D'Orazio wins another Arena title Otterbein alumnus Matt D'Orazio went 26-for-43 passing for 302 yards and seven touchdowns to lead the Philadelphia Soul to a 59-56 win against the San Jose Saber Cats in ArenaBowl XXII. It's the second Arena Football title for D'Orazio, who led the Chicago Rush to the 2006 crown. He was named the game's MVP. Fellow Division III alumnus Frank Carter of MacMurray had two tackles, including a sack, for San Jose. D'Orazio finished the season with 301 completions in 416 attempts for 3,331 yards. He threw 72 touchdowns and just four interceptions. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 29, 2008 | ||
Wartburg coach leaves
Eric Koehler is out and Rick Willis is back in as Wartburg head coach after Koehler resigned to take the offensive coordinator position at Division II Grand Valley State, it was announced Sunday evening. Willis relinquished coaching duties in 2005 after compiling a 79-17 record and gaining four NCAA playoff berths to become athletics director. He takes over from Koehler, who led the Knights to a 16-4 record in two seasons. Grand Valley State is a traditional Division II powerhouse and won national championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Koehler is the second Division III head coach to be hired by the Lakers ths offseason, following North Carolina Wesleyan's Jack Ginn. "I'm excited about returning to the head football position," Willis said. "I feel good about the transition due to our outstanding staff and a veteran team that returns. I am very familiar with many of the players, especially the senior class which was recruited while I was previously the head coach." Wartburg president William Hamm said, "While the timing of this coaching change could have created a very worrisome situation, we're extremely fortunate to have Rick Willis lead the football program again. Rick has been one of the nation's leading Division III football coaches. We expect that this will be a seamless transition, given that Rick laid the foundation for the recent success of the football program, which Eric Koehler had inherited from him." Willis led Wartburg to its first set of three consecutive Iowa Conference championships and also had an undefeated and league championship team in 1999. He guided the program to NCAA Division III national playoff berths in 1999, 2002, 2003, and 2004. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 27, 2008 | ||
Our 2008 preseason selections Two senior quarterbacks, a consensus player of the year candidate, a 2,000-yard freshman, a pro prospect and electrifying return man. But since there are only two teams of D3football.com preseason All-Americans, not all can be first teamers. We unveil the D3football.com 2008 preseason All-American team. Players were selected primarily from last year's All-Region nominations, though we considered additional players as well. It's a who's-who of who's coming back for the upcoming Division III football season. But that only scratches the surface. To learn all you need to know to follow the 2008 Division III football season, you need Kickoff. Click here for more. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 22, 2008 | ||
Former Buena Vista SID dies of ALS Nick Huber, who served as sports information director at Buena Vista from 2004-2007, passed away early Saturday morning, July 19, at Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake, Iowa. Since 2003, he had inspired and touched many lives through his battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. "Nick Huber's courage was unmatched," said BVU President Fred Moore. "He taught all of us a great deal about the true meaning of life. Nick was the consummate professional. His writing skills were simply extraordinary. On behalf of the entire BVU family, I extend our deepest sympathy to his family." Huber was a 2002 graduate of Luther, where he also played baseball as a freshman. He then became a graduate student at Gustavus Adolphus in St. Peter, Minn., and worked in the sports information department under Tim Kennedy. He moved to Storm Lake in the summer of 2004 from Colorado as he wanted to get back into doing what he loved and that was promoting athletics. Visitation will take place on Monday, July 21, from 5-8 p.m. at the Jensen Funeral Home in Alta. Funeral services will take place on Tuesday, July 22, at 11:30 a.m. in Schaller Chapel on the BVU campus. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials be sent to the ALS Therapy Development Institute to support ongoing ALS research. Donations can be made online at www.als.net. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 20, 2008 | ||
Miracle wasn't enough for an ESPY Trinity University's Miracle in Mississippi play was in the hunt for an ESPY during ESPN's taping of the awards show Wednesday night in Los Angeles. Time named the play as the No. 1 Sports Moment of 2007. In the end, it put Trinity into the playoffs, where it lost to eventual semifinalist Mary Hardin-Baylor in the first round. The Tigers kick off their 2008 campaign by hosting McMurry in a non-conference game at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 6. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 17, 2008 | ||
