MuhlenbergCollege bby the y the

Joshua Carter, WR/KR2000

by the by the

Justin Jones, QB2002

Kodi Shay, WR/KR2003

Ryan Peer, LB2004

Dan McCall, LB2005

John DeLuca, RB2008

Matt Rathbun, LB2008

77

66

Muhlenberg’s Muhlenberg’s record the last record the last two season, the two season, the most wins in a most wins in a two-year period two-year period in school history.in school history.

Centennial Conference championships Centennial Conference championships won by Muhlenberg since 2001. The Mules won by Muhlenberg since 2001. The Mules shared the CC title every year from 2001 shared the CC title every year from 2001 to 2004, then won their fi rst two outright to 2004, then won their fi rst two outright titles the last two years. They are one of a titles the last two years. They are one of a handful of Division III schools with six con-handful of Division III schools with six con-ference championships this decade. Only ference championships this decade. Only two teams in league history have exceeded two teams in league history have exceeded Muhlenberg’s four-year string of titles.Muhlenberg’s four-year string of titles.

20-320-3

Muhlenberg players who have been named Centennial Conference player of the year since 2000.Muhlenberg players who have been named Centennial Conference player of the year since 2000.

6363Kicks blocked by the Mules in the Kicks blocked by the Mules in the last 11 years. The Mules have scored last 11 years. The Mules have scored 18 special teams touchdowns since 18 special teams touchdowns since 1998 and have ranked in the top 25 1998 and have ranked in the top 25 in Division III in a major special teams in Division III in a major special teams category every year since 1999.category every year since 1999.

49.3/50.749.3/50.7Pass/run ratio Pass/run ratio for the Mule for the Mule offense in 2008. offense in 2008. Muhlenberg Muhlenberg was one of only was one of only fi ve Division III fi ve Division III teams to average teams to average at least 200 yards at least 200 yards passing and 200 passing and 200 yards rushing yards rushing per game last per game last year. year. The Mules’ all-time leaders in rushing, passing, receiving, touchdowns and all-purpose yardage have all graduated since 2000.

244.4244.4Yards per game allowed by the Yards per game allowed by the Muhlenberg defense Muhlenberg defense in the seven seasons in the seven seasons 2002-08 – fourth-best 2002-08 – fourth-best in Division III. The in Division III. The Mules, who led all Mules, who led all of college football in of college football in total defense in 2004, total defense in 2004, also rank fi fth in Divi-also rank fi fth in Divi-

sion III in sion III in scoring scoring defense defense (13.7 (13.7 points per game) over points per game) over the past seven years.the past seven years.

1414Times Muhlenberg scored 30 or Times Muhlenberg scored 30 or more points in its last 23 games. more points in its last 23 games. Three other times, the Mules Three other times, the Mules scored 28, 28 and 29 points.scored 28, 28 and 29 points.

MuhlenbergCollegeFootball

• muhlenberg collegeLocation ........................Allentown, PA 18104Founded .......................1848Enrollment ....................2,150Web Site .......................www.muhlenberg.eduAffi liation ......................NCAA Division IIIConference ...................Centennial ConferenceNickname .....................MulesColors ...........................Cardinal Red & GreyHome Stadium ..............Scotty Wood StadiumHome Field ...................Frank Marino FieldSurface .........................AstroTurf GameDay Grass 3DCapacity .......................3,000Year Built ......................1998 (resurfaced 2008)• managementPresident ......................Peyton Randolph HelmDean of Students ..........Karen GreenAthletic Director ............Sam BeidlemanAssociate Director .........Corey GoffAssistant Director ..........Jenny Warmack-ChipmanAthletics Phone .............(484) 664-3380Athletics Fax .................(484) 664-3035Head Athletic Trainer ....Steve NemesAsst. Athletic Trainers ....Lindsay Weiss Brian Perez• footballHead Coach ..................Mike Donnelly (Ithaca ’75)Record at Muhlenberg ..81-47 (12 seasons)Overall Record ..............sameAssistant Coaches: Jeff Knarr (offensive coordinator/quarterbacks) Tom Perkovich (special teams coordinator/off. line) Jeff Fisher (wide receivers) Ron Hannis (defensive line) Mike Litzenberger (inside linebackers) Mike Nolan (tight ends) Andy Romans (safeties) James Lastowski (running backs) Matt Rathbun (outside linebackers)Offi ce Phone .................(484) 664-3385E-mail [email protected] Record .................9-2 (7-1 Centennial)2008 Postseason ...........NCAA fi rst round2008 Final Ranking .......No. 20Letters Returning/Lost ...33/19Starters Returning/Lost ..12/12 (O 4/7, D 7/4, S 1/1)Offense .........................MultipleDefense ........................3-4All-Time Record ............462-477-41 (.492)First Season ...................1900CC Championships .......1983, 1986, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008• sports informationDirector ........................Mike FalkOffi ce Phone .................(484) 664-3232Home Phone .................(610) 432-8953Fax ................................(484) 664-3477E-mail [email protected] Director ..........Scott DrattellOffi ce Phone .................(484) 664-3168E-mail [email protected] Hotline (voice) ......(484) 664-3474Press Box Phone ............(484) 664-3188

• Muhlenberg College Football 2009

Quick FactsQuick Facts

CONTENTS

• introductionManagement/Support Staff ................... 2Th e Muhlenberg Experience .................. 3Muhlenberg Athletics ............................ 4Centennial Conference .......................... 4Football Facilities .................................. 5Coaching Staff .................................... 6-7• the 2009 mulesRoster ................................................. 8-9Outlook ......................................... 10-11Captains ......................................... 12-13Returning Players ........................... 14-24Newcomers .................................... 24-25Opponents .......................................... 48Schedule/Team Photo.............. back cover• the 2008 mulesReview ................................................ 26Statistics .............................................. 27Game Summaries ........................... 28-31• historyMule Football Timeline ....................... 32All-Time Results ............................. 33-36Series Records ...................................... 37Coaches’ Records ................................. 37Individual Records ......................... 38-41Team Records ...................................... 42All-Time Letterwinners .................. 43-45Honor Roll ..................................... 46-47Team Awards .......................... inside back

Credits: Th e 2009 football yearbook was produced by the Muhlenberg College Sports Information Offi ce. Editor, Mike Falk; Assistant Editor, Scott Drattell; Photography, Amico Studio, Bill Johnson, Jim O’Connor (NJSportPics.com), David Ahouse and 7designpro.com; Printing, A-Plus Printing of Altoona, Pa. (814-942-7711).

SCHEDULE

• septemberSat 5 at Wilkes 1:00SAT 19 UNION 1:00Sat 26 * at Gettysburg 1:00• octoberSAT 3 * JOHNS HOPKINS 2:00Sat 10 * at Juniata 1:00SAT 17 * McDANIEL 2:00Sat 24 * at Franklin & Marshall 1:30SAT 31 * DICKINSON 1:00• novemberSat 7 * at Ursinus 1:00SAT 14 * MORAVIAN 1:00

* Centennial Conference game

Follow The Mules

Th ere are several great ways to follow the Mule football team in 2009.

• on the webwww.muhlenberg.edu/sports• on the phone484-664-3474• on FacebookMuhlenberg College Athletics group pageMuhlenberg College Athletics fan page• on Twitterwww.twitter.com/muhl_sportswww.twitter.com/muhl_fb• on YouTubehttp://www.youtube.com/user/muhlsid


CollegeCollegeManagementManagement

Athletic BusinessManager

Ray Ramella Steve Brian Lindsay Nemes Perez Weiss

Athletic Trainers

President of the College

Peyton R. Helm

Peyton Randolph Helm took offi ce as president of Muhlenberg College July 1, 2003. He holds the faculty rank of professor of history. Immediately prior to

joining the Muhlenberg community, Helm served as vice president for college relations and professor of classical studies at Colby Col-lege in Waterville, Maine. Helm began his career in academic admin-istration at the University of Pennsylvania, where he was named coordinator of College House Programs in 1981. He served as associ-ate director of development and then director of development for Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences. From 1981-1988 he was also an adjunct assistant professor of ancient history and urban studies at Penn. In 1988, Helm was named vice president for development and alumni relations at Colby, where he was promoted to vice presi-dent for college relations in 2001. Th e Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) has awarded Helm its Steuben Apple, given to advancement profes-sionals who have been rated as a top speaker at 10 or more national conferences. Helm has delivered addresses and conducted semi-nars on ethics, stewardship, writing, capital campaigns, market research and volunteer management at more than 30 conferences across the country and internationally. His writing has been published in CASE Currents and Successful Fund Raising, as well as various scholarly publications in the fi eld of ancient history. Helm earned his bachelor’s degree in ar-chaeology, with magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa distinction, from Yale University. He earned his doctoral degree in ancient history, specializing in ancient Greek and Near Eastern history and literature, from the University of Pennsylvania.

