Lycoming (8-1 in 2001)
In 2001, Lycoming recorded its 27th consecutive winning season with a record of 8-1. The team's performance throughout the year earned the respect of coaches across the nation as evidenced by the final regular-season AFCA poll in which the Warriors were ranked 10th. The NCAA championship selection committee, however, was not so kind — leaving Lycoming at home to watch the 2001 playoffs in favor of three 9-1 teams. The bitter taste of what might have been still lingers, creating a chip on the shoulders of the Warriors as they look to force the committee's hand in 2002 and win the Middle Atlantic Conference's automatic berth.

Head coach Frank Girardi enters his 31st season at Lycoming with a core unit of veteran players returning for the 2002 campaign. On defense he will welcome back seven starters from the Middle Atlantic Conference's top unit. The Warrior defense allowed just 249.1 yards and 14.3 points per game a year ago. On offense, only five starters return, but four of them are on the line that paved the way for the No. 3 rushing attack in the MAC last season.

At quarterback the Warriors will feature a new arm after the graduation of two-year starter Joe Feerrar. Sophomore Phil Mann enters preseason camp as the most likely candidate to fill the vacancy. Mann earned the backup job in preseason camp last season and saw limited action during the season (2-for-5 passing, six rush attempts). Also battling for the starting role will be senior Roger Kreutzer and sophomore Brandon Grose.

The Warriors experienced another significant loss at running back with the graduation of Tim Deasey. Arguably Lycoming's most prolific tailback of all-time, Deasey set 13 school records during his career. Senior Jared Morris, however, is eager to make his mark on Lycoming's storied program as he enters the season as the leading candidate to start at tailback. Last season Morris carried the ball 23 times for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Sophomore Drew Corsilli could also be in the mix as the featured back following a strong rookie season.

Clearing the way for the Warriors' quick backs will be returning starting fullback Jon Neve. The most experienced member of the backfield and a tremendous athlete, Neve, a senior, carried the ball 53 times for 220 yards while scoring three touchdowns last season. Also seeing time at fullback will be fellow senior Jon Slemmer. Slemmer was converted to fullback from his original position at linebacker last season.

Lycoming's receiving corps will feature new faces, as well, with all three starters from a year ago having graduated in the spring. Juniors Ray Withelder and Sean Hennigar are the most experienced returning players having played significant downs in 2001. Withelder caught nine passes for 108 yards and two touchdowns, while Hennigar made six catches for 79 yards and one score. The duo will likely be flanked by the Warriors' speedy return man, junior Ricky Lannetti. Also competing for playing time will be junior Brandon Johnson and sophomores Adam Straub and Joe Walker

With four of five starters returning, the front line should be the strength of Lycoming's offensive unit. Junior Matt Mendola anchors the line from the center position after an all-star season in 2001. Fellow juniors Jay Seagreaves and Dickie Houck should each garner all-star consideration this season playing at the tackle positions. Senior Mike Juba rounds out the veteran unit, returning at right guard. Looking to secure the starting job at left guard will be senior Seth Hicks and junior Andy Miller. Both saw limited action last season in back-up roles and have the experience to be productive in a starting slot.

On the other side of the trenches the Warriors return two of four starters. Seniors Chris Roantree and Zach Latsha are back to anchor the center of Lycoming's defensive front. Roantree will move inside after playing defensive end last season when he made a total of 32 tackles, including three sacks. Latsha will remain inside after recording 39 tackles to rank second on the team a year ago.

Competing for the two defensive end positions will be seniors Jason Brandemarti and Dustin Mace, and sophomore Jeff Jacavage. Brandemarti and Mace played part-time roles last season, combining to make 22 tackles, including four sacks. Jacavage emerged late in the 2001 campaign seeing time in the final two contests to make three tackles, including a sack.

In a defense returning seven starters, the biggest question marks come at linebacker where junior Brian Connors is the lone returning starter. Connors accounted for 32 tackles last season — five coming behind the line of scrimmage. Along with Connors, seniors Matt Buraczeski and Steph Chortanoff saw significant time a year ago and will be competing for the starting positions this season. Buraczeski recorded 16 tackles in 2001, and Chortanoff added eight stops. A new addition to the mix will be senior Brian Bond, who started at cornerback last season. Bond intercepted a pass and defended eight others, but also made 26 tackles and three sacks for the Warriors. Seniors Adam Allen and Mickey Giordano should also compete for significant playing time in their final seasons at Lycoming.

The defensive backfield might be the strongest segment of the Warriors' defense. Three of four starters from last season return in seniors Jake Davis and Matt Henrich, and sophomore Brian Kaspick. In 2001, Davis was named a first-team conference all-star after intercepting two passes while defending a team-high 14 attempts. He also compiled 27 tackles in run support. Henrich also was named a conference all-star following a stellar season at free safety in which he picked off six passes and defended another 13. He was also the team's fourth leading tackler with 33 stops. Kaspick earned a starting position at strong safety as a freshman and tallied 20 tackles on the season.

