Coastal Football Adds Eight for 2019

Conway, S.C. – Coastal Carolina football head coach Jamey Chadwell announced the addition of eight new Chanticleers on National Signing Day, Feb. 6, who will continue their academic and athletic careers at Coastal Carolina University.

“We are excited to add even more quality young men and student-athletes to our program,” stated coach Chadwell. “Our philosophy has been and will continue to be to recruit young men that fit our program philosophy. We fell we have brought in a great class that will help fill our needs, as well as provide depth as we continue to move forward in working towards a Sun Belt Championship.”

The eight new additions join a class of 22 student-athletes that signed back on Dec. 19, 2018, during the Early Signing Day period.

2019 February Class

Kennedy Roberts – Clearwater, Fla. / Clearwater Central Catholic * 6-3, 250, DL

A two-star recruit at defensive tackle by Rivals … Played three years for Clearwater Central Catholic and head coach Chris Harvey, leading them to a combined record of 32-4 over that three-year span … Led his Clearwater Central Catholic team to a 12-1 overall record and to the state semifinals of the 2018 Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) Class 3A state championship tournament as a senior … Moved to the defensive side of the ball exclusively in 2018, recording 86 total tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks in 13 games his senior season … Guided the Marauders all the way to the 2017 FHSAA Class 3A state championship game, a state runner-up finish and an 11-1 overall record as a junior … Registered 105 tackles, 11.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks as a junior after posting 68 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss and one sack his sophomore season … Also played tight end in both his junior and sophomore seasons, totaling three catches for 36 yards and a touchdown … Also lettered in basketball, currently playing his senior season for the Marauders.

Terry Bennett – Jacksonville, Fla. / Atlantic Coast HS * 5-11, 195, RB

Played three seasons (2015-17) of professional baseball in the Miami Marlins organization ... Played the 2018 season in the Class A Short-Season New York-Penn League, hitting .268 with 33 base hits, 20 RBIs and 13 runs scored ... In his three-year minor league career, he hit .227 with three home runs, three triples, nine doubles, 42 runs scored and 36 RBIs … Originally signed out of high school with FIU, but chose to play professional baseball ... Was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 12th round of the 2015 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft ... A three-star recruit at running back in the Class of 2015 by 247Sports ... Recorded 759 yards on 136 carries with 13 touchdowns for Atlantic Coast High School in 2014 … Named a Times-Union third-team All-First Coast selection … Ran for 639 yards on 125 carries (5.1 yards per carry) with six touchdowns as a junior ... Accomplished baseball player, ranked by Perfect Game as an Underclassmen Honorable Mention All-American … Earned Fletcher High School Scholar-Athlete Award … Enrolled at Coastal Carolina in January 2019 and will participate in spring practices.

Jayden Addison – Blythewood, S.C. / Blythewood HS * 6-2, 275, OL/DL

Lettered for three years at Blythewood High School and head coach Jason Seidel … Played on both the offensive and defensive lines … Named All-Region IV-AAAA and tabbed the Bengals’ Linemen of the Year … Played in the Columbia Metro Senior Bowl for the East team … Named honorable mention on The State’s 2018 All-Midlands team his senior year … Was a vital part in the Bengals improving from 3-7 in 2017 to 6-4 in 2018.

Payton Bunch – Pendleton, S.C. / Pendleton HS * 6-3, 195, TE/LS

Lettered and played tight end and long snapper for Pendleton High School and head coach Yon Radford … Named to the Western 3A All-Region Offensive Team … Tabbed a four-star long snapper by RubioLongSnapping.com … Helped Pendleton go 9-3 overall and 5-0 in region play his senior season, advancing to the second round of the 2018 SCHSL Football Class 3A state championship playoffs … Caught 42 passes for 622 yards and nine touchdowns in 10 games his senior season … Averaged 14.8 yards per catch and 62.2 receiving yards per game as a senior … Also returned 15 punts for 102 yards, including a long of 63 yards, and one touchdown … Had 12 catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns versus Belton-Honea Path (Sept. 15) … Also lettered in baseball and basketball for the Bulldogs.

Cole Collins – Summerville, S.C. / Summerville HS * 6-1, 250, OL/LS

A South Carolina product and three-year letterwinner from Summerville High School in Summerville, S.C. for head coach Joe Call … Played tackle and long snapper … Ranked No. 4 in the state of South Carolina and No. 30 in the nation for long snapping by Ray Guy ProKicker Kicking Camps (ProKicker.com) in the Class of 2019 … Helped to lead the Green Wave to the Region 8-AAAAA Championship his senior season, defeating Fort Dorchester and snapping their 34-game winning streak over teams from the Lowcountry … Lined up a tight end and caught a two-point conversion pass in the win over Fort Dorchester … Cleared the way up front for the Green Wave to go 11-3 overall, 4-0 in region play and rank as high as No. 9 in the state of South Carolina in 2018 … Guided Summerville to the Class AAAA state semifinals in 2018 before falling to eventual state champion Dutch Fork … Led the way for the Green Wave to rush for over 2,300 yards as a team his senior season and throw for over 1,750 yards while averaging 25.4 points per game.

