Veterans Report For Start of Fall Camp
8/9/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Aug. 9, 2002
Stephen F. Austin head football coach Mike Santiago and his staff welcomed the return of 62 veteran student-athletes to campus Friday as the team begins preparations for the 2002 season. The 62 student-athletes join 28 freshmen and newcomers already on campus..
?I?m very excited to mix the veterans with the newcomers and see what happens. A vast majority of the returners worked hard over the summer and are returning for the start of fall camp in the best shape we?ve ever been in to start practices,? said Santiago.
Included among the 62 returning student-athletes are eight players who have been named to 2002 preseason All-Southland Conference teams.
Anthony Dingle, a wide receiver from Tyler, was the lone first team offensive selection to the preseason teams released by the Southland Conference last week. Dingle led the team last season with 54 receptions for 914 yards and six touchdowns. The 54 catches are the most ever by a Lumberjack receiver in an 11-game season. Larry Centers holds the SFA single season reception record with 58 catches in the 15-game, 1989 playoff season. Dingle enters the 2002 season in tenth place on the all-time receptions list at the university with 95 career catches.
David Crocker, a junior defensive back from Killeen, and Michael Adams, a senior linebacker from Beckville, were both named to the first team defensive unit. Crocker returns for his junior season after leading the team a year ago with 112 tackles. Adams moves to linebacker for the 2002 season after playing defensive end for the past three years. He led the team with 10.5 sacks in 2000.
Lawrence Hamilton, a senior receiver from Marshall, David Phillips, a junior offensive lineman from Kemp, and Greg Barnum, a senior from Killeen were also named to the second team offensive unit. Barnum played the past two seasons as a defensive tackle but moves back to his natural position of center for the 2002 season. He was rated as the top prep center in the nation leaving high school before signing with the University of Tennessee.
Second team defensive unit honors also went to senior linebacker Aubrey Brisendine and senior defensive back Braxton O?Banion. Brisendine returns to the lineup after missing the 2001 season with an injury. O?Banion returns for his senior season after finishing second on the team last season with two interceptions.
The veterans will take the field for the first time Saturday morning at 8:30 and return for an afternoon workout at 6:30 p.m. The team will scrimmage for the first time Thursday, August 15 at 7:00 p.m. in the stadium.
All practices are open to the public.
