Huskies Football team adds 31 players

Courtesy of MTU Athletics

HOUGHTON, Mich. — Head football coach Tom Kearly today announced the signing of 31 student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to play football and attend Michigan Tech starting fall 2013.

Tech’s incoming class includes 16 offensive players and 15 defensive players. Of the 31 student-athletes, 27 are from Michigan (including nine from the Upper Peninsula) and four are from Wisconsin.

“Our staff did a really good job of finding young men that fit Michigan Tech athletically and academically,” said Kearly, who begins his eighth season as the Huskies’ head coach. “This was the best year we’ve had in the relationship of scholarship offers made to offers accepted.

“I feel like we helped our whole football team. We didn’t sign any specialists with our kicker and punter both returning, but we addressed every other position. Wide receiver and running back were the hardest hit areas with graduation last year, and we did well replenishing those positions for the future.”

Michigan Tech posted a 7-3 record in 2012, earning a share of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference North Division title. It was the second GLIAC championship in school history.

Listed below are the 31 student-athletes that will attend Michigan Tech and play football this fall. A brief biography on each is also available below.

Notes: The current team has been conditioning and lifting weights since returning from the semester break. Spring practices for Michigan Tech will begin March 27, with the annual spring game to be played at Sherman Field on April 20.

2013 MICHIGAN TECH FOOTBALL RECRUITS

Hilding Beaudoin    DL    6-2    230    Kingsford, Mich.
Played at Kingsford High School … Was the Mid-Peninsula Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2012 …Named to the U.P. Dream Team and was Detroit Free Press All-State Special Mention as a senior … Played both offensive and defensive line … Helped the Flivvers to the second round of the 2012 state playoffs … Also participated in track and field, where he was the 2012 U.P. discus champion … Plans to major in mechanical engineering.

Cayman Berg-Morales    TE    6-3    230    Green Bay, Wis.
Played at Notre Dame High School … Earned all-conference, all-area and all-region first team accolades as a senior defensive end … Was all-league second team as an offensive lineman … Helped Notre Dame to a state semifinal appearance in 2011 … Also participated in lacrosse and track and field for four years each … Plans to major in civil engineering.

Kyle Bindi    DL    6-3    275    Birmingham, Mich.
Played at Brother Rice High School … Earned Detroit Catholic League Central Division Honorable Mention … Posted 31 tackles as a senior … Helped Warriors to back-to-back Michigan Division 2 state titles in 2011 and 2012 … Plans to major in business management.

Jacob Brown     QB    6-0    195    Comstock Park, Mich.
Played at Comstock Park High School … Was a two-time all-state selection and three-time Ottawa-Kent Conference Blue pick … Was a three-year starter at quarterback where he racked up 5,209 yards passing, 7,836 yards of total offense and 101 combined touchdowns … Helped CPHS to a 30-8 record as a starter including three district title and two regional crowns … Plans to major in pre-medicine biological sciences.

Antwon Curtis    DB    5-8    160    Flint, Mich.
Played at Carman-Ainsworth High School as a senior after playing two years at Flint Northwestern … Notched 21 tackles and four pass breakups in 2012 … Also participated in track, where he finished 13th at the state meet in the 400-meter dash … Plans to major in business administration.

Derrick Diver    LB    6-3    225    Traverse City, Mich.
Played at Traverse City West High School … Named All-Big North Conference First Team and all-region first team as a senior … Was all-state honorable mention … Member of National Honors Society … Plans to major in biological sciences or biomedical engineering.

John Donazzolo    OL    6-2    245    Rockford, Mich.
Played at Sparta High School … Earned all-conference honorable mention as a junior … Finished third in pancake blocks in school history … Named the team’s top lineman each of his final two years … Plans to major in business administration.

Gabe Eppert    WR    6-4    220    Ishpeming, Mich.
Played at Ishpeming High School … Was named to the U.P. Dream Team and Associated Press all-state honorable mention squad as a senior wide receiver in 2010 … Helped the Hematites to a 2010 Michigan Division 7 State Runner-Up finish … Also played basketball, where he was the U.P. Player of the Year and a Class C All-State selection in 2010-11.