The competition to fill the other corner position vacated by Bond's move to linebacker should be fierce. Sophomore Joe Dumas has the inside track after seeing significant time last season. He defended five passes and made 14 tackles. But juniors Tim Schmidt and Matt Greim, and sophomores Jeff Sokso and Chris Jordan all will battle to see time in a deep and talented secondary.

Lycoming returns a number of special teams performers from a year ago who should solidify what was an inconsistent unit in 2001. Honorable mention all-star Ricky Lannetti will again handle return duties on both kickoffs and punts for the Warriors. Last season, he averaged more than 20 yards per kick return and just less than 11 yards per punt return. He also returned two punts for touchdowns at FDU-Madison. Sophomore Brian Tonkin returns as Lycoming's starting punter, booting the ball 43 times for a 32.2 yards-per-kick average, while pinning the opponent inside its 20-yard line 15 times in 2001. Senior Dave Christensen connected on 23 of 28 point-after tries last season and will be the incumbent placekicker when camp opens.

Wilkes (4-6 in 2001)
Wilkes will look to a host of veterans as it prepares for the 2002 season. The Colonels welcome back 18 starters (nine offense, seven defense, two specialists) from last season's squad which fashioned a 4-6 mark.

Leading the list of returnees on the offensive side is sophomore running back Brett Trichilo. Trichilo established himself as one of the nation's top running backs last season after amassing 1,222 yards in just eight starts. Trichilo ranked tenth in Division III in yards per game by averaging 135.8. He also reached the end zone 10 times during his rookie season. He will be joined in the backfield by senior Mike Lorady. Lorady carried the ball 37 times for 107 yards and one score, while helping pave the way for Trichilo.

Sophomore quarterback Matt Kaskie, a starter in the Colonels final three games, returns as the team's top signal-caller. Kaskie played in six games a year ago and passed for 651 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Chris Banyas will be Kaskie's top target. Banyas hauled in 23 receptions for 464 yards and three scores last year. He averaged an impressive 20.2 yards per reception. Junior Mike Walk, who had 14 catches for 144 yards, junior tight end Brian Fritts, who caught 12 passes for 149 yards, and sophomore wide receiver Kevin Carroll, who had seven catches for 68 yards, also return.

Four starters return to the offensive front, led by first team MAC all-star Tim Letcher. Letcher, a senior tackle, is joined on the starting unit by junior tackle Jason Holloway, junior guard Mike Liberski and junior center Tom Wighard. Sophomores Matt Begansky, Jim Glendon, Will Midgett and Zach Snyder will be among the candidates for the fifth starting spot up front.

Linebackers Mike DaRe and Steve Rogers will anchor the Wilkes defensive unit. DaRe, a first team MAC all-star each of the last two seasons, had a team-high 88 tackles, including 12 behind the line of scrimmage during his junior season. Rogers, a junior, was second on the team with 79 tackles. He also had two interceptions. Junior Kris Fayock will also see time at linebacker after contributing 19 tackles last season.

The Wilkes front four features the return of second team MAC all-star Dustin Bernatovich. The senior had 43 tackles a year ago, including six for loss. Junior Nick Rollman, who had 54 tackles and 3½ sacks, and sophomore Julian Morales, who had 14 tackles, also return to the starting lineup.

The Wilkes secondary returns a pair of starters in senior Matt Schiefen and sophomore Troy Wilson. Schiefen had 46 tackles, 10 for loss, three sacks, three interceptions and two blocked kicks a year ago. Wilson, who took over one of the starting spots late in the season, finished with 17 tackles and three interceptions. Sophomore Chris Caccavale saw ample playing time a year ago and registered 38 tackles and four sacks.

Senior Will McLaughlin will once again handle the kicking chores for the Colonels. McLaughlin converted five of 10 field goal attempts and 19 of 24 extra point tries last season to earn a second team All-MAC berth. Banyas, who was one of the top kick and punt returners in the MAC a year ago, will return to that role again this season.

Delaware Valley (3-7 in 2001)
The Delaware Valley program is under new leadership as G.A. Mangus takes over an Aggie program that has not had a winning season since 1985.

Mangus is no stranger to turning around struggling teams as he helped Widener back to national prominence as an assistant from 1995 to 1998. He then was the assistant head coach at Ursinus where the Bears were 3-7 before he arrived. Ursinus posted back-to-back winning seasons in 1999 and 2000, including a trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs in '99.

Mangus inherits a team that went 3-7 last year, including a 3-6 mark in the highly competitive Middle Atlantic Conference. He does have 28 letterwinners, including 16 starters back from the 2001 campaign.

