Albion (8-2 in 2001)
Thanks to the leadership of 29 talented seniors, Albion claimed its 32nd Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association football championship last fall. Although it would appear that the Britons have huge graduation losses to fill, head coach Craig Rundle says there are many student-athletes on the roster waiting for an opportunity to shine on fall Saturdays.

"We have athletes who haven't been able to showcase their talent," Rundle, who enters his sixth season in control of Albion's grid fortunes, says. "We had a big senior class and a good one, but I believe this can be a good group. There are some opportunities for players to step up, and they have responded by working hard in the offseason."

Rundle has optimism heading into the season thanks to quality offensive linemen, experienced skill players on offense, five returning starters on defense, and the return of an All-American kicker.

Albion edited the single-season school offensive records last fall. Quarterback Travis Rundle established new marks for most passing attempts and completions (183 of 329), most passing yards (2,346) and most passing touchdowns (20). One of Rundle's favorite targets, flanker John Bennink, claimed school records for most receptions (74) and most receiving yards in season (995).

When Albion's opponents concentrated on limiting the aerial display, the Britons proved to have an equally successful rushing attack. Bill Poirier, a bruising back, amassed 599 yards last fall. Dan Dreyer, a speedy tailback, totaled 208 rushing yards and two touchdowns in the season finale against Hope.

The four players listed above have graduated, but it's time to meet the student-athletes who are ready for 2002.

Seniors Adam Auvenshine and Leon McDonald already give Albion valuable game experience at the receiver positions. Auvenshine was the team's second-leading receiver last season with 24 catches for 254 yards and three touchdowns. McDonald hauled in 13 passes for 153 yards last season.

"We have big-play kids," Rundle admits. "Adam and Leon made big contributions last year."

Albion has three running backs vying for significant playing time. Shaun Moon, a junior, was third on team in rushing last fall with 352 yards and three touchdowns. Moon enjoyed a breakout game with 90 rushing yards and two touchdowns at Division I-AA Butler last September. Andy Kocoloski, a junior, carried the ball six times last fall. Dustin Louwaert, a sophomore, was hampered by injuries last season but is expected to show off his excellent speed this fall.

While Albion is happy to happy to have experienced skill players returning, Rundle is most excited about the talented veterans returning on the line. The foundation of the line is three returning starters who are all seniors — Nick Chambers at right guard, Allen Hearn at left tackle, and John Trupiano at center. Hearn, a 334-pounder, was named to the all-MIAA first team last fall. Trupiano, who is listed at 258 pounds, was an all-MIAA second team selection last fall. Chambers, who listed at 288 pounds, was an honorable mention selection by the league coaches.

Expected to join the offensive line are senior Karl Doppelberger and junior Eric Bauer. Rundle praised Doppelberger as a student-athlete who could have started for other teams but has waited for his turn to play at Albion. Bauer cracked the starting lineup for a game last fall.

Helping the interior linemen will be four tight ends with game experience. Junior Chad Brent was second on the depth chart last season. He finished the season with eight receptions for 118 yards and a touchdown. Troy Rundle, a sophomore, contributed with seven receptions for 57 yards. Shane Bloomberg, a senior, collected a 14-yard reception last season. Steve Pinkerton, a junior, will also be in the mix.

With so much experience up front, Albion's new starting quarterback should feel comfortable on the field. Sophomore Mike Gough has the lead heading into camp in August, but he should receive competition from junior Chad Hottle and sophomore Michael Moore. Gough, who earned letters in football and baseball at Albion last year, completed five of seven passes for 54 yards last season. Gough also served as the holder on field goals and extra point kicks.

Nearly lost in last year's offensive production were the big plays turned in by Albion's defense. Defensive back Jason Carpenter sealed the Britons' three-point victory over Tri-State with an interception in the last minute and lineman Michael Stempki returned an interception 51 yards in the closing seconds of the first half versus Alma. In all, the Albion defense recorded 32 takeaways (13 fumble recoveries and 19 interceptions) last season.

Most of the experience on the Britons' defense is in the corps of linebackers. Seniors Nick Loafman, Brian Michael, and Chris Stefanes are returning starters at the inside linebacker positions, while Tyler Alpers, another senior, logged important playing time last season and will be in the rotation again this season.

