Mancino only had one senior Linebacker during 2014 season, Alex Hemberge. Hemberger led the GAC in tackles with 134, averaging 13.4 per game and finishing 4th Nationally in Division II for tackles, awarded GAC player of the week, made second team All-conference, and played in the Division II V.s. NAIA Bowl game. The 2015 season Mancino will have the rest of the linebacker’s returning, led by two seniors Brandon Cannon and Derrick Thompson.
A 2014 graduate of Fairleigh Dickinson University in Madison, N.J., Mancino played four years of football for the Devils as an inside linebacker and was a three-year starter. He was also a member of the school’s SAAC and SGA groups, while serving as a Senior Class Senator. He owns a bachelor’s degree in Psychology.
Despite suffering a broken hand that cost him two games, Mancino still managed to appear in eight contests as a freshman, finishing with 19 total tackles. He moved to the top of the depth chart as a sophomore, starting six games at strong side linebacker and four more at inside backer, leading the team with 79 tackles. At the team’s postseason banquet, he received the coach’s award for Most Improved Defensive Player.
Mancino started two more years at inside linebacker as an upper classman and rewrote the FDU record books. In 2012, his junior season, Mancino set a new single-game tackles mark (17) and also smashed a pair of single-season record for tackles and assisted tackles (73). His 126 total stops led the conference, and his 12.6 tackles per game ranked seventh nationally in NCAA Division III. He was named to the postseason all-conference team and was named FDU’s Defensive MVP.
Mancino was just as good as a senior in 2013, again leading the MAC in tackles (116), while ranking 22nd nationally with his 11.6 tackles per game. He upped his single-game school record to 19 tackles, and his 348 career stops topped the all-time FDU list. Was named FDU’s Defensive MVP and post-season all conference for a second time.
At the close of his playing career, Mancino was invited to play in the National Football Bowl All-American Game, an all-star game consisting of players from NCAA Division I-FCS down to Division III. He registered six tackles in that game.
Mancino was born and raised in Weston, located in Broward County, Fla. and played football at Cypress High School. As a senior captain, he led the Lightening defense with 143 tackles and helped the team reach the second round of the playoffs. He was an All-Broward Honorable Mention selection in both football and wrestling as a senior in 2009-2010.
Mike is the son of Kevin and Diane Mancino and has a younger sister, Amanda, who attends the University of Florida.