Leading the cast of returnees is senior wide receiver Rich Gear who was granted another year of eligibility as a result of a season-ending injury he sustained as a freshman. Gear earned MAC second team all-star honors last year as he set Delaware Valley single-season records with 74 receptions for 1,127 yards and 12 touchdowns. He is second all-time in Aggie history in all three categories and has a shot to break each mark this season.

Junior Giovanni Brooks is also back at wideout after hauling in 26 passes for 408 yards and five touchdowns. Fellow juniors Nick Brady and Kevin Moloney will look to return from season-ending knee injuries they suffered early last year. Brady, a wideout, played in five games and caught 11 passes for 174 yards and one score while Moloney, a 2000 all-star tight end, started the first four games and made seven catches for 82 yards and one touchdown.

Who will throw the ball to the receivers is perhaps Delaware Valley's biggest question with the graduation of two-year starter and MAC second team all-star Duke Greco. A number of candidates will battle for the position in training camp.

The top three running backs return in sophomore Dougie Howard and seniors Al Glackin and Derek Milligan. Howard, a tailback, carried the ball 80 times for 242 yards before switching to defensive back at the end of the season. Glackin took over the starting role and rushed for 216 yards and one touchdown on 66 carries. Milligan started all 10 games at fullback and netted 190 yards and one score on 56 touches.

The offensive line loses three-time first team all-star Dan Drake but two starters do return in juniors Scott Cruttenden and Ed Schroeder. Cruttenden (6-0, 245) and Schroeder (6-2, 265) started all 10 games last season at right guard and right tackle respectively.

The Delaware Valley defense returns seven starters, including the linebacker trio of Andrew Erby, Nick Sabean and Mika Miller. Erby, a sophomore, paced the Aggies with 76 tackles (35 solo) in nine games while Sabean, a junior, followed with 64 tackles (35 solo). Sabean was also a force on special teams with five blocked kicks. Miller, a junior, added 48 tackles (25 solo) last season.

Two players return to the defensive front, including Clint LaStella who notched 33 tackles (10 solo) and 1½ sacks during his rookie campaign. Mike Hobel is back for his senior campaign after finishing with 29 tackles (10 solo) and 3½ sacks a year ago.

Junior Carlo DeAngelo and sophomore Bernard Horshaw are back in the Aggie secondary. DeAngelo, a safety, had 18 tackles (14 solo) and one interception in nine games while Horshaw, a cornerback, made 14 stops (11 solo) and blocked two kicks.

Junior Pat Conerly returns to handle the punting duties. He led the MAC for the first two weeks of the 2001 season and finished with an average of 31.6 yards per punt. Glackin averaged 20 yards per kickoff return and 3.5 yards per punt return last season.

King's (8-3 in 2001)
Last season King's enjoyed its finest season since its return to varsity action in 1993 as the Monarchs went 8-3 and captured the Eastern College Athletic Conference Southern Region championship for the second consecutive year. King's also finished third in the Middle Atlantic Conference with a 7-2 mark.

King's enters the 2002 campaign optimistic that it can continue its climb up the MAC ladder of success, but the Monarchs have several holes to fill in order to achieve that goal.

Head coach Rich Mannello enters his 10th year as the Monarchs will field a squad with 19 starters back. King's returns all 11 starters on defense as well as five offensive players and three specialty performers.

In the early going King's defense will look to carry the load until a young offense finds its way. With all 11 starters back from the unit which ranked fourth nationally in rushing defense (66.9 ypg), the Monarch defense clearly stands as the team's strength heading into the season. Last season, the defense recorded 49.0 sacks for 362 yards in losses, while making 116 tackles for losses of 572 yards.

Senior defensive end Steven Wilson (6-2, 230) returns after a brilliant junior year. Wilson led Division III with 19½ quarterback sacks and set the Division III record with 38½ tackles for losses of 260 yards. Wilson also posted 73 total tackles, including 55 solo hits and was named a D3football.com first-team All-American.

Senior safety Sean Frasier (5-9, 190) is a returning MAC first-team all-star. Frasier made 66 tackles, including 50 solo hits, while setting single-season school records of 18 pass breakups and five interceptions.

Senior defensive end Rubin Doster (6-1, 250) earned D3football.com honorable mention All-American honors as a sophomore but was lost in the shuffle as a junior as Wilson rose to the forefront. In all, Doster enjoyed a solid junior season with 50 tackles, eight sacks for 47 yards in losses, and 13½ tackles for losses of 69 yards.

Another top returning player is senior outside linebacker Chris Keene (6-0, 230) who led the team in tackles. A former high school quarterback, Keene posted 80 total tackles, including 64 solo stops, with 9½ sacks for 55 yards, while making 15½ tackles for losses of 71 yards.