Although listed as a defensive back, Carpenter often moved up to a linebacking position on the outside. Also returning on the outside is senior John Burks, while junior Mark Ostach is expected to be in the mix.

A couple of the returning players at inside linebacker have proved to be resilient in the face of injury. Loafman, who missed most of the Britons' non-conference schedule last fall after suffering a knee injury in the season opener against MacMurray, came back for the MIAA opener against Alma and went on to achieve all-league first team status. Stefanes suffered an injury against Butler and missed the second half of last season.

"Linebacker is a good position to build your defense around," Rundle says. "We have a good group coming back. All those guys coming off injuries will be watched in the early part of practice, and we will rotate our personnel."

On the outside, Carpenter was one of Albion's most opportunistic players last season. The senior finished with four interceptions and a fumble recovery. He also was credited with breaking up nine passes. Burks collected 30.5 tackles last season, including four for loss.

Albion rotated its linemen last season, and three players with game experience return. Glen Brittich, a junior, was second on the team in tackles last season with 44. He was also credited with an interception and forcing a fumble. Jared Smith, a senior, was fifth on the team in tackles for loss with seven. Jeremiah Morse, a senior, finished with five tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. Another senior who could be in the rotation of linemen is Tom Nevells.

The secondary faces a situation similar to last year. Albion went into the season trying to replace heavy graduation losses, but three seniors stepped up to the challenge. Juniors Tony Nowicki and Justin Machak have the most experience. Nowicki finished the 2001 season with 19 tackles and an interception, while Machak made 10 tackles and broke up three passes last season.

Mike Lomasney, a senior, and Brian Reed, a junior, will also get an opportunity to win playing time when camp opens in August. Rundle didn't rule out the possibility of first-year players gaining game experience.
"Typically, younger players have a better chance to break in (at the secondary positions) because it's less physical," Rundle said. "(The secondary) is not a whole lot different than the situation we were in last year."

Albion's string of placing a kicker or punter on the all-MIAA first team every year since 1986 continued as Andy Cline took over the kicking duties last fall. Cline, a sophomore, was good on 12 of 18 field goal attempts, including two boots in overtime to help Albion to a 34-31 victory at Buffalo State and a 39-yard effort in the final seconds to lift Albion to a 30-28 come-from-behind victory against Kalamazoo.

The questions lie in who will punt and return kicks. Rundle will hold auditions for the position of punter in August, but there are experienced return specialists on the roster.

Albion had two of the best return specialists in Bennink and Jared Owens, a two-time all-league performer. In fact, Owens returned a kickoff for a touchdown in each of the last three seasons.

Auvenshine has the most experience on the team after returning two punts last season. Erik Ieuter, a senior, was a backup on punt returns last season.

Albion faces an ambitious schedule, especially with its first two games on the road. The Britons open the 2002 campaign Sept. 7 with a non-league contest at Wittenberg. The Tigers posted an 11-2 record and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division III playoffs last season.

The Britons face a road trip to future MIAA member Tri-State on Sept. 14, before returning to Sprankle-Sprandel Stadium for a three-week homestand with non-league contests against Buffalo State and Ohio Wesleyan and the league opener against Olivet. Coming off a 9-1 campaign, Ohio Wesleyan test Albion before a Homecoming crowd Sept. 28.

In addition to Olivet, Albion will host Alma (Oct. 19) and Adrian (Nov. 2) in league play. Albion's three MIAA road trips are to Wisconsin Lutheran (Oct. 12), Kalamazoo (Oct. 26) and Hope (Nov. 16).

Hope (7-2 in 2001)
The tradition-rich Hope football program will experience a number of firsts in its 93rd year of competition.

For the first time, the Flying Dutchmen will play a ten-game regular season schedule. The conference portion of the schedule has been increased to six games with the addition of Wisconsin Lutheran as a member of the MIAA. The non-league portion of the schedule includes two first-time opponents, Wooster and UW-Platteville.