Eisenman had Central's biggest comeback By Eric Bentzinger Comebacks were a Central trademark last fall as the Dutch were outgained in seven of the 10 regular-season victories, trailed in six games and needed fourth-quarter scores to prevail four times. But those turnarounds pale in comparison to the one pulled off by defensive back Chad Eisenman. Less than six months before the season opener, Eisenman lay in a coma and had lost 45 pounds. Doctors were telling his parents there was nothing left they could do. Yet on Sept. 1, Eisenman was on the field as a cornerback for an Iowa Conference champion Dutch squad that went on to win 12 straight games before falling in the NCAA Division III playoff quarterfinals. Following the remarkable recovery, Eisenman is even more prepared as he enters his senior season as a starter. But in the early spring of 2007, he wasn't thinking about football. He suffered from bad headaches, chills and a fever. He checked himself into the local hospital in late March and was diagnosed with severe dehydration. But when Eisenman returned to the hospital the next day he could barely walk from his car to the emergency room. He was quickly transferred from the Pella Regional Medical Center to Methodist Hospital in Des Moines. The ambulance ride is the last event he remembers from the next two weeks. Eisenman was suffering from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, severe pneumonia and a blood infection. The doctors at Methodist decided to induce a coma and put ice on Eisenman's body because his fever was so high. It was then they told his parents there was nothing more they could do. Because of heavy medication, Eisenman was hallucinating and he remembers very little of that time, but three weeks later his fever finally leveled off and he began to show signs of improvement. Eisenman does remember the doctor telling him he could make a full recovery. “I was originally scared I would not recover,” said Eisenman. “Once the doctors told me I could make a full recovery, I told myself there was no way I was going to miss out on football. I was going to do whatever it took.” Eisenman knew he had a long battle in front of him as he weighed 140 pounds (down from his usual 185). Not only had he missed out on an important part of the offseason strength and speed work, his muscles had atrophied so significantly he needed help just to sit up. With less than four months before football practices started, Eisenman had to learn to walk again. He eventually moved up to riding a stationary bike in Central's weight room to condition his lungs. Once he conquered that hurdle, Eisenman began to lift weights. “I had to start lifting from scratch because my muscles had deteriorated so much,” he said. “I hadn't eaten solid food for three weeks. After a month and a half, I started to tell myself I could push myself and play again.” Despite all he had been through, once Eisenman was told he could make a full recovery coach Jeff McMartin was confident Eisenman would be ready for the football season. “We didn't question his health or worry about something putting him back in the hospital,” said McMartin. “He lost a lot of weight and strength during a key time of our offseason so we were concerned about that. We were confident in him because he is competitive, a hard worker and a hard-nosed young man. We knew he was mentally and physically tough enough.” Eisenman concluded his long recovery Sept. 1 when he started Central's opening game against St. Thomas. He started every game before sustaining an elbow injury in the opening-round contest of the playoffs would sideline him for the remainder of the season. Eisenman recorded 25 tackles, with five pass breakups, an interception and a blocked field-goal attempt. Eisenman credits the support he received from Central as a factor in his recovery. “It was crazy how much support I got,” he said. “When I realized what was going on I remember the hospital room being filled with balloons and cards. There was a big Central flag with all of the players' autographs. All of the coaches were there multiple times to visit and see how I was doing. It was unbelievable the amount of effort they went through. Once I was released from the hospital, (head athletic trainer) Lesle Duinink and (strength and conditioning coordinator) Jake Anderson worked with me individually and really helped me a lot. Part of the reason I came through was the support I received." As Eisenman prepares for his senior season of football, he admits he looks back to last year and has a different perspective. “I always thought that stuff like this happened to other people and not me,” he said. “I cherish football a lot more. There is not a guarantee that I am going to play again and it is not something I take for granted. My whole perspective on life has changed a lot.” | ||
| Permalink | Jul 14, 2008 | ||
Central's biggest comeback The Central Dutch were known for their comeback tendencies last season, a year in which the team reached the national quarterfinals despite needing four fourth-quarter comebacks in 10 regular season games. But the comebacks of the whole pale in comparison to the comeback put together by defensive back Chad Eisenman, who, six months before the season opened, was in a coma. Read how Eisenman worked himself back into shape, plus, a new outlook on life in a feature story. Plus, to get ready for the season, scroll down for information about ordering Kickoff 2008. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 14, 2008 | ||
