The Wildcats open the season at Georgetown Sept. 3.
Photo by: Tim Cowie - DavidsonPhotos.com
Davidson Football Announces Incoming Class
5/19/2011 12:55:15 PM | Football
DAVIDSON, N.C. - Davidson football coach Tripp Merritt announced today that 23 student-athletes, making up the class of 2015, have committed to play for the Wildcats, beginning in the 2011 season. The Davidson football team will report to preseason camp Aug. 7.
“We're excited about this class of student-athletes,” said Merritt. “We met most of our positional needs, and we picked up some good size at the linebacker position. The fact that we added an influx of versatile, skill players is also encouraging because it will be beneficial to our new offensive system and give us some explosiveness on that side of the ball.”
The Wildcats continued to draw from around the country as 10 different states are represented in the class, including four each from North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Virginia. Fifteen players are on the offensive side of the ball, 10 play defense and one is a kicker.
The 'Cats, who return 15 starters, including five 2010 All-Pioneer Football League selections, open the 2011 campaign at Georgetown Sept. 3.
Class of 2015:
Jake Bates, 6-0, 190, QB, Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville
Highlights: All-conference, team MVP and team captain.
Bryant Bednarek, 6-2, 200, DB, Westerville, Ohio/New Albany
Highlights: First-team all-conference as a senior QB... Second-team all-conference and first-team all-district as a junior safety.
Andrew Boehm, 6-3, 170, K, Newport Beach, Calif./Corona Del Mar
Highlights: First-team all-state, all-section and al-league... Third-team all-county... Holds five school records.
Griffin Brand, 5-11, 175, WR, Roanoke, Va./Hidden Valley
Highlights: Team's leading receiver as a junior and senior... Team captain... Selected to Southwest/Central Virginia All-Star Classic Football game.
Martel Campbell, 6-1, 205, QB/ATH, Kannapolis, N.C./A.L. Brown
Highlights: Threw for over 2,000 career yards... Team captain and all-conference... brother of former Davidson linebacker Elliott Campbell.
Matt Casey, 6-1, 220, LB, Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty
Highlights: Second-team All-Ohio, first-team all-conference, first-team Columbus Dispatch all-metro... Second in school history in career tackles and interceptions.
Zach Clark, 6-2, 200, RB/WR, Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville
Highlights: Two-time all-conference, team captain, academic all-state and academic all-conference.
Santino Cua, 6-0, 220, LB, Westerville, Ohio/St. Francis de Sales
Highlights: First-team all-league in 2009 and 2010 and first-team all-district in 2010... Also named third-team all-state as a senior.
Mike D'Andrea, 6-1, 220, LB, Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal
Highlights: Lineman of the Year in 2009, Co-captain, First-team Academic All-County.
Garrett Diehl, 5-9, 175, WR, Warrenton, Va./Fauquier
Highlights: Named Associated Press and Virginia Preps First-team all-state and second-team all-state in Coaches Poll...Honorable Mention All-Met.
Nick Drury, 5-10, 195, DB, Gainesville, Ga./Lakeview Academy
Highlights: Second-team all-area and team captain.
Brad Goldsmith, 6-0, 245, DL /OL, Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover
Highlights: First-team all-district, second-team all-region and first-team All-Metro as a senior on the offensive line.
Cameron Harris, 6-2, 205, QB, Kings Mountain, N.C./Kings Mountain
Highlights: All-conference as a senior... holds five school passing records, including career TD passes... Selected to participate in the High School All-American Bowl, a regional all-star game in Kings Mountain.
Weston Hawkins, 6-1, 265, DL, Bellaire, Texas/Lamar
Highlights: First-team all-district as a senior... First-team All-Greater Houston Academic.
Tim Hines, 5-10, 170, WR, Kings Mountain/Kings Mountain
Highlights: All-conference and set school record with 1,110 receiving yards as a senior... Ranked second in school history in career receiving yards.
Trey Huelskamp, 6-3, 220, TE, Centreville, Va./Chantilly
Highlights: All-district, All-Northern Region and Honorable Mention All-Metro Team as a senior.
Richard Klein, 5-10, 200, LB, Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep
Highlights: Four-year lettermen and team captain as a senior... Twin brother of incoming freshman Robert Klein.
Robert Klein, 5-8, 180, RB/ATH, Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep
Highlights: Team captain and all-county honorable mention as a senior... Twin brother of incoming freshman Richard Klein.
Colin Merrill, 5-11, 155, DB, Circleville, Ohio/St. Charles Prep
Highlights: All-league and all-district Honorable Mention... Team Defensive MVP.
Spencer Perry, 5-10, 190, RB, Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy
Highlights: First-team all-conference and academic all-state as a senior... Second-team all-conference as a junior... Team Offenisve MVP.
AJ Pignone, 6-1, 205, ATH, Ashton, Md./Sherwood
Highlights: All-state, All-Gazette Newspaper, All-Sentinel Newspaper and second-team All-MdHigh.com as a senior... Two-year captain.
Kameron Romaelle, 6-2, 285, OL, Tarpon Springs, Fla./Tarpon Springs
Highlights: All-district and second-team all-conference as a senior... Team captain.
