As the first player during Duncan Della Volpe's three-year tenure as Fairfield Warde football coach to sign with a Division I college, offensive lineman Mike Money is confident he will make an immediate impact at Central Connecticut next season.

Central's string of seven consecutive winning seasons ended in 2011 as the Blue Devils finished 4-7 under coach Jeff McInerney, who will be entering his seventh year at the school. CCSU won or shared Northeast Conference titles in 2009 and 2010 and McInerney has a career mark of 42-25 at Central.

"They lost four seniors, so an upcoming freshman will be starting on their line and I'm going to make sure it's me," said the 6-foot-5, 270-pound Money, who chose the Blue Devils over Pace and New Haven.

A two-team captain at Warde, Money twice was named to the all-FCIAC first team in football and earned all-league honorable mention in wrestling last year when he was the third-ranked heavyweight in the state. He will compete in the FCIAC wrestling championships on Friday and Saturday at New Canaan High School.

While his major currently is undecided, Money said he is leaning toward criminal justice. He has an aunt and uncle who are lawyers and his grandfather is a retired judge.

"I chose Central because I thought it would be a good place to further my career and get a great education," Money said. "It's exciting. I get to play with the big guys now."

While Money primarily played tackle at Warde, he suspects that Central will look to also use him as a center or guard, and he is eager to learn a new position.

"The mother didn't get up there, but I'm happy for his decision," Tricia Money said. "I know the two of them  (Money and his father, Michael) are pretty impressed with the campus and the coaching staff, so it seems like it could be a good fit for him."

Since he does a lot of work in the Hartford area, the elder Money is familiar with a number of Central people.

"It's a well-balanced education, nice people, good ethics," he said. "They work for the big insurance companies up there, so it's a good school for that."

While Money received a partial scholarship from Central, there is another reason why his father is happy.

"Let somebody else pay the food bill," he said.

"I think he's well-deserving of getting the offer," Della Volpe added. "I think it's a good program for him and good fit academically, which obviously is going to be the most important part. It'll be nice to see him go play, too. I think of the schools he was looking for, this is a great level where he'll be successful."

Della Volpe sees a player with strong upside potential, pointing out that Money only took up the sport in high school.

According to his father, Money didn't play youth football because he was too big. The only sport he played prior to high school was baseball.

"(Central's getting a) pretty athletic player, somebody who has a high ceiling still in football," Della Volpe said.  "He's really only played three years for the most part. He's been around the game but he's still growing. He has great athletic potential.

"He can fit anywhere on that line, most likely guard or tackle, but he's smart. He knows how to play the game and I think he'll easily get the job done for them."

Before Money focuses on Central, he still has to finish his high school wrestling career, starting with the FCIAC championships this week and continuing with the class and state open meets the following two weekends.

"It's going to be good competition but in the end, I'm looking for first place," said Money, also the captain of the Mustangs' wrestling team who is undeafeated on the mats this season.

Money, who placed fifth in the FCIACs last year, says his toughest competition in the heavyweight divison could come from Danbury's Jevon Pegues, whom he defeated 3-0 earlier in the season.

"The team should place in the top five," Money said, "because we have a lot of good individuals on the team."