Senior linebacker Ken Kozminski (5-11, 220) is back after making 61 tackles with nine tackles for 26 yards in losses. Senior Gregg Miller (6-1, 245) was a part-time starter last season and made 39 tackles on the year. Junior defensive tackle Bill Gill (6-1, 240) returns after posting 27 tackles with seven tackles for losses, while junior Craig Humble (5-10, 225) is also back at defensive tackle after making 21 stops with 2½ sacks.

Rejoining Frasier in the secondary in sophomore cornerback Derek Zambino (5-11, 170) who enjoyed a solid rookie year. Zambino cracked the starting lineup in the third week of the season and made 49 tackles with 14 pass breakups and one interceptions, while blocking two kicks on special teams. Junior Matt VonTanhausen (6-0, 170) returns at free safety and made 22 tackles while equaling Frasier's school record of five interceptions. Senior Kamau Woolard (5-11, 200) is back at cornerback after making 12 tackles.

Offensively, King's must replace six key starters who accounted for more than 80% of the team's yardage. Skill players gone to graduation are four-year starting quarterback Tom Pierantozzi, running back Chris Shivery who was the team's leading rusher (1,160 yards), and the team's two top receivers in split end Jim Pio and three-time second-team MAC All-Star tight end Merritt Carr. The Monarchs also graduated two top offensive linemen in center Joe Corbett, the MAC Offensive Lineman of the Year, and Mike Lupo, a second-team MAC all-star guard.

The quarterback role stands as the biggest question mark and three players enter camp expecting to compete for the job. Senior Andy French (6-3, 190) was the second-string quarterback a year ago but saw limited time and did not attempt a pass the entire season. Junior Billy Watt (6-0, 185) was the third-string quarterback a year ago and also did not attempt a pass.

One player who could impact the position is sophomore transfer David Hessler (6-2, 185) who came to King's a year ago and redshirted. As a freshman in 2000, Hessler was the starting quarterback at Division III Guilford College where he passed for 1,181 yards. Despite starting the season in a run-oriented offense and finishing it in a pass-oriented offense, Hessler managed to set two Guilford game records with 55 attempts and 34 completions. Last season at King's, Hessler worked on his skills by serving as the practice squad quarterback working against the Monarchs' first-team defense.

The running game appears to be in strong hands as the Monarchs return a pair of quality who served as capable backups for Shivery last season. Sophomores Richard Jackson (5-10, 190) and Silas Moore (5-7, 170) both saw quality time as freshmen. Jackson rushed for 458 yards and averaged 5.2 yards per carry, while Moore added 224 yards and averaged 4.5 yards each attempts.

The receiving corp also stands as a question mark as senior Chris Rispoli (6-2, 180) stands as the top veteran with 11 catches for 119 yards a year ago. Senior Harry Dickey 6-4, 200) had seven receptions for 83 yards. A promising freshmen class includes several rookies who could contribute immediately.

The offensive line will be paced by three returnees, including junior tackle Corey Diehl (6-2, 270), senior tackle Bob Fehr (6-1, 260), and junior guard Jeremy Snyder (6-1, 240). Sophomore Paul Wisnieski (6-4, 270) also saw quality playing time and could factor into the mix.

One player who could also make a major contribution is junior guard Steven Malin (6-2, 255) who missed the 2001 campaign rehabilitating an injury. Malin, who will retain sophomore eligibility status, was the Philadelphia Catholic League Player of the Year as a senior at Bishop McDevitt High School and was a projected starter a year ago until he was forced to miss the season.

The Monarch special teams are expected to again be strong with the healthy return of Bobby Nawrocki who handed the kicking and punting chores until a midseason injury. Nawrocki was 6-for-7 in field goals and 10-for-13 in extra points until suffering a leg injury. He also had a 33.0 yards punting average. Nawrocki was replaced by VonTanhausen who was an MAC all-star kicker as a freshman before moving to the secondary last year. VonTanhausen was 18-for-18 in extra points while converting two of five field goals. VonTanhausen also owned a 33.6 yard punting average in 30 attempts.

Frasier not only excelled as a defensive back for the Monarchs, he is an outstanding punt returner and was also an All-MAC return specialist. Frasier averaged 10.2 yards on 42 attempts and is a threat to break the game open on each attempt.

Moravian (5-5 in 2001)
Moravian will look to continue the winning streak it began in game nine of last season and carry it into the 2002 season. The Greyhounds won their final two contests last year, outscoring their opponents 44-7, to finish at 5-5 and the 'Hounds return 19 starters this fall.

Moravian head coach Scot Dapp begins his 16th season at the helm of the Greyhounds, seven victories shy of 100 in his career, a mark only one other Moravian coach has ever achieved. Dapp, who's career mark is 93-59-1, has his largest team in years with over 120 players expected in camp in August with 46 returning letterwinners. He also has his largest senior class in over a decade with 23 seniors on the team.

