Football Ranked Fourth in MASCAC by Coaches Poll
PAXTON, MA - In its inaugural season as a member of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference, Anna Maria College football has been projected fourth in the league's preseason coaches poll. The AMCATS narrowly missed a top-three ranking, finishing just two points behind Massachusetts Maritime Academy with 54 compared to the Buccaneers' 56.
Anna Maria football set a precedent for success in the MASCAC with a blowout 41-13 victory over Westfield State in its 2024 season opener. Against a challenging schedule, Anna Maria finished the 2024 campaign with a 4-5 overall record and a 2-1 mark in conference play. Ranked 11th in the nation in passing and 16th in total offense, the AMCATS are positioned to make a strong impression in their first official season in the MASCAC.
On offense, senior Tyler Garretson is expected to step into a larger role for the team. The 6'5" tight end hauled in 14 receptions for 175 yards last season, averaging 12.5 yards per catch with one touchdown. Garretson will be a key contributor to an offense that averaged 46.5 points in victories during the 2024 campaign.
Defensively, the AMCATS will look to sophomore Jihad Brown to build on a standout rookie season. The 6'0" cornerback tallied 26 tackles, 18 solo, while adding two interceptions and posting eight tackles in a 35-23 victory over Alfred State, a performance that helped him earn First-Team All-Conference Defense honors in the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference.
Along with his standout players, former Associate Head Coach Tanner Kingsley is looking to lead the AMCATS into a new era of success in the MASCAC. Stepping into a new role as Head Coach for the 2025 season, the 29-year-old is the youngest college football head coach in the country. The former Anna Maria starting quarterback is entering his sixth year as a coach for the AMCATS and his fourth as Offensive Coordinator.
Kingsley's young coaching career is already filled with accolades. He was named the 2023 ECFC Assistant Coach of the Year after orchestrating one of the most dynamic offenses in the nation. Under his leadership as offensive coordinator during the 2023 season, Anna Maria's offense was ranked 8th nationally in total offense and stood as the #1 ranked offense in New England, averaging 39.2 points per game. The AMCATS also finished 5th in the country in passing yards per game.
Additionally, nine offensive players earned ECFC All-Conference recognition during that campaign, while two were honored on the prestigious All-New England Team. Kingsley also mentored quarterback Ryan Russell, who was named ECFC Conference Player of the Year after finishing 6th in the nation with 320 passing yards per game. Russell threw for over 3,000 yards, accounted for 35 total touchdowns, earned four ECFC Offensive Player of the Week awards, and set the school record for touchdown passes in a single season.
That season also marked the program's highest rushing output since 2009, highlighted by the first time in school history that two running backs surpassed 600 rushing yards apiece.
With his proven track record of player development and offensive production, Kingsley has positioned the AMCATS to thrive as they enter a new chapter in the MASCAC.
Full MASCAC Ranking:
2025 MASCAC Football Preseason Coaches Poll
(First Place Votes In Parentheses)
1. UMass Dartmouth (9) 81 points
2. Bridgewater State (1) 68 points
3. Massachusetts Maritime 56 points
4. Anna Maria 54 points
5. Plymouth State 47 points
6. Framingham State 46 points
7. Westfield State 38 points
8. Worcester State 29 points
9. Fitchburg State 17 points
10. Dean 14 point
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