Feb. 3, 2011
Bronx, N.Y. - Fordham University Head Football Coach, Tom Masella announced the signing of 23 football players to letters of intent with Fordham for the 2011 season.
Masella, who enters his sixth season on Rose Hill, led the Rams to a 5-6 overall record last fall. In 2007, he led the Rams to their second Patriot League title, earning Patriot League Coach of the Year honors as well as being named the American Football Coaches Association's (AFCA) 2007 Region 1 Co-Coach of the Year.
The 2011 class is the second recruiting class for the Rams that include members who will receive athletic scholarships, marking the first time that Fordham will award football scholarships since 1954.
The new class features 13 offensive players and ten defensive players. By position, Wide receivers lead the way with seven, followed by defensive backs (5), linebackers (4), offensive linemen (2), quarterbacks (1), running backs (1), tight ends (1) and defensive linemen (1).
The 23 newcomers hail from 12 different states, from Massachusetts to California. Five of the 2011 recruits are from Texas with three others coming from both New Jersey and Illinois and two each from California, Georgia and Ohio. The other states represented are Connecticut, Indiana, New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island, with one each. There are also two high school teammates listed among the 23 new recruits.
The new recruiting class will join 14 starters who return from the 2010 season, seven each of the offensive and defensive side of the ball.
The Rams are scheduled to open their 112th season of varsity football on Thursday, September 1st, when they travel to Storrs, Conn., to take on the University of Connecticut, the defending BIG EAST champions who played in the Fiesta Bowl in January. Fordham is entering its 22nd season as a member of the NCAA FCS Patriot League.
Here is a complete list of the 2011 newcomers:
Name,Pos.,Ht., Wt., Hometown/High School (Last School)
Samuel Ajala, WR, 6'0, 180, DeSoto, Tex./DeSoto
Jack Bandazian, DB, 5`9, 190, Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo
Carter Bragg, DB, 6'2, 175, Canton, Ga./Sequoyah
Jeramie Brown, RB, 6'0, 195, Fort Worth, Tex./L.D. Bell
Jordan Chapman, DB, 6'1, 170, Southington, Conn./Southington
Victor DiFusco, LB, 6'1, 220, Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac
Marc DeSisto, WR, 5'10, 175, Barrington, R.I./Barrington (Worcester Aca.)
Jake Dixon, DB, 5'11, 187, Portage, Ind./Portage
Austin Hancock, LB, 6'2, 230, McMurray, Pa./Peter's Township
Mason Halter, OL, 6'7, 265, Hinckley, Ohio/St. Ignatius
Stephen Hodge, WR, 6'2, 200, Medford, N.J./Shawnee (Valley Forge)
Alex Leo, WR, 6'0, 180, Hillsborough, N.J./Immaculata
Dan Light, TE, 6'4, 235, Sutton, Mass./St. John's
Adam Malkiewicz, WR, 6'5, 200, San Marcos, Calif./The Bishop School
Peter Maetzold, QB, 6'2, 190, Friendswood, Tex./Friendswood
Peter McGuire, LB, 6'3, 235, Wilmette, Ill./Loyola Academy
Nick Merino, LB, 6'1, 225, Woodstock, Ga./Etowah
Joseph Mizera, OL, 6'3, 240, Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East
De'Nard Pinckney, DB, 6'2, 195, Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Southview
DeAndre Slate, DL, 6'1, 265, Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East
Lorenzo Smith, WR, 5'11, 175, North Richland Hills, Tex./Richland
Brian Wetzel, WR, 5'11, 165, Dallas, Tex,./Jesuit College Prep
Greg Wilson, WR, 6'0, 180, Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley (Diablo Valley College)
2011 Fordham University Football Recruiting Class
Samuel Ajala (WR, 6'0, 180, DeSoto, Tex./DeSoto)
- A Second Team All-District 11-5A selection
- Caught 67 passes for 924 yards (13.8 average) and six touchdowns as a senior