Vice President for Student Affairs/Dean of Students

Karen Green began her duties as vice president for student af-fairs/dean of students at Muhlen-berg College on June 15, 2006, following more than four years as dean of students at Wells College in Aurora, N.Y.

At Muhlenberg, Green oversees more than 70 full-time employees and several departments, including athletics and recreation. “Muhlenberg is committed to our scholar athletes and the athletic programs are an integral part of a liberal arts education,” said Green. “Th e lessons learned from participation in our programs will sustain our students throughout their lives. Th e opportunity to be involved in intramural and recre-ational programs provides balance from the rigors of a challenging academic experience. Students learn negotiation skills, teamwork, time management and to be eff ective leaders. “Our coaches are committed to excellence and are partners with students notwithstanding their skill level. My predecessor as dean of students, Rudy Ehrenberg, said it best, ‘We must provide our stu-dents with outstanding coaches, superb facilities and a commitment to excellent programs. Th ese are the ingredients for a quality program and Muhlenberg College is committed to such excellence.’ I strongly support these words and will be fully committed to the College’s athletic programs.” Green received her baccalaureate degree from Agnes Scott College in Atlanta in 1986, where the Karen Green Human Relations Award was created in her honor. She went on to earn her master’s of divin-ity from the Candler School of Th eology at Emory University in 1997. Green began her administrative career as a res-ident director at Spelman College, later served in the admissions offi ce at Agnes Scott and subsequently became director of orientation, residence life and student activities at her alma mater before leaving Atlanta to accept the position of director of multi-cultural aff airs at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. She held additional leadership positions in student life at Agnes Scott, Emory and Hamilton before assuming the position of dean of students at Wells in September 2001.

Director of Athletics

Sam Beidleman

Following a national search, Muhlenberg College named Sam Beidleman director of athletics in July 2003. He had been serving as interim director of athletics since April 1, 2003. As director of athletics,

Beidleman supervises Muhlenberg’s 22-sport varsity intercollegiate program, as well as the intramural and recreation programs. “Muhlenberg College is proud of its long-stand-ing tradition of academic and athletic excellence,” said Beidleman. “While we strive to win on the fi eld or court, we measure our success in many other ways including the development of character, leadership, scholarship and ethical behavior.” Beidleman returned to Muhlenberg after a prior 35-year association with the College, during which he held responsibilities in every area of athletics programming – as a student, coach, faculty member and administrator. He was a varsity letterwinner in football and track and spent 13 seasons as an assistant football coach following his graduation in 1963. It was as a baseball coach that Beidleman truly made his mark, coaching the Mules from 1970 to 1992 and winning 255 games, setting a school record for a coach in one sport. His teams captured fi ve Middle Atlantic Conference Southwest League titles and three Southern Division championships. Beidleman, who held the academic rank of as-sociate professor of physical education from 1965 to 1992, also served as men’s intramural director and director of recreation. After retiring from coach-ing, he was full-time athletic business and facilities manager until August 2000. A 2006 inductee into the Muhlenberg Athletic Hall of Fame, Beidleman earned his master’s degree in counseling and guidance from Kutztown Univer-sity in 1970.

Associate Director of Athletics

Corey Goff

Corey Goff was promoted to associate director of athletics in 2008 after fi ve years as an assis-tant director of athletics. In addi-tion to his administrative duties, he serves as head baseball coach and summer camp coordinator.

ATHLETIC SUPPORT STAFFATHLETIC SUPPORT STAFF

Karen GreenKaren Green

Assistant Director of Athletics

Jenny Warmack-Chipman is in her ninth year as an assistant director of athletics. In addition to her administrative duties, she serves as senior woman admin-istrator, advisor to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and head volleyball coach.

Jenny Warmack-ChipmanJenny Warmack-Chipman

www.Muhlenberg.edu/sports • 3

MuhlenbergMuhlenbergExperienceExperienceCARING COMMUNITY

What makes Muhlenberg special? People really care about each other ... It’s true! Many colleges say it, but at Muhlenberg you can feel it. Th ere is a real sense of community here. Students care about each other. Faculty care about their students. Th e potential for human con-nections and for lifelong friendships that enrich a college experience is tremendous.

Jake Floyd: “People are friendly and are willing to go out of their way to help you in any way they can. If you cannot make offi ce hours, professors are more than willing to meet with you at a time that works for you. It’s always Mules helping Mules and that makes Muhlenberg a special and unique place.” Frank Emmett: “Try stopping in to one of your professor’s offi ce hours which is from 2 to 3 o’clock for fi ve minutes to talk about a paper for class. It doesn’t happen, you stay and talk about the weekend until either you or your professor has class at 4:15. Try walking through the Garden Room without hearing a joke from one of the staff who happens to be a big football fan. It doesn’t happen, you stop and joke back. Or try walking down Academic Row, dropping your books, and watching everyone stop and stare at you. It doesn’t happen, someone walks over and helps you pick your things up and you meet someone new. Th is type of community stretches from the one end of campus to the other.” JJ Contessa: “At a small institution such as Muhlenberg, it is imperative that the students, ad-ministrators, and community create a welcoming and caring environment. Th e faculty and staff at Muhlenberg have done an exceptional job creating a fantastic college experience. Professors show their support on and off the fi eld by cheering us on dur-ing our games, but also by being fl exible with our busy schedules to accommodate us for extra offi ce hours or whatever help we may need.” Phil Cresta: “I have always been accepted and respected during my time at Muhlenberg. I believe the Muhlenberg community is great with respecting all diff erent types of people. Th is is one of the reasons why everyone gets along well with everyone else.”

ACTIVE LEARNING At Muhlenberg, excellent teaching is our fi rst priority. Our faculty are drawn from America’s major universities and are selected for their ability to combine fi rst-rate scholarship and compelling teaching.

Many of our classes are taught seminar style, with an emphasis on discussion and classroom interaction. Science labs are hands-on, with the opportunity to do real science in a small college setting. Indepen-dent study, mentored research, internships and fi eld experience all are encouraged. Th e goal in each case is to promote an active, participatory learning style. Th at commitment to fi rst-rate teaching and active learning means that we strive always to provide learning experiences that are not simply informational, but interest-ing, even inspirational. It means looking for teaching approaches where students are not passive but rather engaged, active learners. Th e result has been an academic program widely recognized for educational excel-lence based on both rigor and nurture. Jake Floyd: “Due to the small class sizes

at Muhlenberg, there is nowhere to hide in the classroom because your professors know you by name. Students are actively engaged by profes-sors who lead lively discussions rather than boring lectures. Th e dialogue between students as well as with professors make the classes at Muhlenberg a place where ideas fl ow freely, debates happen, learning is fostered and growth occurs.”

Frank Emmett: “Last fall I took an Organizational Behavior class. We were given a group semester project and the goal was to think globally, but act locally. Along with four other group members we decided to tackle the issue of childhood obesity. We planned a whole day of fun educational activities for the children, ranging from a puzzle and a mix and match to a memory game. We put our plan into action at an after-school program at Th e Caring Place in down-town Allentown. Th e kids had a great day, and we really felt that we made an impact on the children. It’s tough to fi nd a class like this anywhere else.”

Cameron Ahouse: “Muhlenberg College is a small school with small classes, which provides for a lot of specialized attention. Professors are

always willing to help students and make themselves available. During my junior year where I focused on my two majors, the professors taught me more than what the book did; they taught me lessons that I can put to use in the real world, especially in my Investments and Portfolios class.” Phil Cresta: “I know that I would not have done very well at a college that did not include active professors. I believe that I received a great education because I was actually taught by my professors.”

POWERFUL OUTCOMES A Muhlenberg education provides a powerful launching pad to graduate school and entry-level careers. Th e College’s success rates with both law school and medical school placement are regularly over 90%. In addition, many Muhlenberg students go on to master’s and doctoral programs each year, often with teaching fellowships or other stipends. Muhlenberg grads also go on to a full range of employment opportunities, from America’s largest banks and accounting fi rms to its “blue-chip” business concerns, from the most prominent social and helping agencies to schools, government and family-owned businesses, and from a variety of media, writing and advertising positions to work in the performing and fi ne arts. Our alumni often report that their Muhlenberg experience helped them develop a combination of work ethic, mental agility and intellectual toughness that has allowed them to excel in a variety of fi elds. Muhlenberg graduates across the years share at least one thing in common – a rigorous, challenging and supportive undergraduate experience that helped to shape them and prepare them for excellence in their lives and careers.

