The University of New Haven had everything Fabian Rhoden was looking for.

Rhoden, a senior at Newburgh Free Academy official signed and accepted a scholarship to study criminal justice and play football at the Division II school beginning in the Fall 2024 semester.

He figured out he wanted to go there last year during a campus visit.

“Me and my mom fell in love with the school because it’s close by,” Rhoden said. “I’ve got family that lives in Connecticut, and I know a coach on the team. So, he’s going to be coaching me on the D-line. So that was really my big factor in picking that school.”

There are several Newburgh connections on the New Haven Chargers. The most notable is defensive line coach Mikal Myers, an offensive/defensive lineman for Newburgh Free academy, and helped the Goldbacks advance to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association championship game in 2011.

“(Fabian) is probably one of the best D-lineman we’ve ever coached,” Newburgh football coach Bill Bianco said. “He’s in that tier. Obviously, we have Mykal Myers who went to UConn. Not to knock Fabian, but he’s right in that group. It’s awesome that he’s going to play for him. It’s two of our best guys are together.”

He will also reunite with former Newburgh teammate Elijah Bevier, listed as wide receiver on the Chargers’ roster.

Rhoden is joining a team that went 8-3 last year, and advanced to the NCAA Division II first round.

“They went to the national playoffs last year, but unfortunately they fell short in the first round,” Rhoden said. “Hopefully, they’ll go further next year. They’ve got an aggressive defense, and that’s my type of style because I’m a defensive player.”

He is no stranger to success as, since his sophomore year, the Goldbacks won two of three Section 9 Class AA championships, and went to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class AA championship game at the JMA Dome in Syracuse.

“This program has prepared me a lot because it’s one of the best programs in the state,” Rhoden said. “Playing ball with Coach B it really shaped me as a person and got me mentally prepared for the next level and got me physically prepared because it’s not easy in this program.”

Even though football will continue to be a big part of his life when he attends New Haven, it isn’t all about the gridiron. He plans to pursue a career as an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and New Haven has one of the top criminal justice programs out there.

To that end, he’s taking criminal justice courses in high school, and fell in love with that career. And that is what brought him to the University of New Haven.

“He’s going to a place where he wanted to play football, and where he wanted to go to a school where they have a great major,” Bianco said. “As far as academics go, I think you’re doing better when you’re doing something you want to do.”

Even though he’s moving on, he’s going to miss the Newburgh community, the fans that always came out, and everyone involved with the program.

“The coaching staff has basically raised me, I want to say,” Rhoden said. “They changed my perspective on the way of life, so one thing I’m going to miss is the coaching staff. The fans come to the home games and show love. They always stay by our side no matter what happens, win or lose.”