Stony Brook, N.Y. - Stony Brook Director of Athletics Jim Fiore has announced that head football coach Chuck Priore has agreed to a contract extension that will keep him at the helm of the program through 2017. The extension adds a year to Priore's existing contract as he agreed to an extension through the 2016 season in February 2011.
A 2012 finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, given to the top head coach in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), Priore has guided the Seawolves to back-to-back appearances in the Division I Football Championship.
"Coach Priore has impressively led the Stony Brook football program to FCS prominence in a short period of time," Fiore said. "That success has been evident in all facets - - on-field results, our academic culture, player development, recruiting and community service. Coach Priore has positioned our program for future success as we move into the Colonial Athletic Association, which is widely though of as the nation's most prominent FCS conference."
Priore's offense has produced two 1,000-yard rushers in each of the last three seasons, including Miguel Maysonet, who earned numerous All-America honors and finished second in the Walter Payton Award voting.
Stony Brook earned its first Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) win in 2012, beating Army, 23-3, before a nationally-televised audience.
Excluding 2007, when Stony Brook competed as an independent, Priore, who is 47-34 in seven years at SBU and 86-40 overall, has led the Seawolves to at least a share of a conference title in five of six seasons. In the last five years, the Seawolves posted a Big South Conference record of 24-5, losing only once at home.
Stony Brook's success in the classroom has produced more than 80 Big South Presidential Honor Roll selections, including quarterback Kyle Essington, a two-time All-Academic conference honoree. For achieving the highest Academic Progress Rate (APR) in the Big South in 2011-12, the Seawolves garnered an award from the FCS Athletics Directors Association.
 |
"I'm very grateful to Jim Fiore and President Stanley for their commitment to building a championship-level football program," Priore said. "I'm excited to continue working at a world-class institution like Stony Brook, and my staff and I look forward to recruiting and leading quality student-athletes this university can be proud of."