Jake Floyd: “Th e true liberal arts structure of Muhlenberg allows you to do whatever you want with your degree. Muhlenberg does not prepare you solely for a career in your fi eld of study, but for your entire future. Th e diversity of the classes you must take for your requirements gives you an unparalleled educational background that makes a

Muhlenberg student a valuable asset to any company. I feel ex-tremely prepared and confi dent entering the job market with a Muhlenberg degree behind me.”

Frank Emmett: “My Muhlenberg education has landed me a credit analyst intern position at a local bank in Scranton, Pa., where hope-fully it may lead to a full-time position next year. But beyond getting a job after gradua-tion, a Muhlenberg education produces a well-rounded indi-

vidual. Instead of being ignorant of other societies, cultures, and norms of living, Muhlenberg grads will understand what was once diff erent.”

JJ Contessa: “I am very confi dent that upon the completion of my education at Muhlenberg that I will have the necessary tools to succeed in the corporate world. Th e liberal arts education has exposed me to various subject matters that have caused me to think outside of my normal realm, providing me with a much more cultured educa-tion that I am sure will come in handy during future work endeavors.” Cameron Ahouse: “Although Muhlenberg College is a small liberal arts school, it allows its students to explore many opportunities in the real world because of its great reputation. Some of my friends in accounting were able to get amazing internships because of the accounting program here. I was able to work for Northwestern Mutual Financial because I attend Muhlenberg.”


MuhlenbergMuhlenbergAthleticsAthletics

During the 2008-09 school year, Muhlenberg won the Centennial Conference championship in football, women’s basketball and softball, and Mule individuals earned bids to the NCAA Division III Championships in wrestling, men’s and women’s track and fi eld, and men’s cross country.

Muhlenberg College sponsors a comprehensive 22-sport intercollegiate ath-letics program. Th e Mules compete in the Centennial Conference in all sports and are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Divi-sion III. Muhlenberg’s sports program is designed to off er quality competitive experiences for the serious athlete, with opportunities for outstanding teams and individuals to advance to national Division III champi-onships. However, given the breadth of the program, op-portunities also exist for the unrecruited athlete to participate in varsity sports. Muhlenberg has excellent on-campus athletic facilities. Opened in 1982, the Life Sports Center is a building designed for athletics, intramurals and “sports for life” as primary uses. Th e original solar-heated building, a series of three additions to the Memorial Hall gymnasium, includes the spacious John Deitrich Field House, featuring bas-ketball and tennis courts and a 160-meter running track; the 25-meter Alumni Pool; and the Levering Tyson wing, containing racquetball and squash courts

and rooms for sports medicine, weight train-ing, wrestling, dance, instruction and equip-ment distribution. Memorial Hall, the original facility built in 1954, seats 3,529 and is an excellent facil-ity for viewing indoor sports. Th e Life Sports Center recently un-derwent a signifi cant renovation that further improved the Mules’ facilities. Th e three-level, 40,000-square foot addition was built directly west of the Deitrich Field House and opened in the fall of 2004. Th e new facil-ity includes additional locker rooms and offi ce space, new recreation

and fi tness areas and a new health and counseling center. Outdoors, the Mules have a grass fi eld used by the men’s and women’s soccer teams, constructed in 1997, and a stadium for use by football, fi eld hockey and lacrosse surrounded by an eight-lane, all-weather track, constructed in 1998 and resurfaced with AstroTurf GameDay Grass™ 3D in 2008.

ATHLETIC STAFF DIRECTORY 484-664-Director ........................Sam Beidleman .................. 3380Associate Director .........Corey Goff ......................... 3395Assistant Director ..........Jenny Warmack-Chipman .. 3669Business Manager .........Ray Ramella ....................... 3377Head Coaches Baseball ......................Corey Goff ......................... 3395 Basketball (men) ..........Scott McClary .................... 3387 Basketball (women) .....Ron Rohn ........................... 3394 Cheerleading ..............Kelly Drust ......................... 3865 Cross Country .............David Bracetty .................... 3788 Field Hockey ................Megan Eddinger ................ 3768 Football .......................Mike Donnelly .................... 3385 Golf (men) ..................John Librick ........................ 3392 Golf (women) ..............Ron Rohn ........................... 3394 Lacrosse (men) ............Chris Bissinger ................... 3763 Lacrosse (women) .......Kristen Stuckel ................... 3384 Soccer (men) ...............Sean Topping ..................... 3383 Soccer (women) ..........Leslie Benintend ................. 3382 Softball .......................Roni Rivera ......................... 3415 Tennis (men) ................Jeff Schmitt ........................ 3865 Tennis (women) ...........Linda Andrews ................... 3381 Track & Field................Brad Hackett ...................... 3590 Volleyball ....................Jenny Warmack-Chipman .. 3669 Wrestling ....................Mike Kocsis ........................ 3386Athletic Trainers ............Steve Nemes ...................... 3391 Lindsay Weiss ..................... 3063 Brian Perez ......................... 3863Equipment Manager .....John Librick ........................ 3392Administrative Asst. ......Bonnie Belknap .................. 3379

CC FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS

1983 Muhlenberg (5-2) Gettysburg (5-2) Swarthmore (5-2)1984 Gettysburg (6-1) Swarthmore (6-1)1985 Gettysburg (6-0-1)1986 Muhlenberg (6-1) Franklin & Marshall (6-1)1987 Franklin & Marshall (7-0)1988 Franklin & Marshall (6-1) Dickinson (6-1)1989 Dickinson (7-0)1990 Dickinson (5-1-1)1991 Dickinson (7-0)1992 Dickinson (5-1-1)1993 Dickinson (5-2) Franklin & Marshall (5-2)1994 Dickinson (7-0)1995 Franklin & Marshall (6-1)1996 Ursinus (7-0)

1997 Western Maryland (7-0)1998 Western Maryland (7-0)1999 Western Maryland (7-0)2000 Western Maryland (7-0)2001 Muhlenberg (5-1) Western Maryland (5-1)2002 Muhlenberg (5-1) Johns Hopkins (5-1) McDaniel (5-1)2003 Muhlenberg (5-1) Johns Hopkins (5-1)2004 Muhlenberg (4-2) Dickinson (4-2) Franklin & Marshall (4-2) Johns Hopkins (4-2) McDaniel (4-2)2005 Johns Hopkins (5-1)2006 Dickinson (5-1)2007 Muhlenberg (8-0)2008 Muhlenberg (7-1)

centennial conferencecentennial conference In its 17th year of all-sports competition, the Centennial Conference has taken its place among the nation’s elite small college conferences. On June 4, 1981, Keith Spalding, then-president of Franklin & Marshall College, made the announcement that “eight private colleges found it timely and appropriate to form a round-robin schedule among institutions with similar attitudes and practices in intercollegiate football.” With that

statement, the Centennial Conference was born. From 1983-92, the eight private col-

leges — Dickinson College, Franklin & Marshall College, Gettysburg College, Johns Hopkins University, Muhlenberg College, Swarthmore College, Ursi-nus College and Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) — participated in a football-only

conference. Because of the success in operating the Centennial Football

Conference, the league expanded to an all-sports conference in 1992, with Bryn

Mawr College, Haverford College and Washington College joining as charter members. In 2007, Juniata College and Moravian College, a longtime rival of Muhlenberg, joined the CC as associate members in the sport of football. Susquehanna is slated to come on board for the 2010 season. A purpose and mission statement adopted by the presidents stated, “Recognizing that our fundamental purpose is the academic mission of institutions, we agree to establish an all-sports conference in the spirit of rationalizing our competition by controlling travel, schedule and costs. The Conference will be controlled by the presidents of the member institutions.” The Centennial Conference encourages athletic competition among national liberal arts colleges and universities that share similar academic aspirations and a commitment to the importance of the total educational experience of students engaged in sports. Intercollegiate athletics pro-grams are an integral part of the life of the member institutions and fl ow from their educational objectives. Each institution provides a comprehen-sive, broad-based athletics program. All varsity sports are treated equitably, and every sport is important. The CC crowns champions in 24 sports and con-tinues to sponsor intercollegiate programs of national promi-nence for women and men. On the average, Centen-nial members boast of 19 varsity teams, which is well above the national norm. Football in the CC has shown an incredible balance of power. In 26 years, all eight of the original members have won outright or shared the Conference championship, and there has been a tie for the title nine times, including a fi ve-way tie in 2004. No team went through the CC season undefeated from 2000 until 2007, when Muhlenberg did. But success does not only come on the fi eld. Ten CC football players have been accorded NCAA Postgraduate Scholarships, while 10 more have earned fi rst-team Academic All-America recognition, and one earned a Rhodes Scholarship.

www.centennial.org


FootballFootballFacilitiesFacilities

A three-level, 40,000-square-foot addition to the Life Sports Center opened in August 2004, further improving Muhlenberg College’s athletic facilities. Th e addition, built directly west of the John Dietrich Field House, includes a large weight facility, an expanded cardio-fi tness area, the Life Sports Center Café snack bar, new facilities for health service and counseling, training rooms, locker rooms and coaches’ offi ces. Th e structure overlooks Scotty Wood Sta-dium and Varsity Field and is joined to the Life Sports Center by a large indoor corridor on the main level. A new main entrance faces the campus. Th e project also entailed renovations in the Field House, including installa-tion of a new fl oor and track, new netting, new lighting and painting.

