| Producing its
fifth consecutive non-losing season with a 4-4 mark in
2001, Wesleyan football ranks third in the New England
Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) in winning
percentage over the last five seasons with a 27-13
record. With the Little Three games vs. Amherst and
Williams always a focal point, Wesleyan will be looking
to improve upon its 2-8 Little Three mark as Wesleyan
stands 25-5 vs. the remainder of the conference. Last
year Wesleyan's Homecoming encounter with Williams was
televised live by NESN. That continued a tradition begun
during the 2000 season when the Wesleyan-Amherst contest
became the first game to be broadcast live from Andrus
Field over a local cable network. The Homecoming game of
2002 between Wesleyan and Amherst once again will grace
the airways over NESN on October 19. Wesleyan
returns 36 of 44 lettermen from 2001 with 17 of 24
starters back as well. Notable among the returnees to the
Wesleyan lineup in 2002 is QB Brennan Carney, a
second-team all-NESCAC pick last year. He was the
conference offensive rookie of the year in 2000. Joining
Carney are 16 other starters including tri-captains Steve
Woodruff (DB), Greg Thomas (RB) and Kevin Doyle (OL).
Carney already has thrown for more than 3,000 yards in
his first two seasons, completing 45.8 percent of his
passes and connecting for 25 TDs in Wesleyan's
aerial-oriented offense. Doyle was a mainstay on an
rebuilt offensive line while Thomas had a 4.3-yard
average on 48 carries in 2001. Woodruff paced the
secondary in total tackles last season with 84 and was
second on the team overall in stops.
Other key returnees on defense for Wesleyan are DT
Tacuma Bradley ; DEs Bryan Kinneen, Sean Buckley and Mark
Nordstrom ; LBs Keilembo Ellison, Adam Faris and Dan
Quinones ; and DBs Dave Laferriere and Danny Ackil.
Offensively, the Cardinals have other veterans in
linemen Greg Polin, Matt Brooks and Brendan Kelly ;
receivers Pat Moffett, Dan Long and James Wallace ; and
running back Young Douglas, who led the team with 413
yards, a 4.9-yard average and a NESCAC-leading 11 rushing
TDs.
Placekicker Vin Balsamo, an academic all-NESCAC pick
in 2001 along with tri-captain Greg Thomas, has been a
two-year starter and punter Sam Fletcher with backup Jim
Rooney also return.
Wesleyan has a solid crop of newcomers joining the
ranks which should bolster the troops while other
returnees have the ability to step it up and move into
spots as major contributors this season.
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