The 2021 Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the year, Chris Pincince was named the 10th head coach at the University of New Haven in February 2014, bringing more than 20 years of collegiate coaching experience to the sidelines, including many at the NCAA Division I level.
In nine seasons leading the Chargers, Pincince has collected 68 wins passing Mark Whipple as the all-time winningest coach in the storied history of the program, while leading the Blue and Gold to the NCAA Championship in four of the last five seasons and advancing to the Second Round in two of those appearances (2018 & 2021). Additionally, Pincince has led the Chargers to two Northeast-10 Conference Championships in the last three seasons
Overall in nine seasons, 15 players have received All-American accolades while offensive lineman Zach Voytek was a three-time NE10 Offensive Lineman of the Year and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Buffalo Bills. Additionally, 59 different players have been named All-Conference, while 12 have garnered All-Region honors.
This past season, Pincince led the Chargers to their second NE10 title in the last three years and the third-straight appearance in the NCAA playoffs, closing out the campaign with an 8-3 overall record. Pincince coached a pair of Chargers to All-America honors following the 2023 season with graduate wide receiver Dev Holmes earning First Team honors from the AFCA and junior defensive back Giye Jenkins taking the Second team distinction from the Associated Press. Also among the highlights was tight end Kevin Foelsh who signed a free agent contract with the Carolina Panthers and the New York Jets following the NFL Rookie Draft.
In addition to the All-America honors, Jenkins and Holmes were one of three Chargers to earn major honors from the Northeast-10 Conference as Holmes was named Offensive Player of the Year and Jenkins Defensive Player of the Year. Additionally, Jack Quander took home Defensive Lineman of the Year, while the trio were part of 13 total players to be recognized by the league.
In 2022, Pincince led the Blue and Gold to an 8-3 overall record (6-1 in the NE10) and its second-straight appearance in the NCAA playoffs and third in the last four seasons. Highlighting the individual accolades was graduate quarterback Connor Degenhardt who was named the NE10’s Offensive Player of the Year, one of 14 players to earn postseason honors from the league office. In addition to Degenhardt, 11 players earned First Team All-Conference distinction, the most among any conference team, with seven on offense and five on defense.
Beyond Degehnardt’s major conference honor, the Chargers had three players (RB Christopher Ais, WR Dev Holmes, RS Terrell Ford) earn All-New England status from the New England Football Writers Association and a trio pick up D2CCA All-Region distinction; Ais, OL William Ayers and LB David Onyemem. Rounding out all the postseason honors was Ford who picked up American Football Coaches Association All-America honors as a return specialist after picking off a pair of individual game records with 229 kick return yards against American International and a record 100-yard kickoff return against Franklin Pierce.
After missing the 2020 season due to the CoVID-19 shutdown, the Chargers finished the 2021 campaign 10-2 overall, including an undefeated 8-0 record in Northeast-10 Conference play, securing the first NE10 Conference Championship since the 2012 season and earning the program’s eighth trip to the NCAA Division II Championship. The Blue and Gold went on to defeat Bentley in the opening round of the national tournament, advancing to the regional semifinals for the second time in as many appearances. In addition to Pincince earning NE10 Coach of the Year accolades, he was also named the New England Football Writers Coach of the Year while graduate offensive lineman Mike Zecchin joined him with a major award as he was tabbed the NE10’s Offensive Lineman of the Year.
After finishing among the best defensive programs in the country, the Chargers were highlighted by junior defensive back Khyon Fitzpatrick who was named a second team All-American by the American Football Coaches of America. Overall, Fitzpatrick and Zecchin were part of 14 players who earned NE10 All-Conference honors while as a team, the Chargers finished 2021 ranked No.14 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.
The Chargers closed out the 2019 season finished tied with Bentley with a 6-2 record in Northeast-10 Conference play. Among the highlights for Pincince’s squad was Shamar Logan garnering NE10 Rookie of the Year accolades as he was one of 16 Chargers to earn NE10 postseason distinction. Logan would go on to earn All-Region honors along with Markel Johnson and Ju’an Williams, the latter of which was named the regions Special Teams Player of the Year.
In 2018, Pincince coached a pair of record breakers in quarterback Ajee Patterson and Williams. Patterson graduated as arguably the best quarterback in New Haven history, the first to throw for more than 10,000 yards while racking up 80 touchdowns, second most in program history. The NE10 MVP and First Team All-Conference selection, Patterson closed out his collegiate campaign with a career-high 2,878 yards and 29 touchdowns, leading his squad to the NCAA Championship for the first time since 2012. Williams, a Don Hanson Honorable Mention All-American, registered a single season school record 1,171 receiving yards which came on 65 catches while completing 11 for touchdowns. Joining Williams in earning All-American accolades was Dan Iannone who anchored an offensive line that contributed to 4,827 total yards on offense, the most in the NE10, which included just shy of 2,000 yards rushing. In addition, the O-Line protection was impeccable, allowing Patterson to be sacked just three times through the 10-game regular season.