On the offensive side of the ball, Moravian has ten starters returning led by senior quartet of quarterback Charlie Bowden, lineman Josh Zagorski, tailback Josh Fick and wide receiver Jarod Rhinehart.

Bowden, who has been the Greyhounds' starter for the last two seasons, completed 117 of 243 passes last fall for 1,413 yards with ten touchdowns and ten interceptions. Bowden will be looking to regain the form from his sophomore year when he completed 167 of 299 pass attempts for 2,237 yards with 14 scores and 11 interceptions. Also back at the quarterback position is junior Will Seng, who completed 21 of 35 passes in 2001 for 294 yards with three touchdown throws and three interceptions. Backing up will be sophomore Mario Bevilaqua.

Zagorski, a 2001 Middle Atlantic Conference All-Star center, will anchor the offensive line which returns four of five members from last season. Also back on the front line will be seniors John Giacchi and Jeff Andruczyk and sophomore Andrew Leska. The returning four give the Greyhounds a formidable line, averaging 5-11 and 260 pounds. The only hole to fill will be the right tackle position.

Fick leads a backfield that returns six of its seven top rushers from last season. Fick played in just five games last season but led the team with 468 yards and eight touchdowns on 79 carries. Fick's career numbers include 910 yards and 16 touchdowns on 149 carries. Junior tailback David Darmofal gained 339 yards on 76 carries with two touchdowns while junior tailback Tim Barlok had 308 yards and two scores on 85 attempts. Barlok needs just 27 yards to join Moravian's 1,000-yard club after gaining 973 yards on 207 carries with 10 touchdowns in his first two seasons.

Also back in the backfield will be senior fullback Eric Gustafson, who had 288 yards and two touchdowns on 61 carries, sophomore tailback Cody Hendershot, who gained 72 yards on 17 carries, and junior fullback Ray Burgan, who had 60 yards on 18 rushing attempts.

Rhinehart leads a talented group of receivers for Bowden and Seng to throw to. Rhinehart was second on the Greyhound squad last season with 27 receptions for 321 yards and two touchdowns. In his career, Rhinehart, who needs 14 receptions to become the sixth player in Moravian history with 100 career receptions, has caught 86 passes for 1,122 yards and eight touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Jeff Lowry returns after grabbing 25 aerials for 281 yards and two scores.

Junior wideout Kevin Miltenberger, who has been bothered by injuries the last two seasons, is also back after grabbing seven passes for 45 yards last fall. The Greyhounds will be looking for a replacement of Michael Abbate, who graduated as one of the top three receivers in Moravian history and the Greyhounds' most dependable receiver last year, catching 39 passes for 543 yards and five touchdowns.

At the tight end spot, senior Rick Kulp returns for a third season as the team's starter. Last fall, Kulp caught 11 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns. Kulp will be backed up by junior Chad Opdyke and senior Tom Lonergan.

On defense, the Greyhounds will bring back nine starters, eight of them from last season, including senior lineman Tom Blackledge, all four linebackers and senior defensive back Jarrod Pence. Junior defensive back Nate Pogue, who was a starter in 2000, has returned to the Greyhounds this fall and will help in the defensive backfield.

Blackledge anchors the defensive front three after making 45 tackles last season with 17 for loss including five and a half sacks. Joining Blackledge up front will be senior nose tackle Pat Mancini, who had 37 stops last fall with six for loss and three sacks. Mancini also forced two fumbles. Senior lineman Brian Cascioli will have a chance to move into the open line spot. He made nine tackles a year ago with one sack. Sophomore Shawn Nelson will also see some playing time after making 27 tackles, three for loss, in his debut for the Greyhounds last fall.

Moravian moved to a 3-4 defense last season because of the talent in its linebacker corps and the Greyhounds will use the same formation with all four back this season. Senior John Cupples, a MAC All-Star last season, led Moravian with 79 tackles last season from his inside position. He also made 17 tackles for loss with four sacks and Cupples had one interception, four pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Joining Cupples on the inside is senior Bill Engler, who had 69 tackles with ten for loss and three sacks last season. On the outside, junior Steve Maslanek and senior Vince Cowlishaw return to their starting positions. Maslanek made 57 tackles a year ago with nine for loss and five and a half sacks while Cowlishaw contributed 45 stops with eight for loss and two sacks. Junior Josh DiGiacomo, who had 16 tackles in 2001, can play any of the four positions.

Pence, who was a MAC All-Star last fall and has been named a D3football.com first team Preseason All-American, led the nation in pass breakups last season with 3.6 per game. He had 31 pass breakups and five interceptions from his cornerback position. Pence also contributed 51 tackles, including two for loss. Pogue, who did not play last season, will get a chance to start at the other corner position. In 2000, Pogue made 62 tackles and added three interceptions and 19 pass breakups.

