Biography
SENIOR (2019) - NEC First Team Return Specialist...NEC Second Team Safety...Had an interception, 61-yard punt return and 26-yard kickoff return to rack up 170 all-purpose yards in a win at Lehigh (8/31)...Named NEC Special Teams Player of the Week (9/1)...credited with six tackles vs. Columbia (9/21)...led SFU with eight tackles and a tackle for a loss in a win at Bryant (9/28)...had a big game vs. Robert Morris (10/12) with seven tacakles, three pass breakups and an interception...made four tackles and returned a punt 41 yards to set up an SFU touchdown at LIU (10/19)...made five tackles and returned two punts for 54 yards vs. Sacred Heart (10/26)...registered seven tackles at Duquesne (11/2)...returned a kick 48 yards and finished with eight tackles and a pass breakup vs. Wagner (11/16)
JUNIOR (2018) – ALL-NEC SECOND TEAM AT SAFETY AND RETURN MAN...COSIDA ACADEMIC ALL-DISTRICT...Selected to Phil Steele's Preseason NEC Second Team as a safety and Preseason NEC First Team as a punt returner...Named to the Preseason All-NEC Team...Recorded five tackles, had a sole punt return for eight yards and three kickoff returns for 66 yards against Lehigh (9/1)...Recorded two tackles, three punt returns for 70 yards and a touchdown and three kickoff returns for 83 yards against Delaware State (9/8)...Made three tackles including a tackle for loss and a sack and a kickoff return for 23 yards against Richmond (9/13)...Made six tackles, forced a fumble and returned three kickoffs for 63 yards against Albany (9/22)...Recorded two tackles and returned five punts for 140 yards and a touchdown against WV Wesleyan (9/29)...Collected six tackles and including a tackle for a loss, two pass breakups, three punt returns for 43 yards and three kick returns for 110 yards against Wagner (10/13)...Collected six tackles, returned two punts for 24 yards and one kick return for 30 yards against Duquesne (10/20)...Two carries for 15 yards, made six tackles including one tackle for loss and four punt returns for eight yards against Robert Morris...Ran six times for 60 yards and a touchdown, made ten tackles, a pass breakup and an interception and returned two kickoffs for 94 yards against Bryant (11/3)...Ran for ten yards on two carries, made eight tackles, four punt returns for 10 yards and four kickoff returns for 58 yards against CCSU (11/10)...Posted five tackles, had a pass breakup and returned one punt for zero yards and two kickoff returns for three yards against Sacred Heart (11/17).... Third on the team with 59 tackles and four passes defended as a safety... As a returner, finished fifth in the FCS and tops in the NEC with 825 total return yards...Set a NEC record with 170 return yards against West Virginia Wesleyan including a 79-yard punt return for a TD, the longest in SFU history.Â
SOPHOMORE (2017) – Second Team All-NEC as a return specialist... CoSIDA Academic All-District Selection... Appeared in all 11 games, including seven starts… On defense, recorded 51 tackles, 34 solo, two for loss, three interceptions, three pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery... As a returner, had seven kick returns for 192 yards, 27.4 yards per return with four returns over 30 yards, and 13 punt returns for 161 yards, 12.4 yards per return, and a touchdown with two returns over 30 yards... Made eight stops, including five solo, against Lock Haven… Recorded seven tackles, with five solo, and his first career interception vs. Wagner (9/9)… Had five tackles, including three solo and a tackle for loss, against Towson (9/16)... Made two stops, one solo, and an interception at No. 22 Liberty (9/30)... Set a career-high with eight tackles, five solo, at Presbyterian (10/7)... Had two solo tackles, a pass breakup and an interception, which he returned 20 yards, at Bryant (10/14)... Tied for the team lead with seven tackles and a pass breakup at Duquesne (10/21). Added two kick returns for 27 yards and a 15-yard punt return... Against Robert Morris (10/28), had three rushes for 61 yards, including a 49-yard touchdown, three punt returns for 69 yards, including a 35-yard score, and an 11-yard fumble recovery to go with two tackles, one solo... Had three tackles, two solo and half a tackle for loss, at CCSU (11/4). Also had 139 all-purpose yards, with three rushing, 99 kick return and 37 punt return. Had a 46-yard kick return and a 30-yard punt return... Assisted on two tackles and added a pass breakup against Sacred Heart (11/11). Had a one-yard run, a nine-yard punt return and two kick returns for 66 yards, including a 35-yard return... At Eastern Kentucky (11/28), collected four tackles, including two solo and half a tackle for loss. Added three punt returns for 24 yards, including a 22-yard return.
FRESHMAN (2016) – Appeared in 11 games this season for Saint Francis, mostly playing on special teams… Totaled 13 tackles, with seven solo, and two forced fumbles… Made a season-best four stops in the win at Sacred Heart, with two solo tackles… Recorded two tackles each against Central Connecticut State and Duquesne, while forcing a fumble against CCSU… Had one tackle each against Montana, Towson, Robert Morris, Wagner and Villanova… Forced a fumble against Robert Morris… Also played against Albany, Malone and Bryant.
BEFORE SFU - Rinella played at La Salle College High School for Head Coach John Steinmetz… Helped the Explorers to a 9-4 record and a state Quarterfinals appearance in class AAAA in 2015… Earned First Team All-State honors as a senior as well as First Team All-Catholic and First Team All-City… Has four career interceptions and three forced fumbles… On the other side of the ball, totaled 2,091 all-purpose yards, including 1,187 rushing and 904 yards receiving. Scored 32 total touchdowns… Earned the La Salle Career Achievement Award.
