Posted: Feb 07, 2007

SIGNING DAY! Bryant Football Signs 30 Student-Athletes To National Letters of Intent

February 7, 2007

BRYANT FOOTBALL SIGNS 30 RECRUITS TO NATIONAL LETTERS OF INTENT

SMITHFIELD, RI - The Bryant University Department of Athletics is pleased to announce the signing of 30 student-athletes to national letters of intent to enroll and participate in intercollegiate football in the fall of 2007. The announcement was made today by fourth-year head football coach Marty Fine.

Anthony DiNaso

Andrew Regan

Michael Canfora

Connor Cardew

Brian Kelly and Manny Frangiadakis

Zach Wilson

Chris Collins

Perry Grisafi

Jake Eddy

Joe Iaquinto

Bryant is coming off its most successful season in school history in 2006. The Bulldogs captured their first share of the Northeast-10 Conference Championship with an 8-3 overall record and hosted an NCAA Division II playoff game at Bulldog Stadium in November. The list of Bryant's class of 2011 include:

Anthony DiNaso WR, 5-11, 205 (Staten Island, NY / Poly Prep Country Day)
Four-year starting receiver ... NY Daily News All-Star ... First Team All-City ... Second Team All-State ... Staten Island Advance All-Star ... Outback Bowl participant (Long Island vs. NYC) ... NY vs. NJ All-Star game participant ... Lettered in baseball, football, lacrosse, and track.

Chris Allmond OLB, 6-1, 225 (Mays Landing, NJ / Holy Spirit HS)
All-Cape Atlantic Second Team...Led team to playoffs in each of his four seasons...Also lettered in basketball ... Team went 8-3 in 2006 under coach Bill Walsh ... Starting linebacker and tight end as a senior ... Team went 8-2 in 2005 under coach Walsh.

Kyle Bell DL/OL/LS, 5-9, 235 (Middletown, RI/ Middletown HS)
Two-time Newport County All-County...Three-time All-Division.... Helped lead team to State championship in 2006...Honor Roll student ... Team went 7-2 in 2006 under coach Andy Leys ... Team went 6-3 in 2005 in qualifying for the playoffs ... Lettered in football and baseball ... Third-team All-League in 2004 ... Second Team All-Division and All-Newport County in 2005 ... First Team All-Division and Newport All-County in 2006.

Nick Bonadies TE/DE, 6-3, 215 (Leonia, NJ / Leonia HS)
First Team BCSL All-League selection as a defensive end ... Honor Mention All-County Defensive End ... Three-year letterwinner ... Lettered in baseball in 2006 ... Member of student senate, Latin club, DECA, and Peer Leadership ... Team went 6-4 in 2006 under coach Tom Paglione and qualified for the playoffs .. Lettered in baseball and basketball at Middletown HS.

Bryan Brady OL, 6-2, 275 (Floral Park, NY / Floral Park Memorial HS
All-County Honorable Mention ... Nassau Conference All-Star ... Academic All-Nassau Conference ... Selected to play in Outback Steakhouse All-Star game .. Team went 6-2 under coach Mike Spina in 2006, reaching the quarterfinals ... Starting offensive lineman and defensive lineman in 2005 as well, going 7-3 and reaching county finals.

Michael Canfora RB/LB, 5-10, 195 (Verona, NJ/ Verona HS)
Two-time All-State...Essex County Player of the Year in 2006...Helped lead team to conference championships in 2005 and 2006 and State Championship finals in 2005 and 2006...Lettered in football, hockey and baseball...Honor Roll student.

Connor Cardew DT, 5-10, 240 (Danvers, MA/ St. John's Prep)
A Boston Globe Division I All Star...Helped lead team to two Catholic Conference championships...Played in 29^th Shriner's Eastern Massachusetts All-Star game and 47 Agganis Football Classic all-star games...Lettered in football and track...Honor Roll Student ... Team posted 22 wins during three varsity seasons under coach Jim O'Leary including a 8-4 mark in 2006 and 8-3 record in 2005.

Chris Collins OL, 6-5, 315 (Montville, NJ / Montville Township)
Starting offensive tackle and defensive tackle for coach Gerry Gallagher ... Team went 9-2 in 2006 winning the Northern Hills Conference Championship ... First-Team All-County and Second Team All-State ... Lettered in football and basketball ... Honor Roll.

