Feb. 2, 2006

Notre Dame head football coach Charlie Weis was honored Sunday afternoon as the 2005 Man of the Year at the 70th New Jersey Sports Writers Association (NJSWA) Banquet at The Pines in Edison, NJ. Weis, who grew up in Middlesex Borough, just completed his first season as head coach of the Irish with a 9-3 record and a berth in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl.

Weis joined at the event by two New Jersey natives from the 2005 Notre Dame team, Anthony Fasano of Verona and Brandon Hoyte of Sayreville. Hoyte was recognized as New Jersey’s College Player of the Year by the NJSWA while Fasano received the association’s College Tight End of the Year honor. Weis was the winner of the 2005 Eddie Robinson Award as national college coach of the year by the Football Writers Association of America.

Other honorees at the event included former New York Mets pitcher Kris Benson and Penn State football player Tamba Hali who was named the NJSWA’s College Defensive Tackle of the Year. The association also honored Greg Schiano of Rutgers as Big East Conference Football Coach of the Year.