- Helped DeSoto advance to Class 5A Division I Region II finals, the furthest the team has reached in the playoffs since 2006
- Team finished the 2010 season with an 11-3 record
- Recorded 393 receiving yards on 19 receptions (20.7 average) and four touchdowns as a junior
- Samuel Ajala's Maxpreps Page
Jack Bandazian (DB, 5'9, 190, Franklin Lakes, N.J./Ramapo)
- First Team All-Bergen County in 2009
- First Team All-League in 2010 (missed six games)
- A four-year varsity player
- Holds school record in the 200m
- Northjersey.com Article
- WycoffPatch.com Article
- Jack Bandazian's Maxpreps Page
Carter Bragg (DB, 6'2, 175, Canton, Ga./Sequoyah)
- Has a 37-inch vertical leap and a 275-pound power clean
- Also considered Eastern Kentucky, The Citadel and Western Carolina
- Cantonga.com Article
- Carter Bragg's Maxpreps Page
Jeramie Brown (RB, 6'0, 195, Fort Worth, Tex./L.D. Bell)
- Rushed for 974 yards and 12 touchdowns as a senior
- Served as a team captain
- Played at same high school as current Ram Thomas Lloyd
Jordan Chapman (DB, 6'1, 170, Southington, Conn./Southington)
- First Team All-CCC in 2010
- Scored eight touchdowns (four receiving, two interception returns, one rushing and one kickoff return)
- Served as team captain for basketball
- RecordJournal.com Article
- Newbritainherald.com Article
- Newbritainherald.com Article-2
- Jordan Chapman's Maxpreps Page
Victor DiFusco (LB, 6'1, 220, Mahopac, N.Y./Mahopac)
- An All-State, All-Section and All-League pick
- Named Lineman of the Year
- Named to the All-Journal News Team
- Served as a team captain and named team MVP
- Led team to an undefeated regular season, winning League AA-North and reaching the first Section 1 championship game in program history
- Also considered Villanova, Rhode Island, Albany, Bryant, and Central Connecticut
-JournalNews.com Article
- Victor DiFusco's Maxpreps Page
Marc DeSisto (WR, 5'10, 175, Barrington, R.I./Barrington (Worcester Aca.))
- Two-time All-State wide receiver at Barrington High School
- Two-time All-State in track at Barrington (4x100 relay)
- Scored 16 all-purpose touchdowns in 2009
- Top kickoff and punt returner in the state in 2009
- Ran for 302 yards on returns, including a 90-yard touchdown return
- Caught 33 passes for 430 yards and five touchdowns as a senior
- Selected to play in the Governor's Cup All-Star team, being named team captain
- Served as a team captain
- Marc DeSisto's 2009-10 Maxpreps Page
Jake Dixon (DB, 5'11, 187, Portage, Ind./Portage)
- First Team All-State honors as a senior
- Honorable Mention All-State selection as a junior
- Named Porter County All-Area for three years
- Named Duneland Athletic All-Conference for two years
- Named Duneland Conference MVP in 2009
- Senior year stats: 240 carries, 1,518 yards, 17 TDs, 24 receptions, 152 yards, 1 TD
- Junior year stats: 186 carries, 1,224 yards, 18 TDs, 17 catches, 374 yards, 3 TDs, 2 kickoff returns for TDs
-NWTimes.com Article
-Suntimes.com Article
Austin Hancock (LB, 6'2, 230, McMurray, Pa./Peter's Township)
- Three-time All-Conference and All-District pick in football and baseball
- Named Preseason Elite 11 by the Observer-Reporter
- Named Preseason Fab 22 by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- A Junior U.S. All-American Combine invitee
- Served as a team captain
- Also had an offer as a preferred walk-on at Penn State
-ESPN.com Recruiting Videos
Mason Halter (OL, 6'7, 265, Hinckley, Ohio/St. Ignatius)
- Lettered in three sports at St. Ignatius (football, basketball and baseball)
- 2009 team was undefeated on Ohio Division 1 in the regular season
- Graded out at a 90% blocking efficiency
- Also considered Richmond, Bucknell and Louisville.
