Get to Know the 2024 New Haven Chargers
With New Haven set to join the NEC, it’s worth reviewing how the Chargers fared in 2024 to gauge how they might stack up in 2025. Although they won’t begin official NEC football play this fall, we’ll be tracking them closely. If they’re not permitted to maintain an NE10 schedule, expect them to fill open dates by facing several NEC opponents.
In 2024, New Haven captured its second straight Northeast-10 championship—a result that surprised no one. The Chargers were picked to finish first in the preseason poll, and with their loaded backfield, they lived up to the billing.
Anyone questioning whether it’s time for New Haven to move up only needs to look at their dominance over crosstown rival Southern Connecticut State. The Chargers have now won 16 straight in that series, including a shutout win in 2024. Against the rest of the NE10, they posted a 7-1 record and finished 8-3 overall, with two of those losses coming at the hands of Slippery Rock—one in the regular season, the other in the Division II playoffs.
Christopher Ais led the ground attack, racking up 1,045 rushing yards over 11 games, including a standout 238-yard performance against Bentley in a shootout. He wasn’t the only Ais making noise for New Haven. Christian Ais, his twin, was a standout safety with 5 pass breakups on the year who has signed with Cleveland for their rookie minicamp. Both Christian and Christopher are moving on, but Christopher isn’t leaving the backfield cabinet empty.
Zaon Laney, the Chargers' “other” back, tallied 186 yards in that same Bentley game and finished the season with 757 yards and five touchdowns. Laney enters 2025 as one of the top returning running backs among NEC programs.
The lone conference loss came at Assumption, in a 19-14 game where the offense never quite found its rhythm. Still, the defense turned in a strong performance—highlighted by holding the opposing quarterback to just 81 passing yards.
New Haven’s season ended with a narrow 14-7 playoff loss at D2 power Slippery Rock, closing out another championship campaign for New Haven.
The line between top-tier Division II and FCS football is thinner than many realize. Depth and small margins separate the two levels. New Haven appears poised to compete right away. Their roster has traditionally drawn from in-state and regional talent, but with the NEC transition, they’ll have at least one season to adjust and upgrade—if needed—before entering full conference play.