Voytek was one of two Chargers named All-American in 2016, joining linebacker Tyler Condit. Together, the pair were part of nine total players who received NE10 All-Conference honors following a 7-4 season that included a pair of wins over crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State University, representing eight straight season New Haven has maintained the Elm City Trophy. On the field, Condit set a pair of records, becoming the all-time leading tackler at New Haven as well as in the Northeast-10. He finished his collegiate career with 117 tackles as a senior, becoming just the second player in school history to finish with at least 100 stops in three seasons.
In just his second season leading the Chargers, Pincince led the Blue and Gold to the N10 Championship game, finishing the year with a 7-4 record. Among the highlights were a pair of record setting performances from junior running back Andre Anderson and Condit. Anderson broke a 22 year old record set by Roger Graham when he rushed for 319 yards in the regular season finale against Saint Anselm. In that same game, Condit shattered a 29 year old record when he finished with 25 tackles, giving him 153 for the season, which surpassed the previous record of 134 by Erik Lesinski. Anderson and Condit were two of four Chargers who received NE10 Player of the Year accolades at their respective positions, with Anderson earning Most Valuable Player accolades.
In his first season strolling the sideline at New Haven, Pincince led the Chargers to a 6-5 overall record, including a string of six straight victories in Northeast-10 Conference action. Among the highlights from Pincince’s first season was Condit who was named a USA College Football All-America Honorable Mention. A pair of Chargers were also honored among the major awards from the Northeast-10 Conference with Voytek named co-Offensive Lineman of the Year and freshman running back Lemar Thomas named Rookie of the Year. In total, 10 players were named to NE10 All-Conference squads.
With two previous stints as an assistant at New Haven, Pincince began his career with the Chargers in 1995 as an assistant for UNH Athletics Hall of Famer and current Minnesota Vikings offensive line coach Tony Sparano. He spent three additional seasons with the Chargers from 1999 to 2001 under Darren Rizzi, current Assistant Head Coach and special teams’ coordinator for the Miami Dolphins.
Prior to his most recent position as offensive coordinator at NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) member Elon University in North Carolina, Pincince was the offensive coordinator at the University of Rhode Island and the College of the Holy Cross.
At Elon, Pincince was the offensive coordinator as well as the quarterbacks and running backs coach for three seasons. In his first year Elon’s offense led the Southern Conference and ranked 14th nationally with 281 passing yards per game. Pincince’s offensive scheme was anchored by All-America wide receiver Aaron Mellette, who led all of FCS in receptions per game (10.27) and receiving yards per game (149). His season totals also set new school and conference records in 2011. Quarterback Thomas Wilson also led the conference and ranked 14th nationally in total offense. In his second season at Elon, the offense ranked 12th in the FCS in passing yards per game (296), with Mellette again earning All-America honors. The receiver became the first Elon player invited to the Senior Bowl and was later selected in the seventh round of the NFL draft by the Baltimore Ravens. In Pincince’s final season at Elon, the Phoenix ranked second in the conference in passing yards per game (231) and averaged over 350 total yards per contest.
During the three seasons prior to arriving at Elon, Pincince was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at the University of Rhode Island. While at URI, Pincince installed the spread offense, and the Rams ranked fifth in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) in passing offense in his first season.
Pincince also spent four years at the College of the Holy Cross, including two seasons as the Crusaders’ offensive coordinator. In 2007, the Holy Cross offense led the Patriot League in scoring (35.9 ppg), passing (335 ypg), total offense (463 ypg) and first downs (272). Crusaders quarterback Dominic Randolph led the league in passing (3,604 yards), touchdown passes (30) and total offense (340 ypg) and finished 12th in the balloting for the Walter Payton Award. Pincince’s first two seasons at Holy Cross were spent as the wide receivers coach.
Prior to his tenure at Holy Cross, Pincince served as the offensive coordinator at Ursinus College in 2003. The season before, Pincince was the quarterbacks coach at Brown University. He also spent two seasons at Fairfield University.
During his five previous seasons at New Haven, the Chargers combined for a 32-18-1 record and advanced to the NCAA Division II quarterfinal round in 1995. The Chargers finished the regular season undefeated and earned a 27-12 victory over Edinboro in the opening round of the NCAA playoffs. In his second stint, the Chargers averaged over 30 points and 350 yards per game during his three-season stretch.
A native of Woonsocket, R.I., Pincince earned his bachelor’s degree from Boston University in 1994. He was a member of the Terriers’ 1993 Yankee Conference Championship team and played on two NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) playoff teams. He and his wife, Jennifer, have two sons, Zachary and Owen, and a daughter, Emma.
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