Hall of Fame
An athlete in the truest sense of the word, Dan Dengler ’93 was a two-sport athlete for the Lions playing football and baseball during his career at the College.
Baseball was the main sport for Dengler, although head football coach Eric Hamilton will argue that he was the man who brought Dengler to our Ewing campus. A left-handed hitter with a sweet stroke, speed, and a great arm, Dengler donned a baseball uniform from 1989–1992 playing centerfield for the Lions. He also played defensive back for the football team in 1988, 1991, and 1992.
The Florence, NJ product started 35 games his freshman season collecting 36 hits. Dengler was second on the team in runs batted in with 26 and third in runs scored with 26 earning him New Jersey Athletic Conference honorable mention honors.
In 1990, Dengler’s baseball career at the College took off as he hit .367 with 10 home runs, 48 runs scored, and 40 RBIs. He was named ECAC Metro-New York-New Jersey Player of the Year, New Jersey College Baseball Coaches Association Player of the Year, NJAC Player of the Year, and was received second-team All-American honors. Dengler also produced in big moments as he was cited on the NJAC and NCAA Regional all-tournament teams.
The following season was one to remember for the Lions’ baseball program. For the first time in its history, the College advanced to the national championship game in 1991. The Lions fell one game short of the NCAA title, but etched their mark in the College record books.
Dengler had another standout season in 1991, hitting .304 with 11 home runs, 53 RBIs, 49 runs scored, and 20 stolen bases in 23 attempts. He also had 10 game-winning hits, more than twice the amount of any other member of the team. In a game against conference rival William Paterson College, Dengler broke the school record for home runs with the 19th of his career. Setting the record was a mark of strength broke it with speed with a two-run, inside-the-park homer passing Ken Nelson ’87 on the all-time list.
In his senior season, Dengler added 50 more hits, 40 more runs batted in, and cracked six homers completing his prolific baseball career. He graduated at the top of many career lists including home runs (29), and nearly 20 years later, remains near or at the top of most major offensive categories of all-time Lion greats. He is still the leader in games played (169), walks in a season (41), third in home runs (29), third in triples (12), fifth in runs batted in (160) and runs score (159), and eight in career hits (203).
And when he wasn’t circling the bases, he was making tackles. Dengler was a member of the Lions’ football team in 1988, 1991, and 1992. In a late-season game in 1991 and the Lions holding onto a 16-14 lead at Kean, Dengler broke up a two-point conversion attempt with 1:14 remaining in the game to secure the win.
In 1992 he played defensive back compiling 26 total tackles (14 unassisted), a block, and three pass break-ups. He maintains his ties with Coach Hamilton by playing in the annual GridIron Group golf outing.
Dengler is currently president and owner of MD Packaging Solutions LLC, an industrial packing distributor and container recycling company. He has stayed involved with baseball at the youth level as the present commissioner of the Medford ball program that houses players from tee ball-age through Babe Ruth.
