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football Edit

ODUs brings in numbers and talent

Norfolk: Old Dominion University head football
coach Bobby Wilder announced today the signing of 18 student-athletes to
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National Letters of Intent for the upcoming season. The Monarchs recruiting
class consists of players from seven different states, nine of whom are from the
state of Virginia, seven from the Hampton Roads area.
"I am very pleased with this year's recruiting class," said head coach Bobby
Wilder. "All of these young men are quality student-athletes who possess the
tools to succeed both academically and athletically at Old Dominion. Our
assistant coaches did a great job of first identifying, then addressing our
needs as a football team. These players, along with last year's class and the
group we brought in for the spring, give us a solid foundation to stand on as we
get ready to begin play in September. I am grateful to the many people
associated with Old Dominion who continue to provide support to our program.
President Broderick and his staff, our deans and many professors, Athletic
Director Jim Jarrett and all the good people in our athletic administration have
been a major part of the success we've had in the recruiting process."
Nate Barnes DE 6-5 230 Newport News, Va. Heritage
Helped guide the Hurricanes to an appearance in the 2008 playoffs… lettered in
football, basketball, volleyball and soccer.
Alex
Bell OL 6-5 257 Houston, Del. Milford
Rated as a 2-star athlete by Rivals.com… member of the 2008 D.I.A.A. Division 2
state championship and Henlopen Southern Division championship football team…
three-year letterman in football… first team all-state, first team
all-conference… two-year team captain… selected to Delaware Blue-Gold All-Star
Team, two-time DIFCA Sportsmanship Award winner, three-year letterman in
lacrosse… honorable mention all-conference and team Offensive MVP.
Blake Cornalino OL 6-2 275 Upland, Calif. Upland / Mt. San Antonio
College
Played two seasons at Mt. San Antonio College, helping lead the Mounties to a
two-year mark of 22-5... member of the 2007 and 2008 league and So Cal state
championship teams.
John Darr LB 6-0 215 Forestville, Md. Suitland
Helped
guide Suitland to a record of 33-4 over the last three seasons, winning the 2006
state championship… second team all-state as a senior after totaling 118 tackles
and four forced fumbles… listed as one of the 50 best players in Washington,
D.C., Virginia and Maryland by the Washington Post… selected to play in the
inaugural Maryland State All-Star Crab Bowl where he led the Washington Team in
tackles with 12.5… also appeared in the P.G. County All-Star Game… All-Met as a
junior when he recorded 125 tackles, four forced fumbles and an interception.
Tavon
Gatlin WR 5-10 200 Virginia Beach, Va. Green Run
Rated as a 2-star athlete by Rivals.com… first team All-Tidewater as a senior,
second team as a junior… Beach District Defensive Player of the Year… first team
All-Beach District as a wide receiver, defensive back and kick returner… set
school singles season and career interception records with 12 and 28
respectively.
Ryan Jensen OL 6-4 294 Petaluma, Calif. Petaluma / Santa Rosa JC
Played two seasons at Santa Rosa Junior College, earning first team All Nor-Cal
Conference honors as a tackle… set a SRJC record for bench press by an offensive
lineman at 405 pounds… invited to the Triumphant Sports Bowl, a junior college
all-star game… played offensive guard and defensive tackle at Petaluma HS… first
team All-Sonoma County League and All-Redwood Empire on offense and defense…
name Most Valuable Offensive Lineman… participated in the SCL/NBL Kiwanis
All-Star Game in 2007.
Alex Johnson DE 6-3 210 New Canton, Va. Buckingham County / Fork Union
Military Academy
Lettered in football, basketball and track at Buckingham County, before moving
on to Fork Union… first team all-district at defensive end and tight end…
all-region… named team defensive MVP… team captain as a senior… helped guide the
basketball team to a district and regional championship in 2008, advancing to
the Virginia State Final Four.
Marcus Lee P 6-1 175 Wilmington, N.C. Hoggard
All-state… helped the Vikings finish 10-2 and win their seventh consecutive
Mid-Eastern Conference championship… had 39 punts for an average of 41 yards and
a net average of 38 yards… 17 punts were placed inside the opponent's 20-yard
line… also had 46 kickoffs, including 17 for touchbacks.
