Nunzio Campanile files complaint against NJSIAA looking to overturn senior transfer rule
In a case that could have a far-reaching impact on New Jersey high school sports and beyond, current Syracuse University football assistant coach Nunzio Campanile has filed a complaint against the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association in Superior Court of New Jersey, calling the organization’s transfer rule for seniors unconstitutional.
Campanile is filing the complaint on behalf of his son, listed only as M.C. in the court documents, and is being represented by attorney Patrick J. Jennings. It says that M.C. has been a student and football player at Bergen Catholic High School (coincidentally playing for Nunzio’s older brother, Vito Campanile) but plans to transfer to Ramsey High School for his senior season.
According to NJSIAA rules, M.C. would be considered a “senior transfer” and be forced to sit out 22 days, or half the majority of contests in that sport, whichever is less.
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Senior transfers are the only athletes required to sit out for any period of time by the NJSIAA. The state governing body for high school sports altered the rules regarding transfers in May 2023, allowing freshman, sophomore and junior athletes one “free transfer” without penalty. At the time, the argument given to support making a senior athlete sit was to establish a deterrent for schools that might try to create “super teams.”
The complaint, filed by Jennings, calls the new transfer rule “unconstitutionally irrational and discriminatory, violates due process and fundamental fairness and violates the right of a parent to educate one’s child as the parent sees fit.”
It seeks a summary hearing from a judge and asks for said judge to declare that the new transfer rule is “void, unconstitutional and unenforceable” and that “the New Transfer Rule violates the equal protection of the 14th amendment of the U.S. Constitution and equal protection of the NJ Constitution.”
Nunzio Campanile served as head coach at Bergen Catholic from 2010-17 before taking a job at Rutgers in 2018. He served as interim head football coach for eight games at Rutgers in 2019, then was interim head coach at Syracuse at the end of the 2023 season. He remains on the Syracuse staff as Associate Head Coach for Offense and Quarterbacks Coach.
Jennings has led multiple successful cases against the NJSIAA, including preserving former Paramus Catholic star Rashan Gary’s eligibility against recruiting allegations in a high-profile case, and most recently, clearing current Paramus Catholic coach Greg Russo from any wrongdoing in a recruiting charge and getting his suspension overturned.
The complaint lists the Campanile’s residency in Oakland, but it is possible the family could pay tuition for M.C. to attend Ramsey High School.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Nunzio Campanile files complaint vs NJSIAA regarding senior transfer rule