Scotty Wood Stadium/Frank Marino Field

Life SportsCenter

Constructed 1998 Renovated 2003-04

Muhlenberg College constructed a state-of-the-art on-campus game and practice facility during the summer of 1998. Th e multipurpose stadium in-cludes an artifi cial turf playing fi eld with e-layer pad, an eight-lane all-weather track, bleacher seating for 3,000 and lighting. Th e facility was the fi rst of its kind in the Lehigh Valley. Scotty Wood Stadium, also home to the Mule fi eld hockey, lacrosse and track teams, received a facelift in the summer of 2008 when the original Astro-Turf 12® surface was replaced with AstroTurf GameDay Grass™ 3D. AstroTurf GameDay Grass™ is an infi ll turf system tufted into a super-stable, multi-ply primary backing system that is covered with a heavy urethane, envi-ronmentally friendly BioCel™ coating for uniformity, consistency and precise performance across the entire fi eld. AstroTurf GameDay Grass™ 3D is a natural-looking synthetic surface that’s more durable than 100% polyethylene systems. Tweed tufting of AstroTurf Game-Day Grass™ 3D more accurately mimics the true coloration of natural grass. A double nylon Root Zone acts as a traction layer, providing fi ber support and reduc-ing the compaction associated with other infi ll products. Muhlenberg’s facility is named for two prominent fi gures in the school’s athletic history. Th e stadium honors the late Milton W. “Scotty” Wood for his

many years of support and service to the College and its scholar athletes. He began Wood Dining Services, now prominent in the food service industry, in 1947 by feeding Muhlenberg basketball players. Th e Mules’ annual tipoff basketball tournament is also named in his honor. Th e fi eld honors Frank Marino, one of the most beloved coaches in school history. He led the football team to a 54-40-6 record from 1970 to 1980 and was 1976 Middle Atlantic Conference coach of the year. Marino served the athletic department in numerous other capacities during his 34-year association with the College, earning the respect, loyalty and admiration of hundreds of young men and women.

Scotty Wood Stadium has been one of the most popular Division III football venues of late. Muhlenberg has averaged more than 2,500 fans a game the last six years, including an over-capac-ity average of 3,401 in 2007. The Mules ranked 10th in Division III in home attendance (3,738 per game) in 2003. The top fi ve Scotty Wood Sta-dium crowds:

4,471 Hartwick Nov. 4, 20004,312 Salisbury Nov. 17, 20074,168 Moravian Nov. 15, 20034,121 Ursinus Oct. 30, 19994,100 Moravian Nov. 10, 2007

Not coincidentally, Muhlenberg has been very successful at Scotty Wood Stadium. Despite an off-year in 2005, the Mules are 44-15 at home since 1998, setting a school record with six home wins in 2000, 2002 and 2007:

1998 3-2 2002 6-1 2006 4-11999 3-2 2003 3-1 2007 6-02000 6-0 2004 4-1 2008 5-12001 3-2 2005 1-4

HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE


CoachingCoachingStaffStaff

Year .....W-L .. CC W-L ...CC Place1997........ 1-9 .........1-6 ........ 7th Five losses by a touchdown or less Led CC in total offense and passing offense

1998........ 5-5 .........3-4 ........ 5th Third-best improvement in Division III

1999........ 6-4 .........4-3 ........ 3rd (tied) First winning season since 1989 Received votes in national poll Led Division III in kickoff returns Led CC in passing offense Broke or tied 57 school, CC and NCAA records

2000........ 9-2 .........5-2 ........ 2nd (tied) Won ECAC Southwest championship First postseason bid since 1946 Tied school record with nine wins Best CC record/fi nish since 1988/1987 Three All-Americans and 14 All-CC players First CC player of the year in team history Ranked 24th in Division III by USA Football Led CC in total offense and passing offense

2001........ 7-4 .........5-1 ........ 1st (tied) Tied for CC championship (fi rst since 1986) Earned bid to ECAC Southeast championship 17 players on All-CC team Ranked 16th in Lindy’s preseason poll

2002....... 10-2 ........5-1 ........ 1st (tied) Earned fi rst-ever bid to NCAA Tournament and won fi rst-round game Tied for second straight CC championship Broke school record for wins Ranked 17th in fi nal Division III poll Two All-Americans and 18 All-CC selections CC and ECAC Southwest offensive player of the year Second in Division III in turnover margin

2003........ 7-3 .........5-1 ........ 1st (tied) Second straight NCAA bid Tied for third straight CC championship CC offensive player of the year Two All-Americans Nine spots on All-CC fi rst team Ranked in top 20 in two preseason polls

2004........ 8-3 .........4-2 ........ 1st (tied) Third consecutive NCAA bid Tied for fourth straight CC championship Led all of college football in total defense Ranked in top fi ve in Division III in four defensive categories CC defensive player of the year

2005........ 3-7 .........2-4 ........ 5th (tied) Ninth in Division III in total defense Six losses by eight points or fewer CC defensive player of the year

2006........ 5-5 .........2-4 ........ 5th (tied) 3-2 with two three-point losses in last fi ve games

2007....... 11-1 ........8-0 ........ 1st First outright CC championship ever First undefeated regular season ever First undefeated team in CC play since 2000 Advanced to NCAA second round Broke school record for wins Nine spots on All-CC fi rst team Ranked No. 8 by D3football.com In top 10 in Division III in nine statistical categories Four shutouts (most since 1947)

2008........ 9-2 .........7-1 ........ 1st Second straight outright CC championship Ranked No. 2 by AFCA during season CC offensive and defensive players of the year Two All-Americans Two Academic All-Americans Led CC in four defensive categories Scored at least 30 points seven times

Totals .. 81-47 ... 51-29 .....6 titles .633 .638

mule football 1997-2008

Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/CornerbacksIthaca ’75 • 13th Season

Mike Donnelly is the winningest coach in the history of Muhlenberg football with a record of 81-47 (.633) in 12 years. Since taking over a program that won a total of 18 games in the eight years prior to his arrival, Donnelly has turned

the Mules into a perennial title contender and national top-10 team. Donnelly was named regional coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association and D3football.com in 2007 after leading Muhlenberg to its fi rst undefeated regular season in the 106-year pro-gram history. Th e Mules won the Centennial Confer-ence championship, fi nished the regular season with a 10-0 record and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoff s. Th ey were ranked eighth in the country in the fi nal poll of the season. Th e 2008 squad repeated as CC champion and rose to No. 2 in one national poll — the highest national ranking ever for any Muhlenberg team in any sport. Donnelly was voted CC coach of the year. Th e Mules are 79-33 (.705) in their last 112 games and have earned seven postseason invitations since 2000. Th ey tied for the Centennial Conference cham-pionship four straight years (2001-04) and made their fi rst national playoff appearance in 2002. In 1999, Muhlenberg fi nished 6-4 for its fi rst win-ning record since 1989 and broke or tied 57 school, CC and NCAA records. Th e 2000 team tied a school record by winning nine games, earned the program’s fi rst postseason bid since 1946 and had three All-Amer-icans. In 2002, Muhlenberg fi nished the year ranked 17th after winning a school-record 10 games. Th e 2003 Mules won their fi nal seven regular-season games and became the fi rst team to win the CC title after losing the conference opener. Donnelly became the winningest coach in program history with a 20-2 defeat of Dickinson in 2005. In his 12 seasons, Donnelly has coached 13 All-Americans, seven Centennial Conference players of the year and four Academic All-Americans. As defensive coordinator, Donnelly has established one of the top defenses in Division III. Muhlenberg led the country in total defense in 2004 and ranked in the top fi ve in three other defensive categories. Th e Mules are one of four Division III schools that has allowed fewer than 250 yards per game the last seven years. A resident of nearby Easton, Donnelly came to Muhlenberg after four years at Columbia University, where, as defensive coordinator and linebackers coach, he helped the Lions compile an 8-2 record – their best in 51 years – in 1996. Donnelly’s charges included de-fensive end Marcellus Wiley, a third-team All-American and second-round draft pick of the Buff alo Bills. Since graduating in 1975 from Ithaca College, where he was an all-conference linebacker, Donnelly has coached at the NCAA Division I, II and III levels. Dur-ing the 1976-77 school year, he coached the defensive ends and was scouting coordinator at the University at Albany, while earning his master’s degree in education administration. Donnelly spent the next season as a defensive line assistant at East Stroudsburg University.