NAC adds Anna Maria for opening season The North Atlantic Conference announced the addition of Anna Maria as an associate member in football. The conference and Anna Maria will first sponsor football in 2009. The AMcats will be eligible for awards and compete against NAC football institutions beginning with their inaugural season in 2009 but will not have a full conference schedule until 2010. Anna Maria joins full conference members Husson (Bangor, Maine) and Castleton State along with five associate members: Becker, Gallaudet, SUNY-Maritime, Mount Ida and Norwich. “We are pleased to welcome Anna Maria to the NAC and look forward to their participation,” said commissioner Julie Muller. “Our current football members have newer programs and Anna Maria's participation during their inaugural season will be a good fit for the conference. The extensive plans the school has for facility development and their commitment to creating a quality football program were the major factors for membership acceptance.” Anna Maria recently announced the addition of new sport programs in addition to facility upgrades including an expanded and renovated indoor fitness facility with state-of-the art fitness equipment along the development of a new outdoor multi-purpose synthetic turf field. “Joining the North Atlantic Conference in football is exciting for the entire Anna Maria College community,” says David Shea, athletic director for AMC. “The expansion of our varsity sports program to include football opens up tremendous opportunities for our current and future students. Being a part of the North Atlantic Conference will allow us to expand our recruiting from both a geographic and demographic perspective as we continue to seek out both exceptional students and accomplished athletes.” The conference will not be eligible for an automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Football Championship even with eight playing members since it does not meet the NCAA requirement for four core members. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 14, 2008 | ||
Elmhurst hires rival's assistant
Elmhurst has named Tim Lester head football coach. Lester becomes the 17th head coach in school history, taking over for Tom Journell, who resigned last month to take the defensive coordinator position at UW-Stevens Point. Lester is certainly no stranger to the Bluejays' football program. He began his collegiate coaching career at Elmhurst in 2002 and spent two seasons as the Bluejays' offensive coordinator. Lester's offensive units broke 11 school records and the 2003 squad averaged more than 395 yards and more than 30 points per game. "I'm thrilled to be coming back to Elmhurst College," said Lester. "Elmhurst gave me my first opportunity in coaching and it has held a special place for me ever since. I'm excited to have the opportunity to come back and finish what we started." Originally from Wheaton, Ill., Lester attended Wheaton Warrenville South and was a member of the state title team in 1992. He quarterbacked the Tigers to back-to-back conference titles in 1993 and 1994 before becoming one of the most prolific passers in NCAA history. A 2000 graduate of Western Michigan with a bachelor's degree in mathematics, Lester rewrote the school's record book. He finished his career as Western Michigan's all-time leading passer and set 17 school records. Lester wrapped up his career ranked fifth in NCAA history in passing yards (11,299) and seventh in touchdown passes (89). Lester played professionally in the AFL, af2 and XFL. After his two-year coaching stint with the Bluejays, Lester served as head coach of Saint Joseph's (Ind.) during the 2004 season. He led the Division II program to a 7-4 finish, its second-best record ever. With Lester's guidance, the Pumas turned in a five-game improvement from the previous season and broke seven school records. Lester returned to Western Michigan where he served as the quarterback's coach for the 2005 and 2006 seasons, and spent last season as defensive coordinator at North Central. The Cardinals' defense finished the season ranked 18th in the nation in rushing defense (88.1 yards per game), 12th in interceptions (21), 17th in turnovers gained (33), and 18th in sacks (3.33 per game). Lester inherits a team that has posted three consecutive winning seasons with identical 6-4 records. The Bluejays return 11 starters (seven on offense, four on defense) from the 2007 squad. With the start of the season right around the corner, Lester is excited about the work that lies ahead. "There's a lot of work that goes into being successful in the CCIW," he said. "We'll have to get our system installed, and familiarize our players with it before the season-opening contest, but, I know that our players possess the talent to help our team reach the next level. If our players buy into our system, then I believe we'll be able to build a program that can consistently challenge for a CCIW title." | ||
| Permalink | Jul 14, 2008 | ||
Kickoff is back, and it's bigger Kickoff is back for a fourth season! D3football.com's exclusive online-only preview of the 2008 season is the only place you'll see our objective take on each of the 239 Division III teams. But if you've seen the first three years of Kickoff, be prepared: We continue to to improve on the best preseason package in Division III by adding to it. Before, in addition to our preseason ranking, capsule previews on each team and Keith McMillan's exclusive Beyond the Top 25 column, you'd also get four features on players you need to know. We've expanded that. Now you'll get more than a dozen! That's the focus of D3football.com's Kickoff 2008. We're doing it all again this year. And you can order now. Fans of St. Scholastica, welcome to Division III! This is our centerpiece publication each preseason. Kickoff is $9.95 and is available to registered and paid users online. (Users who register with .edu e-mail addresses get a 40% discount, to $5.95.) Kickoff will be ready Aug. 26, with the latest information available, giving you time to fully digest it before the season opens on Sept. 4. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 7, 2008 | ||