David Falish    WR    5-10    170    Escanaba, Mich.
Played at Escanaba High School … Was the 2012 Great Northern Conference Offensive Player of the Year … Named All-U.P. Class ABC as a quarterback in 2012 and defensive back in 2011 … Helped Eskymos to 2011 state playoff berth … Also participated in baseball, basketball and wrestling … Member of National Honor Society … Plans to major in environmental engineering.

Ian Fisher    WR    5-10    180    Frankenmuth, Mich.
Played at Frankenmuth High School … Earned all-conference first team honors … Led team in receiving yards as both a junior and senior …Also participated in track, where he was part of a state champion 4×100-meter relay team … Plans to major in business administration.

Adam Francis    LB    6-0    200    Negaunee, Mich.
Played at Negaunee High School … Earned All-U.P. Class ABC and All-Mid-Peninsula Conference honors in 2012 as a linebacker … Helped the Miners to a conference and Michigan Division 6 district title in 2012 … Also participated in basketball, baseball and track … Member of National Honor Society.

Tyler Gildersleeve    OL    6-6    275    Traverse City, Mich.
Played at Traverse City Central High School … Named All-Big North Conference First Team in 2012 … Helped the Trojans to a league title in 2012 … Plans to major in chemical engineering.

Cody Goldsworthy    LB    6-3    215    L’Anse, Mich.
Played at L’Anse High School … Was an All-U.P. Class D selection at linebacker in 2012 … Earned All-Western Peninsula Athletic Conference accolades … Posted 1,500 yards rushing and 180 tackles playing both ways as a senior … Also participated in hockey, where he was an all-conference honorable mention, and track and field, where he earned All-U.P. honors as part of both the 400 and 800-meter relays.

James Henderson Jr.    RB    5-9    185    Midland, Mich.
Played at Bullock Creek High School … Earned all-state honorable mention and team offensive and defensive most valuable player … Amassed 1,600 yards and 16 touchdowns … Posted 365 yards and six touchdowns in a single game … Went over 3,100 yards in final two seasons … Also participated in track, where he set school records in the 100-meter dash, 4×100 and 4×200 relays.

Josef Iwanicki    OL    6-0    215    Marquette, Mich.
Played at Marquette High School … Earned U.P. Dream Team honors as a senior and All-U.P. Class ABC as a junior … Helped Redmen to three straight state playoff berths … Also participated in wrestling, where he posted a 38-4 record in 2012-13 and won the U.P. title at the 215-pound weight class … Member of National Honor Society … Son of former Tech player and assistant coach Jim Iwanicki and nephew of former Tech assistant coach Kurt Huffmaster … Plans to major in electrical engineering.

Sam Kitts    DE    6-3    215    Flushing, Mich.
Played at Montrose Hill-McCloy High School as a senior after three years at Flushing High School … Was a three-time all-conference performer—twice in the Big Nine Conference and once in the Genesee Area Conference Red … Helped Montrose to a league and district title in 2012 … Posted 60 tackles and seven sacks as a senior … Also participated in basketball and baseball … Member of National Honor Society.

Joshua Knoepke    DE    6-7    220    Appleton, Wis.
Played at Fox Valley Lutheran High School … Named All-Eastern Valley Conference First Team as a defensive end and Second Team as an offensive lineman … Posted 34 solo tackles and 11 assists as a senior … Plans to major in mechanical engineering.

Eric Kostreva    DB    5-9    175    Marquette, Mich.
Played at Ishpeming High School … Earned Detroit Free Press Division 7 All-State honors … Named the Mid-Peninsula Conference Back of the Year in 2012 … Helped the Hematites to the 2012 Division 7 state title, setting the record for most tackles in the state championship game.

Ross Michaels    RB    5-7    170    Chassell, Mich.
Played at Hancock High School … Earned All-Western Peninsula Athletic Conference honors in 2012 as a running back … Also participated in hockey and track and field … Was U.P. runner-up in the pole vault and a qualifier in the 100-meter dash … Is valedictorian of class … Member of National Honor Society … Plans to major in pre-medicine biological sciences.