Offensive Coordinator/QuarterbacksEast Stroudsburg ’94 • 11th Season

Jeff Knarr is in his fourth season as off ensive coordinator at Muhlenberg, his ninth year as a full-time coach and his 11th with the Mules overall. In Knarr’s fi rst three years as off ensive coordinator, Muhlen-

berg has shown great improvement in points per game (from 13.8 in 2005 to 20.5 to 29.7 to 30.8) and yards per game (261.8 to 284.4 to 377.7 to 410.8). Th e Mules led the Centennial Conference in scoring off ense in their 2007 championship season and were second last year. Knarr was a part-time assistant on the defensive line for two seasons before moving across the ball to serve as quarterbacks and receivers coach and special teams coordinator for the 2001 campaign. In his coordinator role, Knarr helped make the Mule special teams truly special. Muhlenberg annu-ally ranked among the Centennial Conference and Division III leaders in a number of special teams statistical categories and had three All-Americans on special teams. In 2003, Muhlenberg blocked 12 kicks, a year after scoring fi ve touchdowns on special teams. Knarr joined the Mule coaching ranks in 1999 after four seasons as head coach at Notre Dame High School in Easton. In 1995, his team went 8-3, the best record at the small school since 1979. Previously, Knarr was defensive coordinator for two years at Notre Dame. He also served as assistant baseball coach for one season. Knarr was a McDonald’s Lehigh Valley All-Star Classic Hall of Fame inductee in 2006. Th e 40-year-old Knarr is a 1994 graduate of East Stroudsburg University, where he was a student coach with the wide receivers. He and his wife, Katie, have two children, Megan, 12, and Jake, 9.

Jeff KnarrJeff Knarr

Mike DonnellyMike Donnelly After two seasons as defensive coordinator and head track coach at Rensselaer Polytechnic Insti-tute, Donnelly returned to his alma mater for four years, coaching the linebackers and helping Ithaca to the 1980 NCAA Division III championship game. As head track coach, he led the Bombers to four consecutive conference titles. In 1984, Donnelly left Ithaca for Lafayette Col-lege, where he would spend the next seven years. He was defensive coordinator in 1988, when the Leopards won their fi rst Patriot League champion-ship. Donnelly spent two seasons as defensive coor-dinator at the University at Buff alo before moving on to Columbia. Donnelly is a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and has served on several AFCA committees. He also sits on the NCAA South Region football committee and ECAC football championship committee. Muhlenberg’s 28th football coach dating back to 1900, the 57-year-old Donnelly and his wife, Beth, have two children, Lauren, 26, and Brendan, 21.


CoachingCoachingStaffStaff

Special Teams Coordinator/Offensive LineCanisius ’02 • Sixth Season

Tom Perkovich

Tom Perkovich takes on the additional duty of special teams coordinator in his sixth season in two stints at Muhlenberg. Perkovich returned to the Mules on a full-time basis in 2006, coaching the off ensive

line. He also serves as the team’s strength coach. One of Perkovich’s linemen has earned fi rst-team All-Centennial Conference honors each of the last three years. Th e Mules had a whopping 8:30-plus average time of possession edge the last two years. Perkovich was running backs coach in 2003 and 2004, helping the Mules to consecutive CC championships. Six diff erent backs recorded 100-yard games in his two years, and one became the program’s all-time leading rusher and scorer. After leaving Muhlenberg, Perkovich furthered his experience at two Division I schools. He was tight ends coach at College of the Holy Cross for the 2005 season and running backs coach at Col-gate University in the spring of 2006. Perkovich was an all-star off ensive lineman at Canisius College, earning second-team mid-major All-America honors from Football Gazette as a se-nior. He played in all 42 games during his four-year career, starting the fi nal 31. Perkovich, who hails from Tonawanda, N.Y., also was a four-year letterwinner in basketball at Ca-nisius, becoming the fi rst Griff to play both sports all four years since 1949.

Assistant Coach/Inside LinebackersFirst Season

Mike Litzenberger

Mike Litzenberger joined the Muhlenberg staff for the 2009 season, bringing 26 years of coaching experience at local high schools. Litzenberger spent the last six seasons at Catasauqua High School, including the last three as head coach. He previously worked on staff s at Dieruff (1983-88), Emmaus (1989-93), Parkland (1994-2001) and Freedom (2002) high schools, coaching all three levels of the defense as well as the off ensive line and wide receivers. A certifi ed football and baseball offi cial, Litzen-berger has served as a juvenile detention center worker for the County of Lehigh since 1990. He attended Penn State University for three years from 1979 to 1981.

Assistant Coach/SafetiesLafayette ’09 • First Season

Joel Sheldon

One of the top collegiate football players in the area the last two years, Andy Romans is a newcomer to the Muhlenberg staff as safeties coach. Romans was two-time Patriot League defensive player of the year as a linebacker at Lafayette College. In 2008, he was named to the FCS All-America second team by Associated Press and Th e Sports Network and was a fi nalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, given to the top defensive player in the FCS. Romans, who hails from Allendale, N.J., attend-ed the New York Giants minicamp in May 2009. Th e four-year letterwinner fi nished his career with three All-Patriot League selections and 326 tackles, good for 10th place among active FCS players. He led the top-ranked defense in the country in 2007 and was a member of two Patriot League championship teams.

Assistant Coach/Tight EndsMuhlenberg ’09 • First Season

Mike Nolan

Assistant Coach/Running BacksMass.-Dartmouth ’07 • Second Season

James Lastowski

A big part of the Mules’ recent success, both literally and fi guratively, Mike Nolan is in his fi rst year as a member of the coaching staff . After playing nose tackle as a freshman, Nolan was a

fi rst-team All-Centennial Conference center three straight years, including two seasons as a unani-mous selection. In 2008, he was named a preseason All-American by Sporting News and D3football.com. In three seasons with the 6-4, 300-pound Nolan anchoring the off ensive line, the Mules were 25-8 and averaged 360.5 yards and 27.3 points per game. Nolan, who hails from Glenolden, Pa., was co-captain of the team in 2008, when he was selected to the Academic All-District fi rst team.

James Lastowski is in his sec-ond season on the Muhlenberg staff . After coaching the tight ends last year, he moves over to the running back corps. Lastowski is a 2007 graduate of the University of Massachu-

setts-Dartmouth. While there he spent four seasons coaching at Bishop Stang (Mass.) High School. Las-towski was a three-year letterman for Northampton (Mass.) High School, earning all-league honors his senior season. He spent the 2007 season as a gradu-ate assistant at Massachusetts Maritime Academy, where he worked with the tight ends.

Tom PerkovichTom Perkovich Andy RomansAndy Romans

Assistant Coach/Outside LinebackersMuhlenberg ’09 • First Season

Joel Sheldon

After four years as an out-standing player for Muhlenberg, Matt Rathbun traded in his helmet for a whistle to coach a position he knows very well. Rathbun was Centennial Conference defensive player of the year and a third-team All-American at outside linebacker in 2008. He served as a team captain, led the Mules with 84 tackles and set a school record with 164 yards on interception returns. A native of Boonton, N.J., Rathbun fi nished his career with 212 total tackles, including 37 for loss, and 14 takeaways on a school-record eight fumble recoveries and six interceptions.

Matt RathbunMatt Rathbun

Assistant Coach/Wide ReceiversFirst Season

Jeff Fisher

Jeff Fisher is in his fi rst season on the Muhlenberg staff as wide receivers coach. Fisher was an assistant at Southern Lehigh High School in 2008, coaching the wide receivers and safeties. For the

three previous years, he coached the wide receiv-ers and outside linebackers at Notre Dame High School, his alma mater. Fisher, who is currently pursuing a degree at De-Sales University, works full-time in marketing and public relations at CORE Physical Th erapy.

Assistant Coach/Defensive LineEast Stroudsburg ’94 • Sixth Season

Ron HannisRon Hannis

Ron Hannis is in his sixth season as a member of the Muhlenberg staff . After three years of coaching the inside line-backers, he moved to defensive line for the 2007 campaign. Five of the Mules’ six starting linemen the last two years earned All-Centennial Conference honors, with three making the fi rst team. From 1998 to 2003, Hannis was an assistant football coach in the Wilson Area School District, serving as off ensive coordinator, off ensive and defensive line coach and strength coach. For the previous four years, he coached in the Salisbury Twp. School District. Hannis is a 1994 graduate of East Stroudsburg University, where he won three varsity letters as an off ensive guard. He earned all-conference second-team honors in 1991. Since 1999, Hannis has taught health and physical education at Philip F. Lauer Middle School in the Wilson School District.


