Sports

Aggies Kick Off Against Rowan University

The four-time MAC champions at Delaware Valley College start the 2012 season on Saturday, Sept. 1 at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ.

The Delaware Valley College football team will open the 2012 season on Saturday, September 1 when the four-time defending Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) champion Aggies travel to Glassboro, New Jersey to battle Rowan University as part of the MAC-NJAC (New Jersey Athletic Conference) Challenge. Kickoff at Coach Richard Wackar Stadium is scheduled for 1:00 p.m.

It is the first year of a two-year deal for the MAC-NJAC Challenge with the match-ups based on geographic proximity. It also puts Delaware Valley and Rowan on the same field for the first time since the squads met in the NCAA Division III quarterfinals in both 2004 and 2005. Rowan posted a 56-7 victory at home over the Aggies in ’04, and rallied for a 27-21 triumph in Doylestown in ’05.

Delaware Valley is coming off a memorable 2011 campaign that saw it post an 11-1 overall record, including a perfect 10-0 mark in the regular season. In addition to another MAC championship, the Aggies also reached the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs for the third consecutive year.

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Delaware Valley has been ranked in the top 10 nationally in four separate preseason polls (5th by Lindy’s, 7th by Beyond Sports College Network (BSN), 9th by D3football.com and USA Today) and was also picked atop the MAC preseason coaches’ poll. A conference crown in 2012 would put the Aggies with Widener University as the lone MAC programs to win five or more consecutive football championships (Widener won six straight from 1977 to 1982).

Fifteen starters (eight offense, six defense, one defense), including a trio of preseason All-Americans (two offense, one defense), are back for 2011 Maxwell Football Club Tri-State Coach of the Year Jim Clements.  

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One of those returning starters and preseason All-Americans (honorable mention by BSN) is sophomore quarterback Aaron Wilmer (Philadelphia, PA/George Washington). Wilmer started all 12 games last year and earned MAC and ECAC South Region Rookie of the Year accolades (he was also an all-MAC, second-team pick) as he led an offense that averaged 35 points and nearly 440 yards per game. 

Wilmer completed 189 of 319 passes for 2,729 yards and 23 touchdowns while also rushing for 320 yards and six scores. He was clutch down the stretch in ’11 as he threw a combined six touchdowns and rushed for two in back-to-back wins over Lycoming and Widener University to clinch the MAC title and an NCAA playoff berth.

Senior Chris Ruiz (Pennsauken, NJ/Camden Catholic) and junior Lewis Vincent (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) are Wilmer’s top two returning targets as they combined for 57 catches for 1,069 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2011.         Ruiz was a starter last year and finished with 33 receptions for 511 yards and three touchdowns. Vincent, who caught just two passes (both touchdowns) for 76 yards as a freshman, emerged as a key threat last year as he hauled in 25 passes for 558 yards (22.3 avg) and seven touchdowns.

Tailback Kyle Schuberth (Darby, PA/Monsignor Bonner) had a breakout sophomore season and is looking for more in 2012. Schuberth carried the ball 200 times and rushed for 1,095 yards and 14 touchdowns while earning a spot on the all-MAC second team. He made Aggie history by rushing for 100 or more yards in five consecutive games.

Up front, senior All-American John Lavelle (Philadelphia, PA/Father Judge) heads a veteran group. The 6-foot-3, 285-pound Lavelle has started all 36 games of his collegiate career at left guard and his accolades include MAC co-Rookie of the Year (2009), first team all-MAC (2010 and 2011), D3football.com first team all-East Region (2011) and D3football.com third team All-American (2011). Both D3football.com and BSN have tabbed Lavelle as a first-team preseason All-American heading into the 2012 campaign.

The Delaware Valley defense finished in the top 25 nationally in five key categories last year: passing efficiency (3rd – 88.82 rating), total yardage (6th – 238.7 avg), passing yardage (9th – 136.0 avg), scoring (17th – 14.4 avg) and rushing (23rd – 102.7 avg). The unit permitted 14 or less points in nine of 12 contests, including six outings where the opponent managed no more than 10 points.

Heading the 2012 edition of the defense is senior preseason All-American Terrance Osborne (Willingboro, NJ/Holy Cross). The cornerback was named to the all-MAC first team for the second year in a row and picked up his first D3football.com all-East Region honor in 2011 as he was third on the team (first among returnees) in tackles with 68. He led the way with 13 pass breakups and five interceptions, and also contributed a pair of fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.  

Fellow senior John Robinson (Mantua, NJ/Clearview) returns to his free safety position. Robinson had a strong campaign last year as he finished with 62 tackles (second among returnees), two pass breakups, one interception and half a sack.

Two-time, first-team all-MAC selection Jim DiLisio (Philadelphia, PA/Father Judge) is back at one of the outside linebacker positions. DiLisio, a junior, played in 11 games in 2011 and finished the year with 46 tackles, two interceptions, four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and 1.5 sacks.

John Marcelline (Bensalem, PA/Bensalem) moved into the starting lineup early in the 2011 campaign and he returns for his junior year. Marcelline tallied 41 tackles and 3.5 sacks last year.

Two starters return up front in the 3-4 alignment in seniors Dwayne Shaw (Philadelphia, PA/West Catholic) and Jared Pattinson (Prospect Park, PA/Interboro). Shaw, an end, notched 34 tackles, two sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Pattinson, a nose guard, recorded 33 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a forced fumble.

ROWAN UNIVERSITY 

The Profs, under head coach Jay Acorsi, finished the 2011 season with a 5-5 overall record (5-4 NJAC), but all five setback were by seven points or less. Fifteen starters (seven offense, seven defense, one specialty) are back on the roster.

Offensively, Rowan averaged 26.3 points and 324.1 yards per contest last season. Senior quarterback Louie Bianchini is expected to lead the unit for a second straight year. Last season, he completed 174 of 305 passes for 1,984 yards and 19 touchdowns.

Bianchini’s top three targets from last year are back in sophomore Ed Eisenhart and seniors Dan Reed and Anthony Barone. Eisenhart was the NJAC Rookie of the Year as he led the team with 46 receptions for 759 yards and seven touchdowns. Reed followed with 38 catches for 428 yards and four scores while Barone had 31 catches for 255 yards and three trips to the end zone.

Last year’s leading rusher, Keith Corcoran, is back for his senior campaign. He netted 550 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 133 carries while also hauling in 16 passes for 97 yards.

Defensively, Rowan held its opponents to 20.9 points and 311.1 yards per game in 2011. Only two of the top six leading tacklers are back in senior linebacker Patrick Ruley and senior defensive tackle Steve Williams. Ruley notched 52 stops, three sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries a season ago. Williams was a D3football.com all-East Region pick in ’11 as he finished the year with 43 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles.

Senior cornerback Frank Rubino heads the secondary. He garnered 26 tackles and a team-best three interceptions last season.


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