- Mason Halter's ScoutingOhio.com Page
Stephen Hodge (WR, 6'2, 200, Medford, N.J./Shawnee (Valley Forge))
- 2010 All-District wide receiver/corner back
- 2007/2008 stats champions
- Served as a team captain at Valley Forge
- 37 receptions for 689 yards and eight touchdowns at Valley Forge in 2010
- Played football and lacrosse at Shawnee High School
-Stephen Hodge Highlight Videos
Alex Leo (WR, 6'0, 180, Hillsborough, N.J./Immaculata)
- 2010 Second Team All-Conference
- 2010 Honorable mention All-Area
- Received Immaculata Football "Alumni Award" as a senior
- Started at both wide receiver and safety as a senior
- Caught 19 passes for 413 yards (30 yards/recpt.) and five touchdowns
- Earned three varsity letters in football and one in baseball
- Alex Leo's Maxpreps Page
Dan Light (TE, 6'4, 235, Sutton, Mass./St. John's)
- Central Massachusetts Player of the Year
- Offensive MVP in Central Massachusetts
- Named to the ESPN Boston All-State Team
- Hometown Magazine Offensive Player of the Year
- Selected as a Chowder Bowl All-Star
- Took over at quarterback at St. John's for current Fordham quarterback Griffin Murphy after playing running back as a junior
- Completed 130 of 228 passes for 2,170 yards and 32 touchdowns in 2010
- Also rushed 140 times for 1,131 yards and 16 touchdowns
- Led St. John's to the Division 1 Super Bowl
-Telegram.com Article
- Dan Light's Maxpreps Page
Adam Malkiewicz (WR, 6'5, 200, San Marcos, Calif./The Bishop School)
- First Team All-Coastal League
- Averaged 18.1 yards/reception
- Member of the California state champions
- 2010 team captain
- Adam Malkiewicz's Maxpreps Page
Peter Maetzold (QB, 6'2, 190, Friendswood, Tex./Friendswood)
- Scored 53 touchdowns in 2010 (33 passing, 19 rushing, 1 receiving)
- Scored 85 touchdowns in his high school career
- Completed 284 of 456 passes (62% completion rate) for 3,693 yards
- Set a school record at a school that has produced more than five Division I quarterbacks
- Number one-ranked passing quarterback in south Texas by the Houston Chronicle
- 5-A Honorable Mention All-State selection
- District MVP and All-Academic
- Won numerous Player of the Week awards from the Houston and Galveston county media
- District 24 (AAAA) championship and state quarterfinal champions
- A two-year team captain
- Houston 2 Player of the Week Video
- Clearlake,com Article
- Peter Maetzold's Maxpreps Page
Peter McGuire (LB, 6'3, 235, Wilmette, Ill./Loyola Academy)
- Recorded 70 total tackles in 2010, including nine sacks
- Also had two fumble recoveries (one that he returned 60 yards for a score) and one forced fumble
- Also considered Colgate
- Peter McGuire's Maxpreps Page
Nick Merino (LB, 6'1, 225, Woodstock, Ga./Etowah)
- Totaled 78 tackles playing at safety and linebacker in 2010
- Lettered in football for three years
- Named All-County in 2009 and 2010
- An All-Region 5-A pick
- Served as a team captain
- Cherokee County Gridiron Club Player of the Week three times
- Lettered in lacrosse for four years
- Lacrosse MVP in 2010
- Member of Georgia All-Star Lacrosse team
- Lettered in hockey for four years and won a state championship in 2010
- Highlight Video
- Woodstock.ptach.com Article
Joseph Mizera (OL, 6'3, 240, Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East)
- Honorable Mention All-State selection
- First Team All-Area and First Team All-Southwest Suburban All-Conference
- Three-year starter
- Had 26 pancakes with no sacks allowed as a senior
- Played at Lincoln Way East with fellow Fordham signee DeAndre Slate
- Also considered Illinois State
De'Nard Pinckney (DB, 6'2, 195, Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Southview)
- 2010 All-League quarterback
- 2010 All-League utility player
- All-District and Third Team All-State
- 43 tackles and four sacks in 2010
- 1,057 total yards on offense with 14 touchdowns in 2010
- Served as a team captain helping the team to a 10-0 regular season record in 2010
- 2009 All-League and All-District quarterback
- Member of the 2008 Ohio State Division II champions
- Also a member of the track team earning All-League honors in the long jump and 4x400 relay in 2009-10
- Also considered Toledo, Kent State, Ohio University and Akron
- De'Nard Pinckney's ScoutingOhio.com Page
DeAndre Slate (DL, 6'1, 265, Frankfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East)
- Honorable Mention All-State Coaches Poll
- First Team All-Area
- First Team All-Southwest Suburban All-Conference
- Had 66 tackles including eight sacks and 16 for loss along with three forced fumbles as a senior
- Played at Lincoln Way East with fellow Fordham signee Joseph Mizera
Lorenzo Smith (WR, 5'11, 175, North Richland Hills, Tex./Richland)
- All-District selection in football
- Two-time All-District honoree in the 100m
- Served as a team captain
- Lorenzo Smith's Maxpreps Page
Brian Wetzel (WR, 5'11, 165, Dallas, Tex,./Jesuit College Prep)
- First Team 5A All-District in both football and basketball (point guard)
- Recipient of the Heart Award with the football team
- MVP of the Plano Basketball Tournament
- Named to the All-Tournament Team at the Gongaza Tournament
Greg Wilson (WR, 6'0, 180, Danville, Calif./San Ramon Valley (Diablo Valley College))
- First Team All-State and All-Conference at wide receiver at Diablo Valley College
- First Team All-Eastbay, All-Metro and All-Times in high school
- Two-time regional player of the week
- Member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society
- Played at same junior college as current Fordham quarterback Blake Wayne
- Also considered Southern Illinois, Idaho State, South Dakota State and Cal Poly
- Greg Wilson's Diablo College Highlight Video