20092009RosterRoster No Name Cl Pos Ht Wt Hometown/High School 43 Mark Accomando * Jr S/LB 5-11 205 Rockville Centre, N.Y./Chaminade 4 Cameron Ahouse ***+ Sr CB 6-0 203 Woodbury, Conn./Th e Gunnery 65 John Allen ** Jr OT 6-1 311 Lindenhurst, N.Y./Chaminade 59 Scott Barton So OL 6-4 283 South Plainfi eld, N.J./South Plainfi eld 40 Codie Bender ** Sr RB 5-8 196 Leesport, Pa./Schuylkill Valley

75 Mark Bigelli ** Jr OG 6-0 314 Phillipsburg, N.J./Phillipsburg 72 Garrett Bisbing Fr OT 6-0 284 Emmaus, Pa./Central Catholic 35 Matt Boland *** Sr TE 6-2 228 Drexel Hill, Pa./Monsignor Bonner 19 Drew Brantner Jr TE 6-2 217 Union Springs, N.Y./Union Springs 21 Bobby Bushong * Jr WR 5-10 185 Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Catholic 16 Anthony Casalino Fr QB 5-8 161 West Orange, N.J./West Orange 48 Kenneth Cobb So DE 5-10 213 Bridgeport, Conn./Central 23 Karl Colder So LB 5-10 192 Columbus, N.J./Holy Cross 37 Philip Congialdi So LB 5-11 192 Havertown, Pa./Malvern Prep 1 JJ Contessa ***+ Sr TE 6-2 231 Redding, Conn./Joel Barlow

24 Jimmy Cooper Jr FB 5-7 210 Edison, N.J./Edison 57 Kyle Coupe Jr LB 5-10 190 Delran, N.J./Delran 81 Phil Cresta ***+ Sr WR 6-3 208 Aston, Pa./Sun Valley 55 Tim Cumming Fr OG 6-0 279 New Providence, N.J./New Providence 46 Andy Curley * Jr LB 6-1 221 Mt. Airy, Md./Glenelg

26 Terrence Dandridge Fr RB 5-7 170 Baltimore, Md./Archbishop Curley 3 Dan Deighan Fr QB 5-8 173 Wanaque, N.J./Lakeland Regional 60 Kyle Detweiler ** Sr OG 5-11 260 Chalfont, Pa./Souderton 96 AJ Diaz Fr P 6-1 188 Manhasset, N.Y./Manhasset 34 Dylan Domenick Fr LB 6-1 197 Basking Ridge, N.J./Ridge

8 Frank Emmett ***+ Sr LB 6-3 216 Clarks Summit, Pa./Abington Heights 98 Steven Entenman Fr DE 6-0 237 Collegeville, Pa./Perkiomen Valley 83 Shae Fahey So WR 6-0 172 Robbinsville, N.J./Robbinsville 13 Jon Falsetti Sr QB 6-2 194 Hamilton, N.J./Steinert 28 Mike Fiorillo So LB 5-8 215 Howell, N.J./Howell

91 Jake Floyd **+ Sr DE 5-11 241 Springfi eld, N.J./Jonathan Dayton 61 Chris Galletta Fr DE 6-2 221 Ardsley, N.Y./Ardsley 30 Scott Gavin ** Jr LB 5-11 211 Taylor, Pa./Riverside 54 Joe Germano ** Sr LB 6-0 229 Hawthorne, N.J./Bergen Catholic 20 Eric Gilbert Fr CB 5-11 155 Folcroft, Pa./Academy Park

71 Lou Greco Jr OT 6-0 268 Verona, N.J./Verona 88 John Gruver Fr WR 5-9 174 Kintnersville, Pa./Palisades 10 Chris Hartzell * So CB 6-1 177 Sinking Spring, Pa./Wilson 25 Jared Holenda ** Jr S 6-0 189 Catasauqua, Pa./Catasauqua 69 Edward Hopkins So OT 5-11 269 Mullica Hill, N.J./Clearview Regional

67 Kevin Hussey *** Sr C 6-0 284 Parsippany, N.J./Parsippany 50 Christopher Johnson Jr LB 5-9 220 Mahwah, N.J./Mahwah 51 Matt Johnson Fr LB 5-9 214 Ambler, Pa./Wissahickon 80 Mike Johnson * Jr TE 6-2 240 Branchburg, N.J./Somerville 33 James Jurewicz Fr RB 5-10 221 Pompton Plains, N.J./DePaul Catholic

74 John Kaczmarek Fr OL 6-3 293 Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom 64 Spencer Kane Fr OL 6-1 249 Somers, N.Y./Somers 68 Michael Katz * Jr K 6-0 172 Plainview, N.Y./Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK 39 Ryan Keeley ** Sr RB/DB 5-11 196 Flemington, N.J./Hunterdon Central 2 Michael Kellum * So DL 6-3 225 Reading, Pa./Muhlenberg

numerical rosternumerical roster

No Name Pos 1 JJ Contessa TE 2 Michael Kellum DL 3 Dan Deighan QB 4 Cameron Ahouse CB 5 Michael Peischl QB 6 Kevin Ryan S 7 Jesse Long WR 8 Frank Emmett LB 9 Victor Taiwo LB 10 Chris Hartzell CB 11 Patrick McDonough LB 12 Tim Velys S 13 Jon Falsetti QB 14 John Muha S 15 Justin Kreamer QB 16 Anthony Casalino QB 17 Jon Liberty WR 18 Justin Myers QB 19 Drew Brantner TE 20 Eric Gilbert CB 21 Bobby Bushong WR 22 Steve Nissley CB 23 Karl Colder LB 24 Jimmy Cooper FB 25 Jared Holenda S 26 Terrence Dandridge RB 27 Joseph Wassel CB 28 Mike Fiorillo LB 29 Jason LoPipero P/LB 30 Scott Gavin LB 31 Scott Lissner LB 32 Chase Nadell S 33 James Jurewicz RB 34 Dylan Domenick LB 35 Matt Boland TE a35 Tim Vogel CB 36 Jeremiah Lachaud DE a36 Joe Montemurro RB 37 Philip Congialdi LB 38 Shane O’Connor S 39 Ryan Keeley RB/DB 40 Codie Bender RB a40 Isaiah Vaughn CB 41 J.T. Merklinger RB 42 Frankie Mayer CB 43 Mark Accomando S/LB 44 Matt Musick LB 45 MJ Rus FB 46 Andy Curley LB 47 Steven Nork LB

No Name Pos 48 Kenneth Cobb DE 49 Jon Landrigan WR 50 Christopher Johnson LB 51 Matt Johnson LB 52 Harrison Rowner DE 53 Michael Porembski OG 54 Joe Germano LB 55 Tim Cumming OG 56 Ewan Wright NT 57 Kyle Coupe LB 58 Chris Rider OG 59 Scott Barton OL 60 Kyle Detweiler OG 61 Chris Galletta DE 62 Frank Malandruccolo OT 64 Spencer Kane OL 65 John Allen OT 67 Kevin Hussey OG 68 Michael Katz K 69 Edward Hopkins OT 70 Mark Miller OG 71 Lou Greco OT 72 Garrett Bisbing OT 73 Mark Mounayar C 74 John Kaczmarek OL 75 Mark Bigelli OG 77 William Osei OT 78 Garrett Orr NT 80 Mike Johnson TE 81 Phil Cresta WR 82 Bryan Wilson WR 83 Shae Fahey WR 84 Brett Von Bergen WR 85 Marcus Toomey WR 86 Matthew Siedt TE 87 Zach Klein WR a87 Sean Mulligan TE 88 John Gruver WR 89 Steve Liparini TE 90 Zach Lieberman NT 91 Jake Floyd DE 92 Ryan Murphy DE 93 Gregg Mercogliano K 94 Brandon Turner DE 95 Corry Whitehead K 96 AJ Diaz P 97 Phil Musick NT 98 Steven Entenman DE 99 David Schryver DL


