Assistant Football Coaches

RYAN HANKARD, Defensive Coordinator/Inside Linebackers

Hankard enters his sixth season season as an assistant coach for the Bantams and his third as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. He served as the defensive line coach from 1996-1998.

Hankard earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Trinity in 1996, where he starred in both football and lacrosse. He was a three-year starter at linebacker and captain as a senior for the Bantam football team and a defenseman for the lacrosse squad, earning All-NESCAC honors in both sports. Trinity had a 28-3 record in his four years on the team, including an undefeated 8-0 campaign in 1993.

Hankard, who also coaches the defense for the Trinity men’s lacrosse team, is a physical education instructor in the Trinity athletic department.

Hankard is single and resides in Hartford, Conn.

JEFF BEHRMAN, Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks

Behrman begins his second year as the Bantam offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach. He held the same two positions in 1999 at Blackburn College.

Behrman earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1995 from John Carroll University, where he was a four-year letterwinner at quarterback and captain as a senior. He earned his master’s degree in community health promotion from West Virginia University in 1998.

Prior to Blackburn, Behrman served as an assistant coach, recruiting coordinator, and academic programs coordinator at Glenville State College. He began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Clarion University in 1996.

Behrman and his wife, Karen, reside in Manchester, Conn.

MIKE DARR, Wide Receivers

Darr begins his 27th season as an assistant coach and his second with the wide receivers. He coached the secondary from 1975 to 1999.

Darr earned his bachelor’s degree in physical education from Gettysburg College in 1968, where he was a star quarterback. He earned his master’s degree in physical education from the University of Delaware in 1973, serving as graduate assistant for the Delaware football team from 1971-72. Prior to Delaware, Darr coached football, basketball, and baseball at Millville High School in New Jersey.

Darr served as the head coach of the Trinity men’s lacrosse team from for 23 seasons before retiring this past summer. He was named the New England Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (NEILA) Division III Coach of the Year in 1980 and 2000 and the NESCAC Coach of the Year in 2000. He remains an associate professor in physical education in the Trinity athletic department.

Darr and his wife, Carol, reside in West Hartford, Conn.

SHAWN DAIGNAULT, Secondary/Special Teams

Daignault enters his fourth season as assistant coach and his second with the secondary and special teams. He coached the Bantam outside linebackers in 1998 and 1999.

Daignault earned his bachelor’s degree in sociology and anthropology from Middlebury College in 1995, where he was a linebacker for the Panther football squad. He earned his master’s degree in American studies from Trinity in 2000.

Prior to Trinity, Daignault was the secondary coach at Juniata College in 1996 and 1997, and a defensive assistant at Middlebury in 1995.

Daignault is single and resides in Hartford, Conn.

JEFF DEVANNEY,Defensive Line/Fitness Coordinator

Devanney begins his first season as a Bantam assistant coach, coaching the defensive linemen. Returning to his alma mater this fall, Devanney was the defensive coordinator at Central Connecticut State University from 1998-2000.

Devanney earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Trinity in 1993, where he starred in football and baseball for the Bantams. Voted the NESCAC Football Defensive Player of the Year as a member of the Bantam secondary in 1992, Devanney earned his master’s degree in liberal studies from SUNY-Albany in 1995.

Prior to Central Connecticut, Devanney served as a secondary coach at Georgia Tech and worked with the wide receivers and tight ends at Albany and Coast Guard.

Devanney is also the College’s Fitness Center coordinator and a physical education instructor at Trinity. He and his wife, Michele, reside in New Britain, Conn.

ANDY MCPHEE, Wide Receivers

McPhee enters his second season as a graduate assistant coach for the Bantams, switching to the wide receivers after a year working with the running backs. Also an assistant women’s ice hockey at Trinity, McPhee was a graduate assistant for football, women’s ice hockey, and baseball at Middlebury College in 1999-00.

McPhee earned his bachelor’s degree in 1998 from Middlebury, where he starred in football and baseball. He was a four-year letterwinner at wide receiver and defensive back for the Panther football squad, and a two-year captain as a catcher for the baseball team.

McPhee is single and resides in Hartford, Conn.

DAN DICENZO, Outside Linebackers

DiCenzo earned a bachelor's degree from Williams College this past spring, where he starred in football, wrestling, and baseball. (Please provide me with any honors.)  DiCenzo is single and resides in Hartford, Conn.

BILL MELLA, Tight Ends

Mella enters his third year with the Bantams, working with the tight ends. He also produces the annual Trinity football highlight film.

Mella earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education and communications from Shepherd College (W.V.), where he was a four-year starter and an all-conference offensive lineman.

Mella, who is currently employed as a physical education teacher at Timothy Edwards Middle School in South Windsor, Conn., resides with his wife, Becky, in Simsbury, Conn.

CHARLES BOTTS, Secondary

Botts begins his first season as an assistant secondary coach with the Bantams, after completing a fine playing career at Trinity last fall.

Botts, who earned a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Trinity this spring, was a four-year letterwinner and a starting cornerback for the Bantam football squad in 2000. He received the College’s Bartlett Award for his impressive combination of athletic excellence and service to the campus community in his senior year.

Botts is currently employed as by the United Technologies Corporation. He and his wife, Jacquelyn Santiago, reside in Hartford, Conn.