Home Essex CountyBloomfield Montclair State’s Most Notable Athletics Alumni

Montclair State’s Most Notable Athletics Alumni

by Samantha Impaglia
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Montclair State University’s NCAA Division III campus enrolls about 20,000 students. While it may not be as large as some of the local Division I colleges and universities, there are still some athletics alumni worth mentioning. Most notably, Pro Football Hall of Famer Sam Mills is who comes to mind when talking about Red Hawks Athletics. To showcase some other star athletes to come out of MSU in various sports, we’ve put together a list. Read on to learn more about some of Montclair State’s most notable athletics alumni, the sports they played, and what they’re up to now.

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Kim Barnes Arico

Kim Barnes Arico is a New York-born former basketball player and current coach. In her current position as the head coach of the University of Michigan’s women’s basketball team, over 200 wins in 10 seasons have earned her the winningest head coach in the program. Prior to coaching the Wolverines, Kim was also a part of the coaching staff at multiple other local schools – including Farleigh Dickinson University, New Jersey Institue of Technology, Adelphi University, and St. John’s University. Kim’s college basketball career started at Stonybrook University in New York. She spent her final three seasons as a Montclair State Red Hawk from 1990 to 1993, where she served as captain junior and senior years before receiving her bachelor’s degree in physical education and health.

Carol Blazejowski

Carol Blazejowski is a part of the inaugural class of the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. This former basketball player, coach, and general manager is a North Jersey native who currently resides in Nutley. As a class of 1978 Montclair State alumna, Carol ended her career with the women’s basketball team with an average of over 30 points per game and just under 3,200 total points – earning her the University’s all-time leading scorer. Her career after college involved roles within the NBA, as well as being the president and manager of the WNBA’s New York Liberty for over 10 years. Carol currently works at Montclair State as the Associate Vice president of University Advancement, and is in the Athletics Hall of Fame.

The Ivy at Chatham

Marco Capozzoli

One of the more recent Montclair State Athletics Alumni, Marco Capozzoli played pro football for the Jacksonville Sharks of the National Arena League (NAL). He first played football at St. Joseph’s High School in North Jersey before becoming a kicker for the Red Hawks football team from 2006-2009. Marco played in the NAL until 2016 and now resides in Bloomfield where he works as a sales executive.

Read More: Here’s Where to Play Hockey in Montclair + Beyond

Mark Casale

This former quarterback and Union native played with Montclair State’s football team in the 1980s. Mark Casale is known to be the best of his time and left the Red Hawks with 16 records, over 6,000 total passing yards, and All-American honors. He was also inducted into the Montclair State Athletics Hall of Fame. He went on to be drafted by the NFL’s Chicago Bears in 1984, although he never played a game with the team. Mark’s football career also included time with the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League (CFL), and New York Nights of the Arena Football League.

Amod Field

Amod Field was a three-sport athlete and is in the Athletics Hall of Fame at Montclair State – he was a member of the football, men’s basketball, and track and field teams. The Passaic native is best known for his role on the track and football teams, playing a year of basketball “just to keep in shape.” Amod went on to play one NFL season with the Pheonix Cardinals and has played on other professional teams within the Arena Football League and Canadian Football League like the New Jersey Red Dogs, New York CityHawks, BC Lions, and Orlando Predators.

Keith Glauber

Keith Glauber grew up in Monmouth County before attending Montclair State to play baseball. He was a pitcher for the team in the 1990s and went on to play in the MLB with the Cinncinati Reds from 1998 TO 2000. Keith now resides in New Jersey, where he is a local baseball coach.

See More: NFL Players Who Have Lived in Essex County

Herman Kull

Herman Kull attended Montclair State k in the 1950s, playing basketball and football for the Red Hawks. The Newark native coached basketball professionally up until the 1990s. After graduating from the University, Herman went on to work with various NBA teams, including as an assistant coach for the Detriot Pistons and New Jersey Nets, as head coach of the Utah Jazz, and more.

Sam Mills

Probably the most-known Montclair State Athletics alumni, Sam Mills is a Hall of Fame former football linebacker who spent seasons with the NFL’s New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers. He grew up in southern New Jersey before attending Montclair State from 1977 to 1980. Sam died in the early 2000s, but he still holds two football records at the University – most tackles in a single game (22), and most tackles in a career (501). In addition, a residence hall on campus is named after Sam. He is the only Red Hawk athlete to be inducted into both the Pro Football Hall of Fame and College Football Hall of Fame and recorded over 1,300 tackles in the span of his 12-season NFL career. In addition to his larger accolades, Sam is also in the Montclair State Athletics Hall of Fame.

Brendan Suhr

Brendan Suhr was a member of the Red Hawks basketball team in the 1970s. The former guard is from Fair Lawn and is a current assistant coach of the Stetson University men’s basketball team. In addition to his current position, Brendan also spent time in various positions within the NBA, including an assistant coach with the Detriot Pistons when the team won two championships. Between the professional and collegiate experience, he has – like seasons with Louisiana State University and the University of Central Florida – Brendan has over 45 years of coaching time under his belt.

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