20092009RosterRosterwhere they’re fromwhere they’re from

CONNECTICUT (5) Ahouse, Cobb, Contessa, Lieberman, Taiwo

MARYLAND (2) Curley, Dandridge

NEW JERSEY (40) by county Bergen (4) Germano, C. Johnson, Liparini, Vogel Burlington (2) Colder, Coupe Camden (2) Klein, Mercogliano Essex (3) Casalino, Greco, Mayer Gloucester (1) Hopkins Hunterdon (1) Keeley Mercer (4) Fahey, Falsetti, M. Musick, P. Musick Middlesex (4) Barton, Cooper, Lachaud, Long Monmouth (1) Fiorillo Morris (6) Hussey, Jurewicz, Landrigan, Lissner, Muha, Wilson Ocean (1) O’Connor Passiac (3) Deighan, Peischl, Wassel Somerset (3) Domenick, Mi. Johnson, Schryver Sussex (2) Merklinger, Ryan Union (2) Cumming, Floyd Warren (1) Bigelli

NEW YORK (20) by county Bronx (1) Vaughn Cayuga (1) Brantner Kings (2) Malandruccolo, Wright Nassau (7) Accomando, Diaz, Katz, Murphy, Nadell, Porembski, Rowner Richmond (1) Mulligan Suff olk (4) Allen, LoPipero, Montemurro, Velys Westchester (4) Galletta, Kane, Kreamer, Myers

PENNSYLVANIA (31) by county Berks (5) Bender, Hartzell, Kellum, McDonough, Von Bergen Bucks (1) Gruver Carbon (1) Whitehead Chester (1) Mounayar Delaware (6) Boland, Congialdi, Cresta, Gilbert, Liberty, Miller Lackawanna (2) Emmett, Gavin Lancaster (1) Bushong Lehigh (2) Bisbing, Holenda Montgomery (5) Detweiler, Entenman, Ma. Johnson, Nissley, Osei Northampton (5) Kaczmarek, Nork, Orr, Rider, Siedt Schuylkill (2) Toomey, Turner

VERMONT (1) Rus

BY CLASS Seniors 19 Sophomores 28 Juniors 22 Freshmen 30

No Name Cl Pos Ht Wt Hometown/High School 87 Zach Klein Fr WR 6-1 184 Voorhees, N.J./Eastern Regional 15 Justin Kreamer Fr QB 5-8 180 Ossining, N.Y./Ossining 36 Jeremiah Lachaud ** Sr DE 6-1 219 East Brunswick, N.J./East Brunswick 49 Jon Landrigan Fr WR 5-7 179 Madison, N.J./Madison 17 Jon Liberty Jr WR 6-3 194 Broomall, Pa./Marple Newtown

90 Zach Lieberman Fr NT 6-0 229 Weston, Conn./Staples 89 Steve Liparini So TE 6-2 219 Closter, N.J./Northern Valley Demarest 31 Scott Lissner ** Jr LB 5-11 211 Rockaway, N.J./Morris Knolls 7 Jesse Long So WR 5-6 163 New Brunswick, N.J./Bishop Ahr 29 Jason LoPipero ** Jr P/LB 6-0 215 Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park

62 Frank Malandruccolo Fr OT 6-0 247 Brooklyn, N.Y./Xavier 42 Frankie Mayer Fr CB 5-10 174 Cedar Grove, N.J./Montclair Kimberley Academy 11 Patrick McDonough * Jr LB 6-1 228 Wyomissing, Pa./Wyomissing 93 Gregg Mercogliano So K 6-2 189 Haddonfi eld, N.J./Haddonfi eld Memorial 41 J.T. Merklinger So RB 5-6 173 Sparta, N.J./Seton Hall Prep

70 Mark Miller Sr OG 6-0 255 Broomall, Pa./Malvern Prep a36 Joe Montemurro Jr RB 5-7 180 Kings Park, N.Y./Kings Park 73 Mark Mounayar * So OG 6-1 322 Coatesville, Pa./Coatesville 14 John Muha Fr S 6-0 175 Cedar Knolls, N.J./Seton Hall Prep a87 Sean Mulligan So TE 5-11 193 Staten Island, N.Y./St. Joseph-by-the-Sea

92 Ryan Murphy Fr DE 5-11 222 Hicksville, N.Y./Holy Trinity 44 Matt Musick So LB 5-9 203 Ewing, N.J./Ewing 97 Phil Musick So NT 6-0 235 Ewing, N.J./Ewing 18 Justin Myers So QB 5-8 192 Irvington, N.Y./Irvington 32 Chase Nadell * So S 5-10 168 Merrick, N.Y./John F. Kennedy

22 Steve Nissley * So CB 5-10 170 Pottsgrove, Pa./Pottsgrove 47 Steven Nork Jr LB 5-9 200 Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom 38 Shane O’Connor Fr S 5-11 180 Pt. Pleasant, N.J./Pt. Pleasant Boro 78 Garrett Orr ** Sr NT 6-1 254 Easton, Pa./Easton 77 William Osei Sr OT 6-3 278 Abington, Pa./Abington

5 Michael Peischl Sr QB 5-11 199 Wayne, N.J./Wayne Hills 53 Michael Porembski So OG 6-0 275 North Massapequa, N.Y./Chaminade 58 Chris Rider Fr OG 5-11 277 Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty 52 Harrison Rowner Jr DE 6-3 217 West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead 45 MJ Rus * So FB 5-11 219 East Montpelier, Vt./U-32

6 Kevin Ryan * So S 6-2 205 Fredon, N.J./Kittatinny 99 David Schryver So DL 6-0 224 Montgomery, N.J./Montgomery 86 Matthew Siedt So TE 6-4 233 Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth 9 Victor Taiwo So LB 5-11 216 Bridgeport, Conn./Central 85 Marcus Toomey Fr WR 6-2 185 Pottsville, Pa./Pottsville

94 Brandon Turner So DE 6-3 221 Tamaqua, Pa./Tamaqua a40 Isaiah Vaughn Fr CB 5-9 152 Bronx, N.Y./John F. Kennedy 12 Tim Velys Fr S 5-9 168 Riverhead, N.Y./Riverhead a35 Tim Vogel Fr CB 5-10 158 Emerson, N.J./Emerson 84 Brett Von Bergen Sr WR 6-1 161 Blandon, Pa./Fleetwood

27 Joseph Wassel So CB 5-7 179 Totowa, N.J./Passaic Valley 95 Corry Whitehead Jr K 6-5 230 Lehighton, Pa./Lehighton 82 Bryan Wilson Fr WR 5-11 197 Lincoln Park, N.J./Boonton 56 Ewan Wright *** Sr NT 6-1 243 Brooklyn, N.Y./Th e Gunnery (Conn.)

* letters won + captains


Mules Seek Third Straight Title Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Th at’s the hope of the Muhlenberg football team, which is in for a challenge if it wants to remain at the lofty heights it enjoyed the last two years. Th e Mules won back-to-back outright Centennial Conference championships in 2007 and 2008, going 20-3 overall and 15-1 in the CC, and were nationally ranked both seasons. A heavy toll taken by graduation, especially at key positions, means the Mules will have to rely on youth and inexperience. Th e open spots are opportunities for players who have not seen much time in the past to earn their way onto the fi eld. Th at’s where the will comes in. Th e team’s motto for the 2009 season is “I will, we will.” As in:

• “I will work hard.” “We will work as hard as we can so we can be successful.”• “I will prove to my coaches and teammates that I am the best at my position.” “We will win if we prove it to our opponent.”• “I will learn the playbook.” “We will be the smartest team.”• “I will support my teammates in all four classes.” “We will win with great chemistry.”• “I will earn what I want in football.” “We will expect nothing and fi nd a way to win.”• “I will not let my teammates down on Saturday.” “We will get it done.”

Here’s a look at some of the players who’ll put that will into action:

Bobby Bushong emerged as a threat last year, catching 12 balls and scoring two TDs. Muhlenberg enjoys great depth at tight end, which gives the team the fl exibility to run out of multiple formations. Seniors JJ Contessa and Matt Boland both saw starting time at tight end last year, combining for seven catches. Although he lacks game experi-ence, sophomore Steve Liparini has shown great improvement and has the size and strength to make his fi rst varsity impact. On the line, junior Mark Bigelli (All-CC second team) and senior Kevin Hussey return as starters, with Bigelli at

guard and Hussey likely to move to center after three years as a guard. Th ree other re-turning letterwinners – senior Kyle Detwei-ler, junior John Allen and sophomore Mark Mounayar – will compete for the remaining starting positions. Junior Lou Greco and senior William Osei are also in the mix.

