General | 4/10/2025 1:15:00 PM

NEWARK, NJ - This week, Rutgers–Newark proudly celebrates Division III Week — a special opportunity to recognize the commitment, resilience, and all-around excellence of our Scarlet Raider student-athletes. At the heart of Division III is a balanced college experience, and our student-athletes embody that every day — thriving in competition, excelling in the classroom, and making a difference in our Newark community. Join us as we shine a spotlight on the stories, achievements, and Raider pride that define what it means to be #D3Week strong at Rutgers–Newark!

At the helm of the athletic department, Director of Athletics Mark Griffin was a standout three-sport athlete at Montclair State from 1981 to 1985. He earned varsity letters every year in track and field, water polo, and swimming, serving as team captain in all three sports. Griffin achieved All-American honors in javelin from 1982 to 1984 and in water polo in 1985. A career highlight was winning the 1984 NJAC javelin title and finishing fifth at the NCAA Division III Championships.

Assistant Athletic Director, Leonard Hughley was a standout two-sport athlete at New Jersey City University, excelling as a 6'7", 300-pound offensive lineman in football and as a center in men's basketball. Despite never playing high school football, he earned All-NJAC honors in 1995 and 1996 and received NFL tryouts with four teams. In basketball, he won championships every year of his college career, including a Region XIX title and NJCAA Final Eight appearance at Union County College in 1991–92.

Men's Soccer Coach Kevin East was the starting goalkeeper for Kean University's 1992 NCAA championship team, earning Defensive MVP honors at the Final Four. A three-year starter, he received numerous All-Conference and All-Region accolades from 1990 to 1992. East led Kean to three NCAA tournaments and set school records for single-season saves, career shutouts, and total saves. After graduating in 1993 with a degree in political science and criminal justice, he began his coaching career at Kean and has been coaching the Scarlet Raiders since 2007.

Cross Country and Track & Field Coach, Joel Williams was a standout in track & field at North Central College, earning All-American honors four times and qualifying for the NCAA Championships 12 times. In 1998, he helped lead the team to a national championship as part of the winning 4x100-meter relay team. He also ranks top ten in school history in the 100m and 200m. Williams was named Head Coach of both the Cross Country and Track & Field programs in 2024. 

Head Baseball Coach Connor Kortmann played for Babson College from 2010 to 2013, serving as team captain in his senior year and starting 108 of 116 games with a .314 career batting average. After his playing career, he stayed at Babson as a coach, leading the team to its first-ever College World Series appearance in 2019, achieving a #3 national ranking, and winning the 2019 Regional and Super Regional Championships. Kortmann has been leading the Scarlet Raiders since 2021.

Graduate Assistants, Juwan Ash and Aaron Cohen are also former Division III athletes. Both were soccer players, Ash was a member of the Scarlet Raiders while Cohen was a goalkeeper at Haverford University. 

Several former Scarlet Raiders are now coaching across various teams. Daniel Reardon serves as the pitching coach for the baseball team, while Derryck Alexander, Fateen Belfield, Tyler Ofray, and Tyrone Bowens are assistant coaches for the basketball team. Joe Alba and newly inducted Rutgers-Newark Hall of Famer Matt Broomall assist with the men's soccer program, and Ana Silveira is the assistant coach for the women's soccer team. Kelly Yusko, another 2025 Rutgers-Newark Hall of Famer, serves as an assistant coach for the softball team. Additionally, former All-Americans Andrew Zaleck and Daniel Quay are assistant coaches for the men's volleyball team.

For the latest news, updates, and information on Rutgers-Newark sports, visit rutgersnewarkathletics.com. Fans can also stay up-to-date on the latest Scarlet Raiders news by following Rutgers-Newark Athletics on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.