University of Richmond Athletics
Richmond Football Signs 15 To NLI
Feb. 4, 2004
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond football head coach Jim Reid and his staff signed 15 student-athletes, who will join the Spider program for the 2004-05 academic year, to a National Letter of Intent on Wednesday.
Six of the 15 are listed as offensive players, including two running backs and two offensive linemen, while only two linemen are designated solely on defense. Half of the 2004 recruiting class are listed on both sides of the ball.
Virginia supplied seven signed Spiders, including four from the Richmond area. Pennsylvania offered six more, while North Carolina supplied the other.
"We are extremely pleased with this entering class of young men," Reid said. "Our staff went after athletic size and speed. We feel strongly that our goals were accomplished. I am delighted with every one of these quality student-athletes. This class will be fun to coach."
Several in this class earned All-State honors as well as being members of the National Honor Society and the Beta Club. Brooks York, from Thomas Dale High School, is the grandson of former Richmond football coach Jim Tait.
A profile on each recruit follows this release.
Jordan Anderson - 6-2 - 200 - WR - Philadelphia, Pa./Central
Earned First Team All-City and All-Public for head coach Frank Conway ... Second Team All-State ... the Philadelphia Daily News named him the "Best Receiver in Philly" ... had 20 receptions for more than 500 yards and 11 touchdowns ... served as team captain during senior year and led team to 9-2 record ... also earned three varsity letters in basketball and four in track.
Mark Burroughs - 6-3 - 250 - DL - Wallace, N.C./Wallace-Rose Hill
Two-time All-State at defensive end ... three-time All-District honoree for head coach Jack Holley ... served as team captain in 2003 ... led team to state playoffs as junior and senior ... member of the Beta Club and an honor roll student ... First Team All-District as a first baseman during junior season ... has earned three varsity letters on the diamond.
Patrick Carroll - 6-2 - 235 - DL - Richmond, Va./Mills Godwin
Three-year letterwinner and team captain as a senior for head coach Ron Axselle ... earned All-District on both offense and defense ... Second Team All-Region and First Team All-Met on offense ... led team to state playoffs ... a member of the Key Club, Spanish Club and Law Enforcement Club as well as being an honor roll student ... also lettered in baseball and track & field.
John Crone - 5-11 - 215 - RB/LB - Arlington, Va./Yorktown
Earned Defensive Player of the Year for his region as a senior ... also earned All-District and All-Region as a junior and senior ... All-Arlington County on both sides of the ball for head coach Bruce Hanson ... earned three letters and served as team captain ... honorable mention All-Met in 2003 ... led team to second round of state playoffs ... rushed for more than 1,000 yards ... has been on the honor roll for three straight years ... earned three letters and All-District honors in baseball.
Tim Hightower - 6-1 - 215 - RB - Alexandria, Va./Episcopal
Earned All-State final two years for head coach Mark Gowin ... team M.V.P and First Team All-I.A.C. ... served as team captain in 2002 and 2003 ... Spring Factory Varsity Magazine top-100 running back ... earned three varsity letters in football and two in basketball and track ... honor roll student all four years ... Chairman of the Spectrum Club, a diversity organization, during his final two years of high school.
Brandon Lawrence - 6-2 - 200 - RB/LB - Altoona, Pa./Altoona
Earned First Team All-Conference and First Team All-Star by the Altoona Mirror ... ran for 862 yards on 147 carries (5.9 yards per rush) and scored nine touchdowns ... recorded more than 100 tackles on defense ... earned three varsity letters for head coach Phil Riccio ... ran a 10.8 in the 100 meters during track season.
Evan Lehner - 6-4 - 285 - OL - Vienna, Va./Oakton
A two-time All-District and All-Region honoree ... three-year letter-winner for head coach Joe Thompson ... honorable mention All-State and All-Met in 2003 ... led team to state championship game at UR Stadium as a senior ... honor roll student ... two-year letter-winner in lacrosse ... led team to 2002 state championship.
Matt McGowan - 5-10 - 210 - RB - Hazleton, Pa./Hazleton Area
Offensive Player of the Year by three different organizations during senior season ... ran for 2,294 yards and a state-best 34 touchdowns for head coach Rocco Petrone ... school's all-time leader in rushing yards (4,271), touchdowns scored (63) and yards per carry (9.1) ... Wyoming Valley Conference and Team M.V.P. ... three-time All-Conference and All-Area ... nominated for the Big 33 Classic ... earned M.V.P. of the 2003 Unico All-Star Game ... member of the National Honor Society.
Aaron Miller - 6-4 - 285 - OL - Jeanette, Pa./Penn Trafford
Three-year starter on offense, two-year starter on defense for head coach Art Tragesser ... First Team All-Section ... East Suburb Defensive Player of the Year and Fab 22 Team ... served as team captain senior year ... honor roll member ... three-year starter on the basketball team.
Joe Monteverde - 6-5 - 235 - TE - Presto, Pa./Charters Valley
Earned All-Conference senior year ... long snapper all three years ... also started at tight end and defensive end ... team M.V.P. as a senior ... earned three varsity letters ... member of the National Honor Society.
Lawrence Sidbury, Jr. - 6-2 - 235 - DE - Cheltenham, Md./Oxon Hill
All-State and honorable mention All-Met in 2003 ... also earned All-County and All-League as a senior ... served as captain final two seasons was a three-year starter for head coach Randolph Warren ... member of the Washington, D.C. Golden 11 team ... played in the Prince Georges County All-Star Game ... honor roll student as part of the Science and Vo-Tech program ... member of the honor roll ... County champion and third in the region in the shot put.
Joseph Stewart - 6-3 - 225 - TE/DE - Lewistown Area, Pa./Lewistown Area
First Team All-Conference on both sides of the ball ... served as team captain for head coach Rob Reeder ... nominated for the East-West All-Star game and the Big 33 Classic ... honor roll student ... member of the Principal's Cabinet and a student council representative ... two-year captain on the basketball team ... scored more than 1,300 career points and nominated as a finalist for Pennsylvania's "Mr. Basketball."
Travis Warren - 5-10 - 175 - WR/DB - Prince George, Va./Prince George
Earned First Team All-District on defense, Second Team All-District as a return specialist and honorable mention All-District on offense ... First Team All-Region ... team's co-M.V.P. for head coach Mark Tomlin ... First Team All-League in the triple jump and ran a 10.6 in the 100 meters during high school in California.
Shawn White - 6-3 - 220 - QB/LB - Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee
Earned three varsity letters and served as team captain in 2002 and 2003 for head coach Terry Meeks ... two-time All-District on defense ... also Second Team All-Met and All-Region ... Atlee's offensive M.V.P. and Second Team All-District as a senior ... Capital District All-Academic Team three consecutive years ... member of the National Society of American Scholars and Beta Club ... named to Who's Who Among High School Students ... three-year letter-winner in baseball and two letters in basketball.
Brooks York - 6-0 - 175 - WR/DB - Chester, Va./Thomas Dale
First Team All-Met, All-Region and All-District on defense ... honorable mention All-State ... served as co-captain for head coach Vic Williams ... accomplished track student-athlete ... won the districts in the high jump (6'2") and qualified for Regionals and State in the triple jump, long jump and high jump ... member of the state finalist 4x400 meter relay team ... grandson of former Richmond football coach Jim Tait.