Nelson White, 6-4, 255, DL /OL, Concord, N.C./Jay M. Robinson
Highlights: All-conference and all-county... Team captain as a senior.
“We're excited about this class of student-athletes,” said Merritt. “We met most of our positional needs, and we picked up some good size at the linebacker position. The fact that we added an influx of versatile, skill players is also encouraging because it will be beneficial to our new offensive system and give us some explosiveness on that side of the ball.”
The Wildcats continued to draw from around the country as 10 different states are represented in the class, including four each from North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Virginia. Fifteen players are on the offensive side of the ball, 10 play defense and one is a kicker.
The 'Cats, who return 15 starters, including five 2010 All-Pioneer Football League selections, open the 2011 campaign at Georgetown Sept. 3.
Class of 2015:
Jake Bates, 6-0, 190, QB, Noblesville, Ind./Noblesville
Highlights: All-conference, team MVP and team captain.
Bryant Bednarek, 6-2, 200, DB, Westerville, Ohio/New Albany
Highlights: First-team all-conference as a senior QB... Second-team all-conference and first-team all-district as a junior safety.
Andrew Boehm, 6-3, 170, K, Newport Beach, Calif./Corona Del Mar
Highlights: First-team all-state, all-section and al-league... Third-team all-county... Holds five school records.
Griffin Brand, 5-11, 175, WR, Roanoke, Va./Hidden Valley
Highlights: Team's leading receiver as a junior and senior... Team captain... Selected to Southwest/Central Virginia All-Star Classic Football game.
Martel Campbell, 6-1, 205, QB/ATH, Kannapolis, N.C./A.L. Brown
Highlights: Threw for over 2,000 career yards... Team captain and all-conference... brother of former Davidson linebacker Elliott Campbell.
Matt Casey, 6-1, 220, LB, Powell, Ohio/Olentangy Liberty
Highlights: Second-team All-Ohio, first-team all-conference, first-team Columbus Dispatch all-metro... Second in school history in career tackles and interceptions.
Zach Clark, 6-2, 200, RB/WR, Martinsville, Ind./Martinsville
Highlights: Two-time all-conference, team captain, academic all-state and academic all-conference.
Santino Cua, 6-0, 220, LB, Westerville, Ohio/St. Francis de Sales
Highlights: First-team all-league in 2009 and 2010 and first-team all-district in 2010... Also named third-team all-state as a senior.
Mike D'Andrea, 6-1, 220, LB, Jacksonville, Fla./Episcopal
Highlights: Lineman of the Year in 2009, Co-captain, First-team Academic All-County.
Garrett Diehl, 5-9, 175, WR, Warrenton, Va./Fauquier
Highlights: Named Associated Press and Virginia Preps First-team all-state and second-team all-state in Coaches Poll...Honorable Mention All-Met.
Nick Drury, 5-10, 195, DB, Gainesville, Ga./Lakeview Academy
Highlights: Second-team all-area and team captain.
Brad Goldsmith, 6-0, 245, DL /OL, Mechanicsville, Va./Hanover
Highlights: First-team all-district, second-team all-region and first-team All-Metro as a senior on the offensive line.
Cameron Harris, 6-2, 205, QB, Kings Mountain, N.C./Kings Mountain
Highlights: All-conference as a senior... holds five school passing records, including career TD passes... Selected to participate in the High School All-American Bowl, a regional all-star game in Kings Mountain.
Weston Hawkins, 6-1, 265, DL, Bellaire, Texas/Lamar
Highlights: First-team all-district as a senior... First-team All-Greater Houston Academic.
Tim Hines, 5-10, 170, WR, Kings Mountain/Kings Mountain
Highlights: All-conference and set school record with 1,110 receiving yards as a senior... Ranked second in school history in career receiving yards.
Trey Huelskamp, 6-3, 220, TE, Centreville, Va./Chantilly
Highlights: All-district, All-Northern Region and Honorable Mention All-Metro Team as a senior.
Richard Klein, 5-10, 200, LB, Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep
Highlights: Four-year lettermen and team captain as a senior... Twin brother of incoming freshman Robert Klein.
Robert Klein, 5-8, 180, RB/ATH, Tampa, Fla./Berkeley Prep
Highlights: Team captain and all-county honorable mention as a senior... Twin brother of incoming freshman Richard Klein.
Colin Merrill, 5-11, 155, DB, Circleville, Ohio/St. Charles Prep
Highlights: All-league and all-district Honorable Mention... Team Defensive MVP.
Spencer Perry, 5-10, 190, RB, Chicago, Ill./Loyola Academy
Highlights: First-team all-conference and academic all-state as a senior... Second-team all-conference as a junior... Team Offenisve MVP.
AJ Pignone, 6-1, 205, ATH, Ashton, Md./Sherwood
Highlights: All-state, All-Gazette Newspaper, All-Sentinel Newspaper and second-team All-MdHigh.com as a senior... Two-year captain.
Kameron Romaelle, 6-2, 285, OL, Tarpon Springs, Fla./Tarpon Springs
Highlights: All-district and second-team all-conference as a senior... Team captain.
Nelson White, 6-4, 255, DL /OL, Concord, N.C./Jay M. Robinson
Highlights: All-conference and all-county... Team captain as a senior.
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