Coach Dean Kreps returns 42 players who lettered on a 2001 team that posted a 7-2 record and finished second in the MIAA standings with a 4-1 mark. The Flying Dutchmen are 15-4 the past two seasons and have been conference champion or co-champion three of the last five years.

The Flying Dutchmen return six players who have achieved All-MIAA first team honors during their career. Senior defensive back Nick Conrad and senior punter Vince Scheffler are two-time All-MIAA players. Senior defensive end Andy Keller was honored in 2001 while senior offensive tackle Bill Crane, senior defensive tackle Ryan Kerstetter and senior center Josh Rumpsa received the distinction in 2000.

A year ago the Flying Dutchmen rode the arm of quarterback Phil Butler who
established several school passing records. The junior threw 23 touchdown passes while passing for 2,156 yards on 159 completions. His favorite receiver in the end zone was Mike Gle who returns as a fifth-year senior. Gle caught a school-record 13 touchdown passes last fall and enters the 2002 season already holding the career mark (18).

The Flying Dutchmen will need to rebuild their ground game with the decision of leading 2001 rusher John Sloothaak not to return for his junior season. Sloothaak had rushed for over 1,100 yards in his first two campaigns.

Senior linebacker Josh Baumbach was honored as the MIAA defensive player of the week last fall and has the rare distinction of being selected by his teammates as co-captain of the team as both a junior and senior.

In 2001 defensive backs Tim Keur and Jason Misner of topped an outstanding freshman class. They each intercepted two passes in a single game. Andy Keller led the Flying Dutchmen with sacks (14) last fall while Kerstetter had nine.

Vince Scheffler has kicked every Hope punt the past three seasons and has been the picture of consistency. He has a career average of 38.1 yards per punt with season averages of 38.1 (1999), 38.6 (2000) and 37.3 (2001).

Alma (6-4 in 2001)
Four years after winning their last MIAA title and advancing to the postseason for the first time in school history, Alma is poised for another run at a conference title.

With 24 seniors and 19 returning starters (8 on offense, 9 on defense, the punter and kicker), "certainly we want to take advantage of the fact we're a veteran team," says head coach Jim Cole. "Certainly staying injury free is a key. But we've also got depth that we haven't had before.

"We have good reason to be optimistic. And we are."

On offense, the Scots return Steve Slowke at quarterback. Last fall as a junior, Slowke led the nation and set a school record with 3,630 yards in total offense. The total included 3,108 yards in passing and 26 touchdown passes; both marks are second all-time at Alma. He also set a record with 278 pass completions during the season.

Backing up Slowke are junior Mike Holes and sophomores Travis Harrison, James McCrea and Alan Montgomery. "After Slowke I don't think the rest of these guys have 25 snaps between them," Cole said, "so it'll be interesting to see who comes out of that hunt."

The Scots return four players with experience at running back. Jeremy Droptiny, who finished last season as the starter, heads the list. A junior, Droptiny was second on the team (behind Slowke) in rushing last season, gaining 394 yards on 71 carries.

Senior Tom Devore has also started for the Scots, and Cole expects senior Max Janis and Dan Kehres, a sophomore, to contribute. "We feel we have real good depth there," said Cole.

The only losses from last season were at receiver, where Brian Pierce, Brian Burgtorf and Kris Ernst all graduated. The trio ranks one-two-four in career receptions and Pierce also owns the single season reception record with 73, set last fall.

The top returnee is senior Mark Boehms, who has started every game since the fourth game of his freshman season. Last year Boehms caught 54 passes for 617 yards and a team-high 8 touchdowns. "Boehms might be the most experienced player on the team," Cole said.

"After (Boehms) it's a dogfight," said Cole.

Top candidates to fill the other three starting positions include junior Joe Galardi and Ryan Mikulich, a senior, "along with a host of others to fill in the blanks," Cole said. Galardi had five receptions for 42 yards last season, while Mikulich caught four passes for 31 yards.

Last year at this time, the Scots were looking fill three starting positions in the offensive line. This year the line returns intact.

Josh Peters, a two-time first team all-conference selection and a D3football.com preseason second team All-American, will line up at left tackle. Kyle Lawrence will start for the third consecutive season at left guard. Peters and Lawrence are both juniors.