Jake Hill – Abbeville, S.C. / Abbeville HS * 6-2, 265, OL

A three-year starter and letterwinner for Abbeville High School and head coach Jamie Nickles … Part of a group of seniors that never lost a high school playoff game and helped the Panthers win four-straight Class 2A state championships … Went a combined 42-1-1 in his three years on the varsity team with the Panthers … Named to the All-Lakelands team and the HSSR AA Offensive roster his senior year … Led the way up front for Shrine Bowl and All-Lakelands selection Cortney Jackson who rushed for 677 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2018 … Helped lead the Panthers to rush for more than 3,000 yards in nine games his senior year.

Drew Leszczynski – Brookfield, Wis. / Brookfield Central HS * 6-1, 190, QB

A three-year starter at quarterback for Brookfield Central and head coach Jed Kennedy … Earned a spot on the Wisconsin Football Coaches’ Associations Large School All-State first team and on the All-Freeman team his senior year … Posted a career record of 35-5 as a starter at Brookfield Central … Guided his team to back-to-back WIAA Division 2 state championship runner-up finishes in 2017 and 2018 … Was 134-for-248 (54 percent) for 1,797 yards and 19 touchdowns his senior year … Also rushed 107 times for 605 yards and five touchdowns in 2018 … Named an honorable mention all-state performer his junior season when he completed 61. 3 percent of his pass attempts for 2,212 yards and 29 touchdowns … Was also second on the team in rushing with 529 yards on the ground and seven scores his junior year ... Finished his career with 5,145 passing yards and 63 touchdowns, as well as 1,673 rushing yards and 15 scores … Also lettered in baseball where he was a 2018 all-state first team and All-Suburban team selection … Hit .425, stole 19 bases and posted a 1.25 ERA as a reliever his junior season … Father, Paul, played baseball at Coastal Carolina from 1990-92 and was named the 1992 Big South Tournament Most Valuable Player and earned a spot on the Big South All-Tournament Team.

Nino Mastromatteo – Clarkston, Mich. / Everest Collegiate HS * 6-0, 175, WR

Named to the AP Second-Team All-State, Catholic High School League, All-Catholic his senior year … Four-year letterwinner at Everest Collegiate High School under head coach Michael Pruchnicki … Accumulated over 4,000 all-purpose yards in his four-year career … Recorded 111 receptions for 1,937 yards and 20 touchdowns in his career, all Everest Collegiate school records … Also rushed for 697 yards and five touchdowns in his career … EC’s career interceptions leader with 10 interceptions and 163.5 tackles over his high school career … Also holds the EC school record in career kick return yards with 1,056 and career all-purpose yards with 4,115 … Hauled in 39 catches for 616 yards and seven touchdowns his senior season … Also rushed 43 times for 473 yards and six touchdowns … Totaled 43 tackles, including 11.0 tackles for loss, two forced fumbles and three interceptions on defense as a cornerback his senior year … Played with brother, Giovanni, at Everest Collegiate in 2018, leading the team to a 9-2 overall record and a spot in the 2018 Michigan High School Football Division 8 playoffs … Also lettered in basketball … A member of the AB Honor Roll and the Cultivating Cultures Club, while also teaching younger athletes at Rising Stars … Older brother, Niccolo, was a four-time second-team All-Big South performer and a 2013 National Football Foundation National Scholar-Athlete Award and Post-Graduate Scholarship Award winner.

Complete 2019 Signing Class

Jayden Addison, OL – Blythewood, S.C./Blythewood HS

Myles Baker, DB – Huntersville, N.C./Hough HS

Nyronn Barr-Thomas, DE/LB – Deltona, Fla./Evans HS

Aaron Bedgood, WR – Richmond Hill, Ga./Richmond Hill HS

Terry Bennett, RB – Jacksonville, Fla./Atlantic Coast HS

Davon Bomar, DE – Havre De Grace, Md./Bel Air HS

Payton Bunch, TE/LS – Pendleton, S.C./Pendleton HS

Kieran Colahan, P/PK – Earville, Australia/University of Australia

Cole Collins, OL/LS – Summerville, S.C./Summerville HS

Luke Ellenberger, DB – Pisgah Forest, N.C./Brevard HS

Deon Fountain, WR – Valdosta, Ga./Brooks County HS