Evin Papuga    DB    6-0    200    White Lake, Mich.
Played at Holly High School … Earned all-conference first team and all-area first team honors … Posted 150 tackles as a junior and 128 as a sophomore … Named the team’s defensive player of the year … Helped Holly earn win the Flint Metro League in 2011 … Was also an all-conference performer in track and participated in wrestling.

Carl Pietila    OL    6-4    270    Howell, Mich.
Played at Howell High School … Earned all-conference first team accolades as a senior … Plans to major in biomedical engineering.

Charles Proctor    WR    5-8    165    Bay City, Mich.
Played at Bay City Western High School … Named the Bay City Times Dream Team Player of the Year as a senior … Was a two-time all-state honorable mention and two-time All-Valley Conference First Team pick … Also participated in wrestling, baseball and track … Was a conference champion and state qualifier on the mat … Member of National Honor Society.

Garrett Ross    DE    6-3    215    Waterford, Mich.
Played at Our Lady of the Lakes High School … Named All-Detroit Catholic League and all-area as both a junior and senior … Helped the Lakers to a 2011 league title and district championships in 2011 and 2012 … Posted 104 tackles and two interceptions as a senior … Also an all-conference basketball player and track athlete … Plans to major in biological sciences.

Mitchell Ryan    DB    6-0    180    Fenton, Mich.
Played at Linden High School … Posted 52 tackles and 11 pass breakups in 2012 … Named all-conference first team as a senior safety and second team as a junior quarterback … Was a three-time selection to the academic all-conference team … Also participated in baseball … Plans to major in business administration.

Luke Schulz    OL    6-4    250    Iron River, Wis.
Played at Northwestern High School … Earned all-conference accolades as an offensive lineman in both 2011 and 2012 … Helped the Tigers to a Heart of the North Conference title in 2010 and runner-up finish in 2012 … Plans to major in mechanical engineering.

Jacob Wallenfang    RB    5-10    175    Green Bay, Wis.
Played at Green Bay Preble High School … Earned all-state honors as a senior running back … Rushed for 1,600 yards and 22 touchdowns in 2012 … Earned All-Fox River Classic Conference as a junior linebacker … Plans to major in civil engineering.

Edward Walterhouse II    LB    5-11    205    Linden, Mich.
Played at Linden High School … Was an all-state honorable mention and All-Genesee County Dream Team pick as a senior … Twice named all-conference first team and All-Tri-County First Team … Member of National Honor Society.

Chad Walton    WR    6-2    170    Grand Rapids, Mich.
Played at Northview High School … Earned all-state honorable mention, all-area and all-conference accolades as a senior … Posted 11 touchdowns in 2012 with nine receiving TD, one kick return TD and one punt return TD.

Aidan Wienke    DB    6-4    200    Kingsford, Mich.
Played at Kingsford High School … Earned All-U.P. Class ABC honors and All-Great Northern Conference honors as an end in 2012 … Also named All-GNC as a defensive back … Helped Flivvers to the second round of the 2012 state playoffs … Also participated in basketball, where he was a 2012 All-U.P. Class B Second Team pick, and tennis … Member of National Honor Society … Younger brother of current Huskies Nelson and Ian Wienke … Plans to major in pre-medicine biological sciences.

Cory Williams    DB    6-1    190    Mt. Pleasant, Mich.
Played at Mt. Pleasant High School … Earned All-Saginaw Valley League First Team and all-state honorable mention as a senior … Rushed for 1,500 yards and posted 120 tackles in 2012 … Helped Mt. Pleasant to a Division 3 state runner-up finish in 2011 … Plans to major in exercise science.

John Williams    WR    5-10    180    White Lake, Mich.
Played at Holly High School … Earned all-state honors as a senior … Was a three-time All-Flint Metro League First Team pick … Set school records for receiving yards for a career (3,657) and season (1,440) and receiving touchdowns for a career (54) and season (25) … Also participated in track where he was an all-conference performer and state qualifier in the 4×400-meter dash.