Student-Athletes and Coaches with NJCAA Ties Compete for FCS Championship
Charlotte, NC – The NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) National Championship Game on Monday, January 5, 2026, between Montana State and Illinois State features student-athletes and coaches with ties to multiple NJCAA schools. The game begins at 7:30 p.m. ET from FirstBank Stadium in Nashville, TN and will be broadcast on ESPN. Continue reading for more information about NJCAA representation in the game.
Montana State's coaching staff includes three former NJCAA assistant coaches while there is one student-athlete who moved on to compete at the four-year level. Defensive Back Ife Ohalete played two seasons at Blinn College (TX) where he had a stellar 2024 season, ranking 12th in tackles per game in NJCAA Division I. A pair of Montana State's coaches were on Navarro College's (TX) staff together in 2018 when the Bulldogs made an appearance in the Salt City Bowl. Marcus Monaco, Montana State's Special Teams Coordinator & Director of Video, worked with the tight ends and special teams for Navarro. Nick Jean-Baptiste, who currently serves as the Defensive Line Coach at Montana State, remained at Navarro in 2019, working with the defensive line as the Bulldogs won a conference title. Montana State's Running Backs Coach, Josh Firm, was the Offensive Line Coach at Snow College (UT) in 2022 when the Badgers finished ranked fifth overall. He guided offensive lineman Isaiah Jatta to NJCAA DI First Team All-America status.
Illinois State's squad includes a trio of former NJCAA student-athletes. 2024 NJCAA Division I Football champion, defensive back, La'Shavion Brown, played two seasons at Hutchinson Community College (KS). Defensive back Shadwel Nkuba II played for Tyler Junior College (TX) in 2022 and helped the Apaches beat defending champion New Mexico Military Institute, snapping their 11-game winning streak. Offensive lineman Hunter Ducharme played for Iowa Central Community College in 2024 as the Tritons won the Game One Bowl.
Tune in to the FCS Championship Game at 7:30 p.m. (ET) to support the NJCAA alumni competing.
About NJCAA
Since 1938, the NJCAA has served as the premier governing body for two-year collegiate athletics, providing student-athletes with opportunities to prepare, compete, succeed, and achieve in both their academic and athletic disciplines. The NJCAA is the second-largest national intercollegiate athletic organization in the United States, with over 500 member schools and 3,400 teams competing in 28 different sports. Each year, the NJCAA sponsors 57 national championships and invitationals.
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