Junior John Panikiewsky and sophomore Bill Skriletz will return to the safety positions. Panikiewsky was a starter last season and contributed 39 tackles with seven stops for loss while Skriletz served as a reserve and still made 35 tackles and two interceptions.

The biggest question mark for coach Dapp and the Greyhounds will come in the kicking game. Moravian had both of its kickers graduate and the only player on the roster that has kicked in a contest is Skriletz, who punted eight times last season for an average of 29.9 yards per kick. Moravian will likely fill the kicking void with one of three freshmen, Nate Strohl, Andy Mill or Mike Irwin. Fick and Barlok will be used as kick returners again this season.

Susquehanna (4-6 in 2001)
After enduring their first losing record since 1985, Susquehanna will accept nothing less than a return to success in the 2002 season. With 17 starters returning, including nine on offense, 13th-year head coach Steve Briggs expects his Crusaders to battle for the top of the Middle Atlantic Conference standings.

While the Crusaders finished the 2001 campaign with a disappointing 4-6 record, the team closed out the year with convincing victories over Moravian (41-14) and Lebanon Valley (40-13) to enter the offseason on a positive note.

The most notable changes during the offseason took place at Lopardo Stadium, where a state-of-the-art ProGrass synthetic surface has been installed. In addition, lights have been erected which will permit the Crusaders to play the first home night game in the program's 103-season history — against FDU-Madison on Oct. 19.

Once again, the Crusader offense will revolve around the record-setting duo of senior quarterback Mike Bowman and junior split end Mark Bartosic.
Bowman, who holds Susquehanna career records for completions (444), passing yards (5,948) and touchdowns (46), battled injuries last season but still threw for 1,991 yards and 15 scores. Bartosic set school single-season records with 72 catches for 1,190 yards and hauled in 12 touchdowns, increasing his career-record totals to 123 receptions, 2,218 yards and 28 scores after just two seasons.

Senior split end Tim Ronchi added 25 catches for 338 yards while senior tight end John Smith grabbed 15 passes for 248 yards and a touchdown and sophomore split end Josh Kleha nabbed 15 balls for 199 yards and one score.

In the backfield, sophomore Jason Eck led the Crusaders with 154 carries for 582 yards and eight touchdowns, including a school record-tying four scores in the season finale against Lebanon Valley. Sophomore fullback Bryan Strohl is the only other returning back with more than seven carries, having recorded 83 yards on 21 rushes last fall.

Up front, the offensive line returns four starters from last season. Senior left tackle Rob Acheson (6-3, 275) was a MAC honorable mention All-Star while junior Josh Zeyn (6-3, 265) started all 10 games at left guard after shifting from defensive line. Junior Joby Tuminelli (6-2, 282) made five starts at center while senior Jared Villella (6-1, 261) was solid in his first season as a starter at right guard.

Joining the returnees will be sophomore Mark Hamilton (6-3, 270), a transfer from Division I-AA Rhode Island, at right tackle.

On defense, three-time MAC first-team All-Star cornerback Antonio Nash will anchor a unit that lost five seniors to graduation.

Nash, a second team D3football.com preseason All-American, intercepted a team-high six passes and ranked second on the team with 76 tackles last season. His 19 career interceptions are tied for second in school history behind the 26 thefts made by Cory Mabry from 1988 through 1991.

Senior strong safety Dennis Kodack is back for his third season in the starting lineup after making 57 tackles a year ago. Fellow senior Nick Chesney found a home at free safety last season and contributed 58 tackles and three picks.
Another senior, Bill Heinzelmann, will start again at middle linebacker after finishing third on the team with 64 tackles in his first year as a starter.

After being decimated by injuries last season, the defensive line is back to full speed. Junior Adam Summers (6-3, 241) and sophomore Adam Laub (6-2, 230) will anchor the end positions while junior Matt Ellis (6-0, 268) and sophomore Matt Hill (6-2, 240) are expected to stuff the run from their tackle spots. All four players missed time last year due to injury, with Summers sitting out the entire year after a pre-season knee injury.

Senior Andy Nadler is back for his fourth year as the Crusader placekicker after converting three of nine field goals and 23 of 30 extra points. Kodack took over the punting duties following the opener last season and averaged 36.1 yards on 40 attempts.

Widener (12-1 in 2001)
Coming off another stellar season in 2001, one that saw Widener win its second consecutive and conference leading 15th Middle Atlantic Conference title with a 10-0 record, the expectations are once again flying high as the Pioneers gear up for the 2002 season.

Widener compiled its first undefeated regular season record in 20 years en route to a 12-1 record in 2001, its second straight season with 12 wins. And once again the Pioneers advanced well into the national playoffs, this time going to the quarterfinals. Widener has returning 14 starters, including five on offense and nine on defense, to lead a group of 49 letterwinners.

