Football Signs 13 to NLIs on Signing Day
2/3/2010 9:17:31 AM
GUNNISON, Colo. - Western State College signed 13 high school seniors to National Letters of Intent earlier today and announced the addition of Casey Lincoln, a transfer student who has enrolled at Western State. All of the Mountaineer signees are Colorado natives and include a mix of five offensive and eight defensive players.
"We’re very excited about the commitments that we have," said Western State Head Football Coach Pat Stewart. "They are very a talented group and we have fulfilled a lot of our recruiting needs through this class. We're expecting a second group of signees in the coming weeks. Our recruiting coordinator, David Pena, and the rest of our staff did a great job in recruiting this group of quality athletes."
The Mountaineers finished 2009 with their most RMAC wins since 2003 and saw a 28 percent in jump in attendance compared to the previous season. Western State begins the 2010 schedule Aug. 28 at Fort Hays State in a 6 p.m. MT contest.
Breakdown by Position:
Quarterback: 1
Running Back: 1
Tight End: 2
Offensive Line: 2
Defensive Line: 2
Linebacker: 4
Secondary: 2
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Jacob Bernhard - Fort Lupton HS
Fort Lupton, Colo.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 205
High School Coach: Justin Carpenter
Position: Linebacker
Parents: Bryan and Dawn Bernhard
Two-time all-state honorable mention player in junior and senior seasons ... all-conference selection from 2007-09 ... Tri-Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2009 ... led the state back-to-back years in tackles in 2007 and 2008 ... finished with 454 tackles in his final three seasons ... also rushed for 713 yards and averaged 5.2 per carry in 2009 ... went eight-of-21 in passing as a senior ... earned all-conference honors in baseball in 2009 and will play his fourth season this fall ... member of DECA ... named to Principal's Honor Roll
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Vince Delmonico - Bear Creek HS
Morrison, Colo.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 195
High School Coach: Tom Thenell
Position: Defensive End
Parents: Paul and Renee Hackett-Delmonico
Team defensive most valuable player last season ... two-time all-conference honorable mention player ... led team to four playoff appearances, reaching as far as the semifinals during his sophomore season ... team finished in the quarterfinals in his freshman and senior seasons ... four-year letterwinner ... started three seasons at defensive end and one a linebacker and recorded one defensive touchdown ... set program record with 24 pins during wrestling season and recorded a record 15 consecutive pins ... honorable mention all-conference selection in wrestling ... second-team all-conference track and field performer ... finished fifth at the state championships in pole vault ... academic letterwinner ... member of DECA ... father, Paul, was an All-American wrestler for the Mountaineers in 1981
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Brennan Duffy - Monarch HS
Louisville, Colo.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 220
High School Coach: Phil Bravo
Position: Offensive Line
Parents: Brian and Keri Duffy
Two-time second-team all-conference selection ... earned honorable mention all-region accolades as a senior ... led team to state semifinals in 2009, losing in overtime ... team advanced to quarterfinals in 2008 ... four-year letterwinner in football and earned varsity letter in wrestling last season ... has the wrestling program's second-fastest pin
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Colton Emich - Holy Family HS
Arvada, Colo.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 255
High School Coach: Mike D. Gabriel
Position: Offensive and Defensive Line
Parents: Dan and Mary Jane Emich
Denver Post All-State First Team ... first-team All-Flatirons League and conference Defensive Player of the Year ... Boulder Daily Camera All-Region First Team ... MetroNorth Newspapers All-Region Team ... recorded five blocked kicks, two safeties, nine sacks and more than 40 tackles in his senior season ... led the Tigers to the state quarterfinals and a 9-3 record in 2009 and state playoff appearances all four seasons ... finished fourth in the state discus as a junior ... state wrestling qualifier as a junior at 285 pounds
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Ryan Evans - Horizon HS
Brighton, Colo.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 225
High School Coach: Frank Ybarra
Position: Linebacker
Parents: Rodney and Katrina Evans
Led team to district championships and state playoffs in 2009 and 2007 ... member of National Honor Society |
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Anthony Hernandez - Frederick HS
Firestone, Colo.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 210
High School Coach: Thad Lear
Position: Linebacker
Parents: Anthony and Kim Hernandez
All-conference and all-league selection as a senior ... led team in tackles in junior and senior seasons with 125 and 125, respectively ... three-year varsity starter ... participated in track and field one season |
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Dillon Huber-Parker - Longmont HS
Mead, Colo.
