East Islip lineman Sebastian Regis will play for Stony Brook
Sebastian Regis of East Islip. Credit: Peter Frutkoff
Sebastian Regis will play his college football at Stony Brook University. The 64th recipient of Newsday’s Carl A. Hansen Award winner presented to Suffolk’s top football player, announced his intentions late Friday after discussing options with his family.
“We all felt this is the right place for me and the next step in my football career,” East Islip's Regis said. “I’m super excited about the new beginning at Stony Brook. There’s a new head coach and I want to be a part of the rebuilding of the program. I’ve always loved a challenge.”
Regis had also been offered by Wagner and Slippery Rock but was admittedly frustrated by the lack of other opportunities.
“I was honestly disappointed there weren’t other schools interested other than some preferred walk-on offers,” he said. “I’m considered a smaller sized lineman and that was a concern for some schools. But that’ll motivate me even more at Stony Brook. And I’ll give them everything I can for showing me respect and giving me the chance to prove I can play at the Division I level.”
Regis is currently 6-1, 268 pounds and became the first Suffolk football player to win all three major awards. He also garnered Newsday’s Rob Burnett Defensive Player of the Year and the Bob Zellner lineman of the year award at the Suffolk County Football Coaches Association dinner in December.
Regis said he developed a special bond with Stony Brook’s defensive line coach Sean Hammonds throughout the process.
“He was in touch with me during my recruitment and we talked quite a bit,” Regis said. “They’re going to build something special, and I’ll be a part of it.”
Regis will officially sign with Stony Brook when he visits the campus on July 26.
Regis led East Islip to the Long Island Class III championship with a 19-14 win over South Side at Hofstra University on Nov. 24. He is also the defending state wrestling champion at 285 pounds but opted out of the wrestling season to concentrate on his football future.
He joined Comsewogue’s Adam Mariano, who earned the Hansen Award in 1988 and won state wrestling championships in both 1988 and 1989, as the only athletes to accomplish both.
Regis totaled 101 tackles (26 for a loss), 11 sacks, four forced fumbles and blocked five extra points this season.
“He’s the most dominating player on both sides of the ball that I’ve seen in more than 30 years of coaching," Westhampton coach Bryan Schaumloffel said. "You rarely see lineman that have such a tremendous impact on a game.”
Gregg Sarra is Newsday's high school sports editor and has been on the beat since the mid-1980s.