Widener traditionally has a prolific offensive attack, one that is consistently nationally ranked. The Pioneers racked up 501.6 yards per game of total offense, which ranked fifth in Division III, and averaged 45.8 points per game, which was third in the country, during the 2001 season. One of the keys to that success is All-America quarterback Mike Warker, who returns for his senior season. The left-handed signal caller completed 157 passes in 272 attempts with only 8 interceptions for 2,751 yards and a school record 32 touchdowns. He loses the most dynamic receiving duo in the country to throw to in All-Americans Michael Coleman (an NFL draftee of the Atlanta Falcons) and Jim Jones, and will be counting on some of Widener's youngsters, including sophomore Tyreak Saviour (10 catches, 157 yards, 2 touchdowns), to step up and help fill the gaps.

Widener's ground game, the second-best in the Middle Atlantic Conference in 2001 averaging 219.1 yards per game, has running back junior Michael Gandy and senior fullback Austin Martin returning to the starting lineup. Gandy was one of Widener's go-to guys last year, carrying the ball 111 times for 669 yards and eight touchdowns and Martin had 77 carries for 381 yards and five touchdowns.

The offensive line helped Widener lead the conference in total offense for the third consecutive season and the Pioneers rolled up more than 600 yards twice during the season. Returning upfront are seniors Rob Schneider (center) and Andy Clark (right tackle) and junior Larry Bender (right guard).

On the defensive side, Widener's leaders in tackles return, including senior Steve Varrasse and junior Matt Swarter. Varrasse had 88 tackles, including 17 for losses, to go along with 12 sacks, two interceptions and six pass breakups, and Swarter made 70 tackles to lead the linebacker corps.

Widener returns all three starters on the defensive line and two of the three backups. Leading up the group of starters is senior Anthony O'Neill, a 2001 all-conference first teamer, who finished 2001 with 43 tackles, six sacks and an interception. O'Neill will be joined by Alex Moor (56 tackles) and Jeff Shahan (44 tackles, 3 sacks) and backups senior Ryan Killian (61 tackles, 6 sacks, 5 pass break ups) and junior Thomas DeMoss (34 tackles). All five members of the defensive line are throwers on Widener's conference championship track and field teams.

Widener's backfield returns nearly intact with starters Bill Walsh (free safety), a senior, and cornerbacks B.J. Hogan and Darren Sinclair, a pair of sophomores who joined the starting lineup early in 2001. Hogan and Sinclair were among the national leaders in passes defended, Hogan holding the 14th spot with 2.3 per game and Sinclair tied for 23rd at 2.1. Both players intercepted six passes as Widener picked off a total of 27 passes on the year.

Senior Christian Kearns will continue punting for the Pioneers. A member of the D3football.com Team of the Week once in 2001, had an average of 36.3 yards per punt on 40 punts going 1452 yards. He had a long punt of 60 yards and had 8 punts placed inside the 20-yard line.

FDU-Florham (1-9 in 2001)
The Devils open their 29th season with a new name and a new head coach. Rich Mosca becomes just the third head coach in the program's history as he takes the reins of the College at Florham of Fairleigh Dickinson University.
FDU-Florham's new mentor served as the team's offensive coordinator for the past two seasons.

This year's offense will once again be based on senior running back Ed Cracchiolo. Cracchiolo, who was named Second Team All-MAC last year and First Team in 2000, has inserted his name into several categories in the FDU record book. Last year he tied the Middle Atlantic Conference records for rushing touchdowns in a game and for touchdowns in a game when he broke into the end zone five times against Lebanon Valley.

Cracchiolo finished the year with 1,095 yards, becoming FDU's all-time leader in single-season rushing and only the second rusher is Devils history to break 1,000 yards in a season. He currently ranks second on the school's career rushing list with 2,338 yards behind Rob Lewis, who played from 1994 through 1997 and rushed for 2,525 yards. Mosca thinks Cracchiolo has developed into an all-around multiple use back who has abilities to block well, catch passes, find a crease, and break away.

Quarterback Mike Passero returns after serving as the Devils starting signal caller as a freshman last season. Passero will look to improve on last season in which he completed 63 of 190 passes for 762 yards and three touchdowns. Patrick O'Neill also saw time at quarterback last season and will return for his senior campaign.

The Devils have three experienced returners at wide receiver in Quadir Muhammad, Tim Carlock, and Mike Daly.

Muhammad led the team in receptions with 23 and yards with 322 last season. Carlock made nine catches on the season for 179 yards. Daly had seven grabs for 59 yards.

Brian McCall will be a key returner at tight end. McCall has demonstrated that he is a solid blocker and had improved his pass-catching skills.
On the offensive line, Dave Hoffman returns for his third year as a starting tackle. Sophomore Andrew Szaro will come back after starting every game at center last season.