20092009OutlookOutlook

offense Muhlenberg has improved its numbers in scoring and total yardage each of the last three years, to the point where it ranked in the top 45 in Division III in both categories last year. But the Mules graduated an All-America running

back, three starting off ensive linemen and a three-year starting quarterback. Although new faces will abound in 2009, the Mules will try to maintain the effi ciency and balance that have become the hallmarks of their off ense. Th e biggest question mark is at quarter-back: For the fi rst time since 1994, Muhlen-berg does not have a returning player who has

ever taken a snap under center in a varsity game. Th e three returnees – seniors Jon Falsetti and Michael Peischl and sophomore Justin Myers – will battle it out with three freshmen for what promises to be a fi erce battle for the wide-open spot. Th e situation is similar at running back, where the two returning letterwinners combined for only 24 carries a year ago and several talented newcomers will push for starting time. Senior Codie Bender is the most experienced Mule running back, with 50 career carries for a 4.6-yard average. He and sophomore MJ Rus split time at fullback at the end of 2008. Senior Ryan Keeley moves back to the off ensive backfi eld after two years as a defensive back. Statistically, the top returning off ensive player is senior Phil Cresta, an All-CC fi rst-team selection. Th e athletic 6-3 wideout enters his fi nal year av-eraging 17.4 yards on 99 career receptions, including 14 touchdowns. Junior

13 Jon Falsetti Sr 5 Michael Peischl Sr 18 Justin Myers So 16 Anthony Casalino Fr 3 Dan Deighan Fr 15 Justin Kreamer Fr

QUARTERBACKS

40 Codie Bender ** Sr 39 Ryan Keeley ** Sr 45 MJ Rus * So 24 Jimmy Cooper Jr 36 Joe Montemurro Jr 41 J.T. Merklinger So 26 Terrence Dandridge Fr 33 James Jurewicz Fr

* letters won

RUNNING BACKS

67 Kevin Hussey *** Sr 75 Mark Bigelli ** Jr 60 Kyle Detweiler ** Sr 65 John Allen ** Jr 73 Mark Mounayar * So 70 Mark Miller Sr 77 William Osei Sr 71 Lou Greco Jr 59 Scott Barton So 69 Edward Hopkins So 53 Michael Porembski So 72 Garrett Bisbing Fr 55 Tim Cumming Fr 74 John Kaczmarek Fr 64 Spencer Kane Fr 62 Frank Malandruccolo Fr 58 Chris Rider Fr

returning starters in bold* letters won

OFFENSIVE LINE

81 Phil Cresta *** Sr 21 Bobby Bushong * Jr 84 Brett Von Bergen Sr 17 Jon Liberty Jr 83 Shae Fahey So 7 Jesse Long So 88 John Gruver Fr 87 Zach Klein Fr 49 Jon Landrigan Fr 85 Marcus Toomey Fr 82 Bryan Wilson Fr

1 JJ Contessa *** Sr 35 Matt Boland *** Sr 80 Mike Johnson * Jr 19 Drew Brantner Jr 89 Steve Liparini So 87 Sean Mulligan So 86 Matthew Siedt So


WIDE RECEIVERS

TIGHT ENDS

school w l pct titlesMUHLENBERG 43 16 .729 6Johns Hopkins 39 20 .661 4Moravian 10 6 .625 0Dickinson 35 24 .593 2McDaniel 31 28 .525 4Franklin & Marshall 22 37 .373 1Gettysburg 22 37 .373 0Ursinus 21 38 .356 0Swarthmore 2 5 .286 0Juniata 1 15 .063 0

notes: Two or more teams tied for the champion-ship every year from 2001 to 2004. Swarthmore dropped football after 2000; Juniata and Mora-vian joined the CC in 2007.

best of the deCCade

Muhlenberg has been the top football program in Centennial Conference games since 2000:


1. Johns Hopkins (10) ............. 1152t. MUHLENBERG (5)......... 1022t. Dickinson (2) ..................... 1024. Moravian (1) ......................... 915. Gettysburg ............................ 756. Franklin & Marshall .............. 637. Ursinus .................................. 458. McDaniel .............................. 269. Juniata ................................... 22fi rst-place votes in parentheses

PRESEASON POLL

20092009OutlookOutlookdefense Th e Mules have fi nished in the top 15 in Division III in total defense four of the last fi ve years, ranking 14th in 2008. Although the CC defensive player of the year graduated,

Muhlenberg hasseven of 11 starters returning and fi gures to make things tough for opposing off enses again. Th e defensive line will have a bit of a diff erent look. In the past, Muhlenberg has featured a big nose tackle in the middle of its 3-4. Th e Mules don’t have that kind of size up front this year, but will instead rely on their quickness and a six-man rota-tion that keeps their players fresh. Senior veterans Jake Floyd (24 tackles, 10 for

loss), Jeremiah Lachaud (10 tackles, team-leading six sacks), Ewan Wright (22 tackles) and Garrett Orr will share playing time with sophomores Michael Kellum and Kenneth Cobb. At linebacker, Muhlenberg returns some of its top defensive players. Senior Frank Emmett moves to outside linebacker, a spot that has produced three of the last fi ve CC defensive players of the year, after recording 53 tackles (6½ for loss) and earning All-CC second-team honors as an end last fall. Inside, juniors Scott Gavin (48 tackles, 6 TFL, All-CC second team) and Patrick McDonough (44 tackles) team up to form a formidable duo. Experienced players who will vie for the other outside ’backer spot include juniors Scott Lissner (22 tackles, 4½ for loss), Jason

LoPipero and Andy Curley. Se-nior Joe Germano gives the unit depth and experience at inside linebacker and is one of the Mules’ core special teams players. Junior Steven Nork and sophomore Victor Taiwo are also expected to be important players at linebacker. Leading the secondary is three-time All-CC choice Cameron Ahouse, who leads all active Mules in career tackles (125), pass breakups (18) and interceptions (10). At the safeties, junior Jared Holenda (36 tackles) has started at rover for most of the last two years, and classmate Mark Accomando (41 tackles, 6 pass breakups) showed a world of

potential starting at outside linebacker at the end of 2008. A trio of sophomores – Chris Hartzell, Steve Nissley and Kevin Ryan – saw considerable action as rookies and will push for their share of play-ing time in the defensive backfi eld. Another sophomore, Chase Nadell, has impressed after moving over from running back.

special teams Muhlenberg has a long history of success in special teams, and last year was no diff er-ent. Even while losing their last two games, the Mules made big special teams plays in both, blocking a punt for a touchdown at Moravian and blocking an extra point vs. Wesley. Th ey ranked 23rd in Division III in kickoff returns for the season. Junior Michael Katz had a breakout season last year, connecting on all 45 of his extra-point tries (the best perfect mark in Division III) and booting eight fi eld goals, with a long of 42. LoPipero is in line to take over punting chores after two years as a backup.

Several players will be competing to bring back punts and kickoff s, as the Mules graduated their top return men. Bushong fi nished out the 2008 season as the team’s punt returner. Muhlenberg brings back its special teams co-MVPs from a year ago in Emmett and Wright.

polls Th e CC preseason poll showed the respect the league’s coaches and sports information directors have for the Muhlenberg program. Th e Mules tied for second place in the poll despite their question marks and received fi ve fi rst-place votes. In the D3football.com preseason poll, Muhlenberg received 22 votes, the most of any CC school.

91 Jake Floyd ** Sr 36 Jeremiah Lachaud ** Sr 78 Garrett Orr ** Sr 56 Ewan Wright *** Sr 2 Michael Kellum * So 52 Harrison Rowner Jr 48 Kenneth Cobb So 97 Phil Musick So 99 Dave Schryver So 94 Brandon Turner So 98 Steven Entenman Fr 61 Chris Galletta Fr90 Zach Lieberman Fr 92 Ryan Murphy Fr


DEFENSIVE LINE

68 Michael Katz (K) * Jr 29 Jason LoPipero (P) ** Jr 95 Corry Whitehead (K) Jr 93 Gregg Mercogliano (K/P) So 96 AJ Diaz (P) Fr


KICKERS 8 Frank Emmett *** Sr 30 Scott Gavin ** Jr 11 Patrick McDonough * Jr 54 Joe Germano ** Sr 46 Andy Curley * Jr 31 Scott Lissner ** Jr 29 Jason LoPipero ** Jr 57 Kyle Coupe Jr 50 Christopher Johnson Jr 47 Steven Nork Jr 23 Karl Colder So 37 Philip Congialdi So 28 Mike Fiorillo So 44 Matt Musick So 9 Victor Taiwo So 34 Dylan Domenick Fr 51 Matt Johnson Fr


LINEBACKERS

4 Cameron Ahouse *** Sr25 Jared Holenda ** Jr 43 Mark Accomando * Jr 10 Chris Hartzell * So 32 Chase Nadell * So 22 Steve Nissley * So 6 Kevin Ryan * So 27 Joseph Wassel So20 Eric Gilbert Fr42 Frankie Mayer Fr14 John Muha Fr38 Shane O’Connor Fr40 Isaiah Vaughn Fr12 Tim Velys Fr35 Tim Vogel Fr


DEFENSIVE BACKS

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