Aaron Wallace, a senior, is the starting center. He was a first team all-conference pick last year. Another senior, Mark Kato, returns at right guard, where he has started the past three seasons. Junior Andy Myers returns at right tackle.

The five average 6-2½ and 268½ pounds. "Together they're probably the second biggest offensive line in the history of the school," said Cole.
Senior Wade Seals heads the list of reserves. "He is our most experienced backup," Cole said.

An Alma defense that Cole said "made great strides in 2001" again looks strong.

Nine starters return to the unit.

All four starters return up front — Domenic Wlodyka, Matt Smith, John Loveland and Josh Geoghan. Wlodyka, a senior, was a first team all-conference pick and was second on the team with 52 tackles and nine tackles for loss last season. He will start at a tackle spot.

Smith, also a senior, has been a key member of the defensive line the past three years. Last season he posted 35 tackles, and his seven tackles for loss included four quarterback sacks.

John Loveland, a second team all-conference pick last season, returns for his junior year at defensive end. He finished with 38 tackles last fall, tied for the team lead with 10 tackles for loss, and led the Scots with six quarterback sacks.

Josh Geoghan, a senior, will start at the other tackle spot. Of his 27 tackles last season, 10 were for loss.

A quartet of three-year lettermen head up the linebacker corps. Josh Funsch, a first-team all-conference selection last year, or Mike Abbey will be at the weak-side spot. Funsch led the team with 66 tackles last season including five tackles for loss. Abbey chipped in with 31 tackles include four tackles for loss and two pass interceptions.

Jacob Wing will start at strong-side linebacker, replacing Pat Cell, who graduated. Wing's 47 tackles last season were the fourth best on the team and he also had seven tackles for loss.

Nate Taylor is the middle linebacker. He was third on the team with 51 tackles last season.

Sophomore Scott Barriger is a solid back-up and Ben Murray, a junior, "is a hard worker who is looking to improve his chances," Cole said.

Cole says the defensive backfield should be the strength of the defense. Three of the four starters from last season return and the reserves are also solid.
First team all-conference defensive back Gavin Fralick will start at one cornerback spot. Fralick led the team with five interceptions and 15 pass breakups while getting in on 31 tackles.

Justin McHugh, who was second on the team with three interceptions last year, will start at the other cornerback spot for the second year in a row. He is a sophomore.

Kevin Vermeersch, who also started last year as a freshman, is the free safety. He finished the season with 32 tackles and two pass breakups.
David Simpson is the returning starter at strong safety. He was fifth on the team in tackles with 43 last season, intercepted two passes and broke up five others.

The depth chart includes Kris Kolbe, Tom VanThomme, Chris Davis and Matteo LoPiccolo. "They will challenge those guys (the starters) if not overtake them," Cole said.

Three second-team all-conference players return to lead the special teams.
Matt Piccirilli is the Alma kicker. The three year letterman "has plenty of experience in close ballgames," Cole said. Piccirilli set a school record with 35 PAT kicks last fall and added nine field goals, which tied him for second in the record book.

Vermeersch also handles the punting duties for the Scots. After taking over midway through the season last year, he averaged 35.1 yards per punt.
McHugh ended up as the primary return threat for the Scots. He averaged 23.6 yards per kickoff return, including one of 82 yards for a touchdown, and averaged 16.3 yards for each punt return. He also returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown.

The Scots are even experienced at long snapper with the return of Seals.

Cole says the schedule will "give the kids a geography lesson." The Scots play teams in four different states during the non-conference portion of the schedule — Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois and Ohio — and the conference schedule also includes the newcomer to the league, Wisconsin Lutheran.

"We're excited about our non-conference schedule. It should give us a good regional foundation," Cole said. "It's going to be really challenging and the conference is always balanced.

"I'm also excited about our home schedule," Cole said. "We've got a great home schedule for our fans and our parents."

Adrian (2-8 in 2001)
Twenty seniors and 34 letter winners return as Adrian tries to climb the MIAA standings. Head coach Jim Lyall is optimistic that Adrian's experience, coupled with an exhibition game played in Spain in May, will give the Bulldogs an edge in 2002.

