Chris Damian spent eight seasons on the sidelines at Monmouth University, including two as the special teams coordinator in 2011 and 2012. Damian coached special teams in addition to his duties as the running backs coach, a position he held from 2006 through 2012. Damian, a 2003 graduate of Monmouth, coached the Monmouth tight ends in his first season in 2005 and served as the Hawks' video coordinator from 2008 through 2012.
Damian guided an all-conference selection for six straight years from 2004 to 2010, including five consecutive seasons at MU and beginning with his one season as an assistant at Wagner.
In his time at Monmouth, Damian either coached or played with six of Monmouth's top-10 rushing leaders, including All-American David Sinisi, and former Hawks Bobby Giles and Julian Hayes.
In 2012, Damian mentored a trio of talented backs, led by junior Kwabena Asante and Hayes, who combined for 1,128 yards and 15 touchdowns. The third back, junior Pete Nagy, set a school record for single season kick return yards when he returned 29 kickoffs for 572 yards including a long return of 62 yards. Junior placekicker Eric Spillane also set a number of records, including successful career field goals, converting 37 in three seasons, six more than the number two kicker. Spillane, who led MU in scoring with 70 points, converted 34 of 35 point after touchdowns, the most in single season.
In 2011, Hayes ran for 815 yards and 14 touchdowns, then the fourth most in a single season for a Monmouth player. The freshman was named as a finalist for the Inaugural Jerry Rice Award, the trophy given to the top rookie in the FCS. Named conference rookie of the week twice, Hayes was named to College Sports Journal's All-Freshman team.
In 2010, Spillane, a freshman, set the school record for successful field goals in a year, converting 16 field goals. Giles averaged 4.5 yards a run, rushing for 670 yards and a touchdown. Giles finished his career as Monmouth's seventh all-time leading rusher with 1,535 yards (4.8 ypc) despite being MU's feature back just one season.
From 2006 to 2009 Damian mentored All-American running back David Sinisi, who shattered the Monmouth and Northeast Conference record book in his four seasons in West Long Branch. Sinisi finished his four year period leading both Division I FBS and FCS in touchdowns, finishing with an amazing 72 touchdowns in 44 games. The two-time Walter Payton Award candidate also broke over 30 game, season and career records at Monmouth and became the NEC's all-time leader in career scoring and rushing.
In 2007, Damian tutored All-NEC selection David Sinisi who scored a touchdown in 20 straight games dating back to 2006, setting the FCS record in the process. The redshirt sophomore was one of the most productive backs in the Northeast Conference, finishing with 1,184 yards and a league-high 17 rushing touchdowns.
In Damian's second season, Sinisi earned NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year and ECAC Rookie of the Year. Under his guidance, Sinisi became the only player in I-AA to score a touchdown in every game during the season, finishing with 14 touchdowns and over 1,000 total yards. Damian mentored a rushing attack that averaged over 150 yards a game while tallying 20 scores on the ground in 2006.
Damian returned to West Long Branch following a two-year coaching stint at Wagner College. In his first season in 2003, he was tight end and assistant offensive line coach. In 2004, he moved to the other side of the ball to coach the defensive line. During his tenure he also served as academic coordinator for the entire football squad and served an assistant to the special teams coordinator.
The Old Bridge, N.J. native was a three-year letterwinner for the Hawks during his four years in West Long Branch. He played in 34 games at tight end, including 18 starts over his career. He was tabbed to the Northeast Conference Academic Honor Roll in both 2001 and 2002 and was named to the Dean's List on multiple occasions.
Damian earned his bachelor's degree in history education from Monmouth in 2003. He received a master's degree in childhood and special education from Wagner in 2005.
