A former FCS player, Tyler Merwarth enters his first season on staff at California (PA) in 2026.
Merwarth played both wide receiver and defensive back at Albany from 2021-24 before using his final season of eligibility at Lock Haven last year.
While with the Great Danes, Merwarth played for head coach Greg Gattuso, who coached current California head coach Gary Dunn at the scholastic level. Merwarth appeared in a combined 12 games from 2021-22 as a wide receiver before shifting to defensive back in 2023. That year, UAlbany boasted a banner season with the program advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA FCS Playoffs for the first time in school history. The Great Danes captured the regular-season Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Championship with a 7-1 league mark and finished the year with an 11-4 overall record.
Merwarth was recognized with All-CAA Honorable Mention designation in 2024 for his play on special teams. He was also featured on the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll four times during his career with the Great Danes.
In 2025, Merwarth played as a defensive back at Lock Haven while a graduate student. The Bald Eagles, who were playing their final season in the PSAC East, finished with their first winning season in over 40 years. Lock Haven finished with a 6-5 overall record behind the program’s first three-game winning streak since 1981.
Merwarth was a three-year starter on both offense and defense at the scholastic level while playing at Quakertown. He received Class 6A all-state honors as a senior.