On the other side of the ball, the Devils will be using several different fronts and coverages.The Devils will look to tailor the defensive scheme to fit the abilities of the team's players.

Senior defensive back Frank Nolasco and is the team's top returning tackler after ranking second on the team last season. The second team All-MAC selection made 42 solo stops and 40 assists while intercepting two passes and breaking up three others. He also recovered two fumbles, returning them for a total of 35 yards. Senior linebacker Mike Biancella also returns after making 69 total tackles, 11 of which resulted in lost yardage.

On the defensive line, junior defensive tackle Mike Filosa will be a key returner. Filosa had 24 stops on the season, including a sack and four tackles-for-loss. Mike McDonaugh returns for his sophomore season on the line. He made 18 tackles and broke up one pass last year.

Senior cornerback Eric Eickhorst returns after making 30 tackles. He had two interceptions last season and broke up four passes.

Special teams will be a major focus of change for the 2002 Devils. They will specifically look to improve coverage on kickoffs and punts, longsnapping, and punt return yardage.

Senior placekicker Eric Eickhorst is coming off a much-improved season. Last year his only field goal attempt of the season, a 25-yarder against Susquehanna, was good and he connected on nine of 12 PATs.

Sophomore Anthony Blasi and Senior Nate Teale both return to punt. Blasi averaged 33.8 yards per punt last season, punting 55 times. Teale added 15 punts, averaging 32.2 yards.

Albright (7-4 in 2001)
Albright returned to the upper half of the MAC in 2001, and captured an ECAC Southwestern region championship to cap off the season. Despite the loss of key players on both sides of the ball, sixth-year head coach E.J. Sandusky begins the year looking to build on last year's success and continue the Lions' upward climb in the conference standings.

Six starters return on offense for the Lions, but one big hole for Sandusky to fill is the quarterback position, where Mike Strack had started every game since midway through the 2000 campaign. Three returning quarterbacks as well as some strong incoming freshmen will battle for the job in summer camp. Whoever ends up running the offense for the Lions will have a strong core of returning skill position players to ease the transition into the starting role.
In the backfield, fifth year senior Keith Johnson returns after leading Albright in rushing with 559 yards and five TDs.

Sophomore Adam Hubley saw action in all 11 games last fall, gaining 344 yards and finding the end zone two times. Junior A.J. Carter also saw extended time at fullback for the Lions in 2001, and should anchor that position in 2002.

Four of the top five receivers from the 2001 season return to provide Lions quarterbacks with plenty of options when putting the ball in the air. Fifth-year senior Jason Scheerer led the team with 54 receptions, while junior Jesse Dorais led the team with 741 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.

Sophomore Nick Cushman caught 19 balls, 3 for touchdowns, and Keith Johnson hauled in 16 passes out of the backfield. At tight end, sophomore Justin Holland should step in to the starting role after totaling 11 receptions in limited action last fall.

The offensive line will see some fresh faces in 2002, as three of the five starters in 2001 were lost to graduation. Senior Jeff Benditt and sophomore Jeremiah Andrefski are the returning starters who will anchor the Lion line. Senior Josh Spicher and junior Scott Matsinger both saw action last fall for the Lions, and should step in to solidify Albright's front five. How well the line can come together will be a key factor to the success of the Lions in 2002.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Lions will have to replace seven starters from the 2001 squad, five of whom were named either first or second team All-MAC for their efforts.

The defensive line will have to replace three starters, including MAC Defensive Player of the Year Russell Benditt. Senior defensive tackle Franklin Strokoff returns after recording 38 tackles, including 3 sacks and 13 tackles for loss. Coach Sandusky will be looking at a host of young players to join Strokoff and set the front four of the Lion defense.

The linebacking corps will have to replace last year's two leading tacklers in Tom Fitti and Dave Barr. Senior Mike Gancarz returns after starting all 11 games in 2001 and registering 53 tackles, fourth best on the team. Junior Kenny Montout saw extensive action last season backing up all three linebacking positions, and should step in with Gancarz to provide experience and athleticism for the Lions.

The secondary must also replace two departed seniors, but returns junior cornerback Jack Byers and senior safety Steve Biddle to their ranks. Biddle finished third on the team with 65 tackles and also intercepted four passes, while Byers intercepted three passes and provided strong coverage on opposing receivers.

On special teams, the Lions will need to find a replacement for first team All-MAC place kicker George Merrill. Junior Bert Wentzel returns to handle the punting chores after leading the MAC in net punting average as a sophomore. The Lions do feature one of the most dangerous return specialists in the conference in Jason Scheerer. Scheerer returned one kickoff and one punt for a touchdown in 2001 and was named to the All-MAC first team as a specialist.

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