The coaching staff will also have a new look, as Aaron Klotz has been promoted to defensive coordinator and Joe Polka, a former head coach at Division II Saint Joseph's (Ind.), has joined the staff as a defensive coach.

The 2002 Bulldogs will feature a big, strong offensive line, anchored by fifth-year senior Randy Spence, a 6-3, 280 tackle who earned All-North Region Second Team honors and First Team All-MIAA honors in 2001. Senior Drew DaRonco, a Second Team All-MIAA pick in 2000, also returns at the tackle spot. DaRonco was hampered by injuries in 2001 but should return to form this season and anchor the line along with Spence. Junior center Dan Zemens is a two-year starter and earned Coaches Honorable Mention accolades last year, while junior Casey Koss has started at guard for two seasons. Spence, DaRonco, Zemens and Koss give Adrian its strongest offensive line in years.

The offensive unit is highlighted by senior receiver Steve Kress, who caught 61 passes for 966 yards last year — both Adrian single-season records. Kress is the Bulldogs' go-to player and will figure heavily in the offensive scheme. He earned Second Team All-MIAA honors as a junior and was also named Adrian's team MVP. The backfield will feature senior running back

Kevin Bostelman, a big, strong back who led the MIAA in rushing last season (89.2 yards per game) en route to First Team All-MIAA honors. Junior fullback Jamil Mackie is a power runner who excels in short-yardage situations, scoring seven touchdowns last year on just 25 carries.

The opening of camp will be marked by a fierce battle for the quarterback spot. Senior Adam Tubaro saw limited action in a backup role last year after starting his career at Kalamazoo (71 passing yards in 1998), while junior Brad Maska started at quarterback as a freshman before being moved to wide receiver last year. As a rookie signal-caller in 2000, Maska threw for 915 yards and four touchdowns. Tubaro has a strong arm, while Maska has the ability to scramble. Both are talented players who have the tools to lead the offense.

The other concern is a defensive unit that lost eight starters to graduation. The leading returner is senior defensive lineman Winston McGee, a Second Team All-MIAA selection last year after totalling 32 tackles and two sacks. Senior defensive back Nate Biringer made 47 tackles and broke up seven passes last year, while junior Ron Shiels made 52 tackles from the cornerback spot. Shiels will play linebacker this season, meaning Biringer is the only returning starter in the defensive backfield. Senior Carl Embry has been moved from offensive line to defensive line as the Bulldogs try to shore up the unit.
McGee, Biringer and Embry are defensive captains, while Kress, Spence and DaRonco are offensive captains.

Adrian's spring trip to Spain was a success, as Adrian defeated the Pessac-Bordeaux Kangaroos of France 13-0 and the Fenix Granollers of Spain 26-0 in an exhibition game. Sophomore tailback Chris Clay led the rushing attack with 121 yards on 11 carries and scored one touchdown in the win.

Kalamazoo (5-4 in 2001)
Quarterback Bryan Gnyp returns to lead the Hornet offense. Gnyp emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the MIAA last season. He completed 59.0% of his passes for 2,198 yards, giving him the third highest season total in school history. His 20 touchdown passes ranked him second among the Hornets all-time leaders. He also tied a school record with four touchdown passes in a game at Wooster. Gnyp had a 4:1 touchdown to interception ratio and finished the season with a quarterback rating of 137.34..

Three of Gnyp's top four targets also return: T.J. Thayer '03, Andy Graham '03, and Zach Burton '03.

T.J. Thayer, a two-time All-MIAA receiver, owns the school record for most career receptions (136), a feat accomplished in only two seasons at the position (he played quarterback his freshman year). He needs only 95 receiving yards to break the school record for career receiving yards (1,632), currently held by Wade Thomson '97. Thayer had a school single-season record 81 catches for 956 yards and three touchdowns last season.

Andy Graham had 46 receptions last season for 607 yards. He led all receivers with six touchdowns.

Zach Burton returns for his third year as the starting tight end. Burton, a second team All-MIAA selection last year, had 15 catches for 163 yards and three touchdowns.

