WILKES-BARRE – Following a stellar career in the Navy and Gold, Wilkes University football senior Jose Tabora (Egg Harbor Township, NJ/St. Augustine Prep.) has announced that he signed a professional contract to play in Germany for the Pforzheim Wilddogs of the American Football and Cheerleading Association.
 
"I'm most excited to just move on to the next chapter of my career," Tabora explained. "It was a huge honor being part of a time at Wilkes that is responsible for a program turnaround." Tabora joined the Colonels in 2016, with his biggest appearance of that first season coming against a Stevenson team sitting at 8-0. On the road, Tabora completed 30-of-48 passes for 453 yards and three touchdowns. The 453 passing yards still stands as the single-game standard in Wilkes football history.
 
Tabora's importance showed in the 2017 season after he was lost for the year to injury in the second game and the team finished the season winless at 0-10.
 
In 2018, the first season under current head coach Jonathan Drach, the Colonels went 6-4, the team's first season finishing over .500 since the 2010 unit was 6-5. Tabora shined during his first season in Coach Drach's offense, setting records for most touchdown passes in a game with six against Albright, most touchdown passes in a season with 23, most yards passing in a season with 2,658, and total offense in a season with 3,176 yards. "Jose is a dynamic athlete," Drach said. "He worked extremely hard these last three seasons, helping push his teammates and doing a lot to contribute to the overall success of our football team." For his efforts that season, Tabora was named Second Team All-Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC).
 
In 2019, Wilkes raced out of the gate to a 5-0 start, ending the regular season 8-2 while qualifying for the MAC/Centennial Bowl Series and earning a regional ranking in the process. The bowl game was the Colonels first postseason appearance since the 2010 team's ECAC Southeast Championship appearance against Moravian. Tabora was again named All-MAC in 2019, earning Honorable Mention status.
 
After the 2020 season was canceled due to Covid-19, Tabora returned to the program in 2021 sitting on the precipice of taking over the top spot in numerous career records for the Wilkes program. Throughout the season, Tabora set new records for career passing yards (7,685), career passing touchdowns (62), and most completions (622). Tabora led the team to a 6-4 record and a spot receiving votes in the d3football National Poll.
 
"Even though all goals were not fulfilled, there was a foundation created for years to come," Tabora said of the last seasons. On the significance of the signing, Drach explained "It's great for someone to have an opportunity to play professionally. We are excited for everyone as they move on in their career of choice no matter what they choose, but Jose clearly has the talent to continue to play professionally. It's a great honor for him and our program as a whole, and we look forward to seeing him compete."
 
 "I can look back and say that my hard work is really paying off," Tabora explained. "At the same time, I understand that this is still just the beginning."