11:55 a.m., Feb. 6, 2003-- A combination of speed, strength and versatility are the keywords for K.C. Keeler’s first recruiting class as head coach of the University of Delaware football team.
Keeler, who led the Blue Hens to a record of 6-6 in his first season at the helm of program in 2002, announced Wednesday the signing of 13 high school football standouts to NCAA National Letters of Intent to attend UD on an athletic scholarship.
The recruiting class includes three linebackers, four defensive backs, two offensive linemen, two defensive linemen, one quarterback and one running back. In addition, four of the student-athletes also enjoyed outstanding careers as kick returners for their high school teams.
Keeler's first class features players from six states, including three from Virginia, two each from Florida, Georgia, Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
“We are more than satisfied,” Keeler said of his initial recruiting class. “This is a recruiting class that our entire staff feels very good about. We’ve added speed and some physical linemen. Instead of reaching (for a big recruiting class), we honed in on a select few and have signed 13 outstanding football players who will help us in the very near future. We signed some outstanding athletes from Georgia and Florida that will be difference makers and Dave Shinskie was a highly recruited kid that felt we had the most to offer. He is a leader and a winner and we are excited about his ability.”
Delaware will open pre-season camp in March capped by the annual Blue-White Spring Game April 11 at Delaware Stadium. The Blue Hens will open the 2003 season Sept. 6 against The Citadel.
Below are biographies of the 13 student-athletes in the 2002 Delaware football recruiting class:
OMAR CUFF - DB - 5-10 - 177 - Landover, Md. (Charles Herbert Flowers High School)
Versatile and multitalented player at Charles Herbert Flowers High School under head coach Mike Mayo...played running back and free safety, returned kicks and punts, and also punted for team...team was ranked No. 2 in Prince Georges County and No. 13 in the state of Maryland in 2002...earned All-Metro and All-County honors as a senior...enjoyed a standout career in which he surpassed 2,000 yards rushing, 1,000 yards receiving, and 4,000 all-purpose yards....averaged over 30 yards per kickoff returns for his career....son of Anthony and Brenda Cuff.
RICH BEVERLEY - OL - 6-5 - 305 - Cedar Run, N.J. (Southern Regional High School)
Biggest recruit in Blue Hen history in terms of weight...has great size at 6-5 and 305 pounds...standout center at Southern Regional High School for head coach Chuck Donohue...led team to 2001 Group 4 state playoffs...three-year varsity starter who served as team captain as a senior...named to the New Jersey Football Coaches Association Super 100 All-State team in 2002...also named All-division and All-Shore Conference and earned school's Scholar-Athlete Award...also competes in winter and spring track and field and has earned nine letters...member of World Language National Honor Society...son of John and Karen Beverley....plans to major in physical therapy.
NICOS CHAVIS - DB - 6-1 -190 - Social Circle, Ga. (Lakeside High School)
Named pronounced "Neekos Chay-vus"...versatile and speedy defensive back and kick returner at Lakeside High School under head coach Bill Harris...played cornerback and free safety and also returned punts and kickoffs...four-year varsity standout who was named team's Most Valuable Defensive Back three times...named to All-Southeast Region team as a senior and was a two-time All-DeKalb County selection...three-time DeKalb Touchdown Club Player of the Month in his career...named to DeKalb/Rockdale County Super 11 team as a junior...intercepted 19 passes in his career...scored five touchdowns off interceptions and kick returns as a sophomore...had five interceptions as a freshman in 1999, six in 2000, five in 2001 and three in 2002...also posted 54 tackles as a junior and 44 as a senior...also runs sprints and relays for Lakeside track and field team...attended same high school as 2002 Delaware offensive line recruit Blake Anderson...son of Diaz and Katherine Chavis.
MARK CIAVIRELLA - OL - 6-3 - 275 - Bogota, N.J. (Bergen Catholic High School)
Last name pronounced “Cav-a-rella”...standout offensive lineman for head coach Fred Stengel at Bergen Catholic High School...capped an outstanding senior season by leading squad to the state championship game...earned first team All-State, first team All-Bergen County, first team All-North Jersey, and first team All-league...attended same high school as current UD junior defensive lineman/linebacker Dominic Santoli...son of Mike and Annette Ciavirella.
MAGUELL DAVIS - LB - 6-2 - 220 - Newport News, Va. (Woodside High School)
First name pronounced "Ma-gell"...joins twin brother Marquez Davis in Blue Hens' 2003 recruiting class...both are younger brothers of current Blue Hen standout defensive lineman/linebacker Mondoe Davis...standout linebacker at Woodside High School under head coach Danny Dodson, leading team to 8-2 record this past fall, the best season in school history...named first team All-District and All-Region by the Daily Press and was an All-American nominee...posted 96 tackles, including 20 solo stops as a senior when he also had four sacks, and two fumble recoveries...played fullback on offense and rushed for 688 yards and a school-record 16 touchdowns...also a standout in track and field...first team All-State, All-District, and All-Region shot putter last season...son of Cervantes and Brenda Davis.