Pro game within reach for many This spring The Beyond Sports Network received a request from NFL International to provide information on the free agent quarterbacks in the network. They were seeking qualified individuals who would want to participate in an all expenses paid trip to Seville, Spain to participate in a week-long camp conducted by NFL International. This camp will include athletes from all over the world who will compete in front of NFL, as well as other professional football scouts. The two players selected from the Beyond Sports Network are John Jacobs from Division III Catholic, and Chris Phillips from Northwestern Oklahoma State. Jacobs heard about the opportunity to participate in the NFL International Camp through the Beyond Sports Network and created a profile that included his personal information, stats, playing history, and highlight video. When the NFL International requested to have all the interested and eligible quarterbacks send information, a link to Jacobs' profile was sent to the staff of the NFL International. They viewed the profile and selected John and Chris Phillips to participate in the camp. Dan Evans, a Division III alumnus and now part of the leadership of the Beyond Sports Network, caught up with Jacobs before his trip. BSN: We would first like to congratulate you, John, on being selected to participate in the NFL International Camp. For those that do not know much about your football career, give us some background on yourself. JJ: I started my college career at Division I-AA William and Mary where I redshirted the first year and spent the second year as a backup. I then followed one of my coaches to The Catholic University of America where I finished my collegiate career. At Catholic I split time for the first and third years there, and was sidelined due to an injury the second year. BSN: You were in a tough situation at Catholic University, playing behind Division I prospect Keith Ricca. Keith was an All Met selection from the Washington, D.C., area. You did perform well when you got the opportunity. How did you stay mentally sharp week to week? JJ: Throughout my football career I have always been in situations where I have had to fight for playing time. Keith is a great player and competing weekly really helped me strive to be a better player. Mentally I have learned that just because one coach sees it one way, another might see differently. BSN: I have heard that since December you took a proactive role in furthering your football career through a tough workout regimen. Can you discuss what you have been doing since December? JJ: Since December I have been doing a lot of strength and speed training. I have been doing a lot of combine specific training that has really helped with my speed and agility as well. Lately I have been working directly with a speed coach in preparation for an upcoming combine and the NFL International Mini Camp. I also put together my highlight tape. That process was extremely time-consuming due to the long hours of uploading and editing film. BSN: Discuss some the emotions you felt when you found out you were selected for the camp. What are you hoping to get out of the camp? JJ: When I found out that I had been selected I was a little relieved in a way. All I have wanted throughout this process was an opportunity to get in front of professional scouts and coaches. I know that an opportunity such as this doesn't come along often so I'm going to make the best of it. I'm hoping that I will receive some one-on-one coaching from the NFL personnel and maybe even an invite to an NFL minicamp or preseason camp. BSN: What are some of your goals that you have in your football career? Is there any advice that you can give to all the graduating college players out there that want to play professional football? JJ: I think my main goal is to play in the NFL. Although it may be a long shot, I've always believed that I could do it if given the right opportunity. To graduating players, I would say that the No. 1 thing throughout this process is to be persistent. Just because one team doesn't give you an opportunity doesn't mean everyone else feels the same. BSN: John, you are one of many success stories from the Beyond Sports Network. By being selected to the NFL International Camp, you will have an opportunity to further your career. How did you find out about the Beyond Sports Network? How do you think the network can help all athletes especially those from Division III? JJ: I learned about Beyond Sports Network through my coaching staff at Catholic. The network serves as a great tool for potential professional players especially Division III players who may not get the attention they deserve. I owe a great deal of gratitude to the Network for this once-of-a-lifetime opportunity. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 1, 2008 | ||
Scouting beyond the usual suspects If you think it's difficult for Division III stars to get noticed by pro scouts, try pursuing the dream as a backup. Division III players participate in pro leagues around the world, from the NFL to the arena leagues to various leagues throughout Europe, and there are many jobs available. But to get there, it takes a little bit of luck, and perhaps a little bit of networking to go along with the requisite skill. How does that work? More in a Q&A with John Jacobs. | ||
| Permalink | Jul 1, 2008 | ||
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