Cazzie knows how to sell the University of New Haven to potential student-athletes and that will be a great asset to us.”
Kosciolek, who will be inducted into the UNH Athletics Hall of Fame on January 25, finished third in the voting for the 1997 Harlon Hill Trophy - Division II's version of the Heisman - after passing for 3,232 yards and 32 touchdowns to lead the NCAA's highest-scoring offense (43.3 points per game). Included in those overall statistics are 905 yards and nine touchdown passes in the playoffs, as UNH finished that season 12-2 overall and national runners-up. Kosciolek was named to the Associated Press Small College All-America Team and was also an All-New England and All-ECAC selection. Despite playing just the one season, Cazzie's passing numbers put him in the career top 10 at UNH in completions, yardage and touchdowns. When including playoff statistics in his totals, no one in UNH history has passed for more yards in a season than Kosciolek, who earned his undergraduate degree at Boston University before transferring to UNH to finish out his eligibility.
Most recently Kosciolek was running backs coach at College of the Holy Cross, helping the Crusaders post a 7-4 record and rush for 19 touchdowns in 2007. Prior to that appointment, he served as offensive coordinator and offensive line coach during the 2006 season at Newberry (S.C.) College. He helped lead the Indians to an 11-2 record, including the first NCAA playoff appearance and victory in school history. His offense averaged 392.3 yards and 30.7 points per game, and ranked second in the nation with a 158.1 pass efficiency rating.
Kosciolek also worked at Newberry during the 2005 season as the offensive line coach, and was offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College in 2004. From 2002-2003, Kosciolek was the offensive line coach at Hofstra University. He began his coaching career at the University of New Haven, where he served as the offensive line and wide receivers coach from 1998-2001.
Kosciolek is a 1997 graduate of Boston University, where he was a two-year letterwinner at quarterback. He was a member of the 1993 Yankee Conference Championship team, and played on squads which made two trips to the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs.
A native of Summit Hill, Pa., Kosciolek and his wife Christy have one son, Owen.