Height: 5-11
Weight: 195
High School Coach: Doug Johnson
Position: Free Safety
Parents: Ken Parker and Jason and Katrina Waterman
All-Area Defensive Player of the Year as a senior ... all-conference and all-region selection in 2009 ... second-team all-area in junior season ... recorded 10 interceptions during his final two seasons, with six in 2009 ... led team to 2009 state championship game and a quarterfinal appearance in 2008 ... on the baseball field, led team to districts in 2009 and 2008 ... earned honorable mention all-conference honors in 2008 and 2009 ... placed on the honor roll all four years and maintained a semester GPA of 3.0 or greater
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Nathaniel Matteson - Lewis-Palmer HS
Monument, Colo.
Height: 6-0
Weight: 235
High School Coaches: Ramunno, Tupper
Position: Offensive Line / Long Snapper
Parents: Dave and Joanne Matteson
First-tteam all-conference nose guard and All-Gazette Southern Colorado 5A/4A First Team nose guard during senior season ... named to the all-conference second team as a junior ... led the team from a 1-9 record in his sophomore season to a 7-3 record in his senior season ... first-team academic all-state as a senior ... earned honorable mention academic all-state in 2008 ... three-year letterwinner at long snapper with a 98.2 accuracy rating ... also earned two letters at nose guard with 17.5 tackles for loss
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Zack McGinn - Pueblo South HS
Pueblo, Colo.
Height: 5-10
Weight: 190
High School Coach: Mark Haering
Position: Running Back
Parents: Wayne and Linda McGinn
Member of state championship team in 2006 ... led team to state playoffs in 2007 and 2008 ... earned South Colt Steve Connell Leadership Award ... four-year varsity letterwinner ... earned all-conference honorable mention accolades in track and field ... member of Student Council, German Club and National German Honors Society ... father, Wayne, was the Mountaineer Head Coach in 1996
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Demosthenes "Demo" Schmidt - Frederick HS
Firestone, Colo.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 215
High School Coach: Thad Lear
Position: Defensive Line
Parents: Bill and Niki Schmidt
Earned all-conference honors in last two seasons ... honorable mention all-conference selection as a sophomore ... led team with nine sacks and added 68.5 tackles in 2009 ... four-year participant in track and field and wrestled as a junior |
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Devin Strauss - Longmont HS
Longmont, Colo.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 190
High School Coach: Doug Johnson
Position: Cornerback
Parents: Terri Strauss
Two-year letterwinner for the Trojans ... led team to state runner-up and three state playoff appearances ... also a member of the wrestling and track and field teams |
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Colton Taylor - Northridge HS
Greeley, Colo.
Height: 6-2
Weight: 195
High School Coach: Jeff Fulton
Position: Quarterback
Parents: Todd and Vickie Taylor
All-state selection ... Tri-Valley Conference Offensive Player of the Year during senior season ... holds program record for longest rushing touchdown at 93 yards ... threw 24 touchdown passes and added six rushing touchdowns in 2009 ... scored 16 touchdowns through the air and 12 more on the ground in his junior campaign ... three-time academic all-state selection ... played two seasons of varsity basketball ... part of Big Brother program and volunteered with Special Olympics
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Jaden Terry - Doherty HS
Colorado Springs, Colo.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 230
High School Coach: Matt Wibbels
Position: Linebacker
Parents: Lee and Ranae Terry
Four-year starter and a three-time second-team All-South Metro League player as linebacker ... earned all-area accolades in his senior season ... member of the Captains Council as a sophomore and junior, similar to Western State's SAAC organization ... holds program records in the bench press and power clean ... finished with 81 tackles, 9 for loss, 2 forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and one interception ... as a fullback, recorded 395 yards on 79 carries and five touchdowns ... as a receiver, caught four passes for 49 yards ... earned MVP Linebacker Award at National Underclassmen Combine ... named overall MVP at the Western State Football camp ... led team to second round of state playoffs as a freshman ... finished third at the state track and field championships in the discus during his sophomore season
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TRANSFER STUDENT
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Casey Lincoln - Mesa CC
Queen Creek, Ariz.
Height: 6-5
Weight: 225
Community College Coach: Carl Hargrave
Position: Tight End
Parents: Casey and Terry Lincoln
Transfer who has enrolled at Western State |