Jack
Lowney OL 6-4 250 Narberth, Pa. Archbishop Carroll
Recorded 52 pancake blocks at offensive tackle during his senior season… on
defense turned in 72 tackles (24 solo), 28 tackles for loss, five sacks, five
pass breakups, three forced fumbles and four fumble recoveries… first team
All-Philadelphia Catholic League on offense and defense… first team all-county,
all-city and All-Southeastern PA as an offensive lineman… selected to play in
the Pennsylvania East-West All-Star Game… second team all-state, first team
all-conference on offense, second team all-conference on defense… won the
Tron MartinezClick Philadelphia Catholic League's John "Whitey" Sullivan Scholar Athlete Award. Here to view this Link. RB 5-9 190 Hampton, Va. Hampton
Rated as a 2-star athlete by Rivals.com… 1,700 yards and 30 touchdowns as a
senior, earning Peninsula District Player of the Year honors… named second team
all-state after rushing for 1,700 yards and 27 touchdowns during his junior
campaign… two-time All-Peninsula and two-time all-region selection… honorable
mention all-district as a sophomore when he turned in more than 700 yards
rushing with seven touchdowns… helped lead Hampton High to a three-year mark of
31-6 under Coach Mike Smith, including a district championship.
Mychael
McJunkins LB 6-0 240 Kansas City, Kan. Washington / Independence CC
All-KJCCC second team as a sophomore after recording 84 tackles and four sacks…
honorable mention All-KJCCC as a freshman when he posted 92 tackles.
Alex McLaughlin RB 5-8 200 Burnsville, Minn. Apple Valley / Ridgewater
College
First team NJCAA All-American… rushed for 1,730 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2008…
averaged 6.3 yards per carry and 192 yards per game… caught nine passes for 64
yards… Minnesota College Athletic Conference MVP… two-time all-conference
selection.
Perry
Owens OL 6-3 275 Edenton, N.C. John A. Holmes
All-state selection as a senior in 2008 after recording 89 pancake blocks…
selected to play in the Shrine Bowl… two-time All-Northeastern Coastal
Conference… three-time all-area… three-time Offensive Lineman of the Year… 46
consecutive starts… 68 pancake blocks as a junior and 62 as a sophomore.
Carvin
Powell DB 6-3 210 Chesapeake, Va. Great Bridge
Rated as a 2-star athlete by Rivals.com… first team all-district and second team
All-Tidewater as a senior defensive back… on offense caught 52 passes for 625
yards and seven touchdowns… second team all-district as a junior.
Monty Smalley WR 5-11 160 Richmond, Va. Douglas Freeman
First team all-district, all-region and all-metro as a senior… first team
all-district and honorable mention all-region as a junior… played wide receiver
and cornerback for Coach Bob Brinkley… holds the school record for receptions in
a season with 52 and longest reception at 98 yards… also lettered in track and
basketball.
Marquel
Thomas WR 6-3 175 Virginia Beach, Va. Bayside / North Carolina Tech
Rated as a 2-star athlete by Rivals.com… earned Virginia Group AAA second-team
all-state honors as a defensive back...selected first-team All-Beach District as
a defensive back...as a wide receiver, was named first-team All-Beach District
and first-team All-Tidewater...tabbed a second-team All-Eastern Region selection
as a wide out...caught 51 passes for 999 yards and scored 13
touchdowns...against First Colonial had 10 receptions for 192 yards...caught an
82-yard touchdown pass and returned an interception 20 yards for a TD...caught
two touchdowns against Chantilly...four receptions for 160 yards and two scores
against Kellam...caught eight pass, two for touchdowns against Princess Anne..
tabbed the Bayside Defensive Player of the Year...as a junior, had eight
receptions, three of which were for touchdowns...had 252 kickoff return yards
and ran one back for a score...had a region-leading 10 interceptions...named
all-region...coach was Darnell Moore...also played basketball and competed in
track and field.
Markell
Wilkins DB 5-8 180 Hampton, Va. Phoebus
Helped guide the Phantoms to the 2008 AAA state championship with a record of
15-0… played both cornerback and wide receiver… named all-state by
VirginiaPreps.com… first team all-district and second team all-region at
cornerback… totaled six interceptions as a senior, after picking off three
passes during his junior campaign… on offense had 23 catches for 300 yards.
Patrick Young DB 6-0 195 Virginia Beach, Va. Green Run
Played safety and wide receiver for Coach Sean Wilson at Green Run… helped lead
the Stallions to a mark of 10-2 in 2008… hauled in more than 20 receptions.
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