MARQUEZ DAVIS - LB/RB - 6-2 - 220 - Newport News, Va. (Woodside High School)
First name pronounced "Mar-kez"...joins twin brother Maguell Davis in Blue Hens' 2003 recruiting class...both are younger brothers of current Blue Hen standout defensive lineman/linebacker Mondoe Davis...standout linebacker at Woodside High School under head coach Danny Dodson, leading team to 8-2 record this past fall, the best season in school history...named first team All-District and All-Region by the Daily Press and was an All-American nominee...posted 92 tackles, including 16 solo stops, as a senior....also two-time All-District selection in track and field...son of Cervantes and Brenda Davis.
KEIANDRE HEPBURN - LB - 5-11 - 210 - Hollywood, Fla. (Chaminade-Madonna High School)
First name pronounced "Key-Andre"...speedy linebacker at Chaminade-Madonna High School where he was a standout for head coach Mark Guandolo...led team to 14-1 record and the state class AA runner-up spot...posted 54 tackles and three sacks this past fall...three-year starter...has run the 100 meters in 11.0 seconds and is a starting point guard for his high school basketball team...outstanding student who plans to major in electrical engineering...son of Audrey Hepburn.
JEREMY KAMETZ - DL - 6-4 - 225 - Bethlehem, Pa. (Freedom High School)
Last name pronounced “Kuh-metz”...versatile two-way player who was a standout at both tight end and linebacker at Freedom High School under head coach Jim Morgans...three-year starter who served as team captain as a senior...two-time All-conference selection at linebacker and was a two-time All-Area selection by both the Allentown Morning Call and Easton Express Times...earned pre-season All-State honors as a senior...for his career, posted 207 tackles, including 21 for loss...also added 12 sacks, intercepted five passes and recovered seven fumbles...as a tight end on offense, caught 47 career passes for 735 yards and 10 touchdowns....son of Mr. and Mrs. John Kametz.
JEFF ROBINSON - DB - 6-1 - 180 - Fairburn, Ga. (Creekside High School)
Standout safety at Creekside High School under head coach Rodney Walker...led team to four-year record of 27-17, the best four-year mark in school history...team went 7-4 and advanced to the state playoffs in 2002...three-year starter who posted over 150 tackles in his career in the secondary...earned first team All-Fayette County as a senior...named to the pre-season Super 11 Team by the Atlanta Journal Constitution...attended Nike All-American Camp in the summer...also competes in basketball and track and field...son of Lester and Inell Robinson.
DAVE SHINSKIE - QB - 6-4 - 220 - Kulpmont, Pa. (Mount Carmel High School)
Last name pronounced “Shin-ski”...lone quarterback in 2003 recruiting class...enjoyed a stellar career as a four-year starter at state power Mount Carmel High School under head coach Mike Brennan...named the Pennsylvania 2002 Associated Press Small School Player of the Year in leading Mount Carmel to the state AA title for the second time in his career...threw for 6,334 yards and 57 touchdowns during his career in which he started the final 47 games since his freshman year...team was 41-6 during that stretch...had eight career 200-yard passing games...led Mount Carmel to a 15-0 record and the state this past fall when he connected on 160 of 250 passes for 2,524 yards and 26 touchdowns with just 13 interceptions...as a junior, he completed 111 of 203 passes for 1,815 yards and 16 touchdowns with just six interceptions...also punted for Mount Carmel and was a second team All-State pick as a junior...two-time Lower Anthracite Offensive Player of the Year and two-time District IV first team quarterback...attended the same high school as former Blue Hen standout wide receiver and kick returner Brett Veach (1998-2001)...also plays basketball at Mount Carmel and is an outstanding pitcher in baseball who is expected to be an early round draft pick in the June Major League Baseball draft...his fastball has been clocked at over 90 miles per hour...pitched in Pennsylvania American Legion All-Star game in 2001 and 2002...son of David and Joann Shinskie.
LONNIE STARKS - RB - 5-9 - 165 - Newport News, Va. (Warwick High School)
Speedy halfback and kick returner from Warwick High School where he played under head coach Tommy Reamon...earned first team All-Peninsula District and second team All-Region by the Daily Press as a senior in 2002...rushed 189 times for 1,104 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior...named as one of the top 25 juniors in the state of Virginia...also competes for basketball and track and field team at Warwick...first team All-Peninsula District and a state qualifier in the high jump last spring...son of Larry and Vanessa Starks...Vanessa is the head girl's basketball coach at Warwick and attended Delaware State University.
RICHARD WASHINGTON - DE - 6-2 -255 - Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Plantation High School)
Enjoyed a standout career as a defensive end at Plantation High School under head coach Frank Hepler...earned first team All-Broward County honors as a senior and was a second team 6A All-State pick...three-year starter on defensive front...served as captain as a senior and led team to the district title...son of Richard Washington and Mary Lynn Hudson.
RASHAAD WOODARD - DB - 5-8 - 185 - Germantown, Md. (Bullis School)
Speedy defensive back who enjoyed a standout career at Bullis School in
Potomac, Md., under head coach Walt King...expected to play cornerback at
Delaware...three-year, two-way starter at cornerback and running back at
Bullis and led team to a three-year record of 25-3 during his
career....rushed for over 3,000 yards in his career...selected first team
All-County cornerback by the Montgomery County Journal as a junior and
was a second team selection in 2002...also one of the area's top sprinters
in track and field...son of Gail Woodard.
|