Marcus Ellis DB, 5-8, 170 (South Ozone Park, NY / Holy Cross HS)
Starting defensive back for Holy Cross High School in Flushing, NY ... Team went 8-3 in 2005 for coach Tom Pugh ... Lettered in football, baseball, track ... All-Borough (Queens) selection ... All-CHSFL League ... Senior All-Star game participant ... National Society for High School Scholars.

Jake Eddy WR/DB, 6-1, 182 (Rutland, VT / Rutland HS)
Attended Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Wilbraham, Mass in 2006 ... 2005 graduate of Rutland (Vt.) HS ...Won back-to-back Vermont State titles in 2003 and 2004 ... Red Zone Player of the Year ... MVP ... 1,000 yards receiving ... All-State Wide Receiver ... All-State Defensive Back ... VT-NH Shrine Game participant ... Let team in receptions and yards ... Placed third in the state in high jump.

Manny Frangiadakis WR/DB, 5-9, 180 (Westwood, MA / Westwood HS)
Three-year starter at defensive back for coach Paul Hallion...Led league in interceptions with seven in 2006...Part of two state championships in 2003 and 2004...Tri-Valley League all-star...also lettered in basketball and track ... Team went 20-2 during 2003 and 2004 seasons under coaches John Vannew and Paul Hallion ... Team posted 7-4 mark as a senior in 2006 under coach Hallion, finishing third in the Tri-Valley League.

Ryan Gillan DE, 6-2, 235 (Foxboro, MA / Xaverian HS)
Led team to three straight Catholic Conference Championships ... Coached by Charlie Stevenson between 2004-06 .... Division I Super Bowl participant in 2006...USAPL (power lifting) state champion in 2004...Runner-up in 2005...also lettered in power lifting and track ... Team won 17 games as a junior and senior including an 8-4 mark in 2006 in winning the conference title ... Helped lead freshman team to 10-0 record under coach Phil Penza.

Perry Grisafi RB, 5-10, 175 (Coral Springs, Fla. / Coral Springs HS)
Three-year starting running back for coach Rex Nottage ... Led team to 7-0 record in 2004 ... BCAA All-Star game in 2006 ... Team MVP in 2006 and Offensive MVP in 2005 ... Mayor's Cup MVP (twice) ... Ranked third in Broward County for total yards in 2006 ... Seven games rushed for over 100 yards as a senior ... Offensive MVP and Team MVP in 2004.

Danny Grosserode WR/RB, 5-10, 168 (Lincoln, NE / Pius X Catholic HS)
Two-time Nebraska All-State Class B Honorable Mention ... 2005-06 All-District ... Member of 2004 Class B State Champions ... Lettered in football, basketball and track.. National Honor Society ... Lincoln Journal Star All-State.

Joe Heiberger DE /TE, 6-3, 215 (Westerly, RI / Westerly HS)
Two-year starting defensive end and tight end for coach Chris Wriedt ... First Team Defense (All Divisions) ... Providence Gridiron Club Defensive MVP ... Michael McGuire Coaches Award ... All-Academic ... Participant in RI vs. Connecticut All-Star game ... Captain ... Lettered in football and basketball ... Team posted a 9-2 record in 2005 and went 6-5 in 2006.

Joe Iaquinto DT, 6-3, 250 (Dix Hills, NY / Half Hollow Hills West HS)
Team Captain ... Three varsity letters in football ... Scholar-Athlete Award in 2004, 2005, and 2006 ... All-League selection ... Two-time Suffolk County Division III All-Conference ... Long Island All-Star game participant ... Played football and baseball at St. Anthony's HS ... National Honor Society member ... High Honor Roll.

Matthew Kelley TE/DE, 6-4, 235 (Lincoln, RI / Bishop Feehan HS)
Four-year letterwinner in football... Two-year starter ... Team won two Mass. Super Bowl titles under coach Jack Peavey (2003) and Kurt Smith (2004) and finished the 2005 season as co-EAC Champions with a 7-3 record under coach Rob McCoy ... Lettered in basketball and track where he was a state qualifier in 2005-06 ... Sun Chronicle and Pawtucket Times All-Star.

Brian Kelly OL/DL, 6-5, 280 (Westwood, MA / Westwood HS)
Three-year starting offensive and defensive lineman ... Tri-Valley League All Star 2005 & 2006 ... Helped lead team to Super Bowl Championship in 2003 and 2004 ... Team placed fifth in Tri-Valley League as a junior in '05 and third as a senior in '06 ... Lettered in football, ice hockey, and track ... Daily News Transcript All-Star ... Team Captain.