Dwight White '04 will return to lead the running game. White had 107 carries for 632 yards (5.9 avg) with 11 touchdowns last season. Matthew Jarboe '05 is expected to complement White in the backfield. Jarboe is a slashing-type runner; White is more of a power back.

The Hornets lose two starters from last year's offensive line, and success on offense will be directly related to the quality of their replacements. Returning players expected to compete for and fill those holes include Jon Rogosich '03, Chris Worthington '04, and Shawn McLeese '04.

On defense, Dan Derksen '03 is the only returning linebacker with significant playing experience. Derksen recorded 33 tackles and one quarterback sack last season.

Three-year starters Brett Foster '04 and Jude Vanover '03 anchor the defensive line. Foster had 31 tackles, six for lost yardage, and two sacks last season. Vanover recorded 12 tackles, including one for lost yardage. Tim Prater '03 also returns after recording 27 tackles, eight for lost yardage, and 3½ sacks last season. Other players expected to contribute on the defensive line include Pat Davis '05 and Will Solomon '03.

Mark LaCombe '04, Conor Lefere '04, and Brent Klein '04, each two-year starters, return to the defensive backfield. LaCombe led the team with six interceptions last season. He also recorded 50 tackles. Klein was third on the team with 66 tackles, three interceptions, and two quarterback sacks. Lefere had 33 tackles and two interceptions. Paul Natonek '03 also returns after a year studying abroad. Adam Richardson '05, Brian Baucher '05, and Tim Muir '03 will also compete for positions.

T.J. Thayer will again handle the kick and punt return duties. Thayer averaged 11.1 yards per punt return and 24.5 yards per kick return. Andy Graham also returns kicks; he averaged 18.3 yards per return last season.

Kicker Tom Hillemeier '02 graduated in June, but the kicking game was the best part of the Hornets' recruiting class. Mike Taylor '05 is the top returning candidate to take over the kicking and punting duties, but he will be challenged by a host of newcomers.

Olivet (1-9 in 2001)
The Fighting Comets have a new agenda, a new attitude, new personnel, and a solid foundation in place for the return of Hall of Fame Coach Irv Sigler.

In a dramatic move toward transforming its athletic program, Olivet named Irv Sigler as the Men's Athletic Director and Head Football Coach. Sigler, a member of the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame is well known throughout Michigan, building successful programs at Forest Hills Northern, Belding, Cheboygan and Benton Harbor High Schools. Most recently he coached with his son Irv Sigler III, at Grandville High where the Grandville Bulldogs have earned District and Regional championships this season.

Fifteen conference championships, nine undefeated regular seasons, six regional crowns and two state championships mark Sigler's career. He has been named regional coach of the year twelve times and six times he has been honored as Michigan class B Coach of the Year. He has compiled a record of 203 wins and 82 losses. Sigler has also been named to The Detroit Free Press Dream Team Coach of the Year on two occasions. Sigler is also a regular speaker on building successful programs at nationally renowned coaching clinics.

Sigler graduated from Olivet College in 1965 receiving four letters in football as a quarterback and defensive back, three letters in basketball and three in track and field. He was named to the Olivet College Hall of Fame in 1977, and the MHSFCA hall of Fame in 1989. Sigler was also named the MIAA's most valuable player in 1964. His classmates remember him as a leader among fellow students.

"Irv Sigler represents the best of both worlds, not only is he one of the great coaches and mentors in the Midwest, he will bring to Olivet College a passion to see students succeed in all they do," said Olivet College President Dr. Don Tuski. "Irv personifies what Olivet College is striving to accomplish and by producing graduates with integrity and character, fully competent to enter professional careers or continue graduate education in the arts and sciences."

"Olivet College was a special place for me. I have great faith in the role my Alma Mater plays in preparing great people to make outstanding contributions to our country. We will strive for excellence in academics and athletics, said Sigler. "I bring to Olivet College, a deep respect and concern for the future graduates. I know the impact coaches and staff can have on individuals striving to succeed. Those students who wish to make a positive contribution to society and participate in intercollegiate sports will have that opportunity at Olivet College."

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