Jon Lewis OL, 6-2, 260 (Sayville, NY / Sayville HS)
2006 All-County selection ... Long Island Champions ... 2005 All-Division Big Four Champs ... Outback Steakhouse Empire Challenge All-Star game participant ... Honor Roll student ... Team posted a 9-3 record in 2006 under coach Robert Moss ... Starting lineman in 2005 leading team to 6-3 record for coach Moss ... Competed in winter track.

Addison Lynch QB, 6-0,195 (Braintree, MA / Braintree HS)
First Team Bay State League All-Star ... Eastern Mass All-Star in 2005 and 2006 ... Two-time Patriot Ledger ... Braintree Forum All-Scholastics ... 2006 Team MVP ... 2006 Thanksgiving Day game MVP ... Team went 5-6 in 2006 under coach Dave Flynn ... starting quarterback and safety ... Helped lead team to back-to-back 7-4 seasons in 2003 and 2004 .... Also lettered in basketball and track.

James Mullane QB, 6-0, 186 (Hudson, MA / Hudson HS / Cushing Academy)
Two-Time League All-Star ... Holds Hudson High School single season and career passing records ... Offensive MVP ...Shriners All-Star game participant ... Four-year letterwinner in football and baseball ... First Team Boston Globe Prep All-Star ... Honor Roll student.

Jake Pates QB, 5-10, 170 (Columbus, NJ / Northern Burlington Regional)
First Team Burlington Olympic Football League selection ... Academic All-County ... Three-year varsity letterwinner in football ... played baseball in 2003 ... Honor Roll student ... Helped lead football team to 7-3 record in 2006 for coach Jon Reising.

Michael Petrellese RB, 5-7, 150 (Yonkers, NY / Mount St. Michael Academy)
Lettered in football and lacrosse ... Two-time All-CHSFL League ... All-County ... All-Section and All-City ... Team MVP ... CHSFL Player of the Year finalist ... All-Borough (Bronx / Manhattan) Player of the Year ... Daily News Player of Year finalist ... Led CHSFL in all-purpose yards per game ... National Honor Society ... Team went 9-3 for coach Valentini finishing second in the league.

James Prendergast LB, 6-1, 220 (Brookhaven, NY / Bellport HS)
Three-time Big Four Champions ... Suffolk County Champions in 2005 and 2006 ... All-Division and All-County selection ... Long Island All-Star ... MVP in Long Island Championship game ... Defensive Player of Year ... Honor Roll student ... Lettered in football, basketball, lacrosse and track ... Team went 10-1 in 2006 under coach Joe Cipp.

Cheyene Ray DE, 6-0, 250 (Bellport, NY / Bellport HS)
2006 All-State selection ... 2005 All-County and 2004 All-Division honor ... Two-time team captains ... National Honor Society ...

Andrew Regan OL/DL, 6-0, 270 (West Newbury, MA / Central Catholic)
Three-time All Merrimack Valley Conference selection ... Two-time Boston Herald and Boston Globe All-Scholastic ... MVP Defensive Player of the Year as a senior and Lineman of the Year as a junior ... Super-26 selection by the Boston Gridiron Club ... Shriner's Classic ... Team went 8-4 last season winning the MVPC Conference title under coach Chuck Adamapoulos ... Team went 6-4 in 2005.

Jason Riffe LB/FB, 6-0, 225 (Newton, MA / Newton North HS / Taft)
Lead his team to two conference championships, senior captain, three-time All-League selection, three-time All New-England, all-scholastic winner ... Team went 2-6 last season under coach Steve McCabe ... 10-3 in 2005 and Division I-A runners-up ... Team won two league titles (2000 and 2004) ... Lettered in football and basketball.

John Suarez DB/WR, 5-9, 185 (Woodcliff, NJ / Saint Joseph Regional)
Two-time All-NNJIL League selection in football in 2005 and 2006 ... Helped lead team to state championship in 2004 and 2005 ... Lettered in baseball ... Team went 22-2 in two seasons (2004 - 2005) under coach Tony Karcich ... Starting defensive back and wide receiver for all four years.

Brian Uszakiewicz DB/WR, 6-2, 175 (Suffield, CT/ Suffield Academy)
All-Colonial League Honorable Mention in 2006 and 2007...Helped team to league championship in 2004 for coach Ed Rakus (8-1 record) ... Lettered in lacrosse....Five-time honor roll student ... Starting wide receiver and defensive back ... Team went 4-4 in 2006 under coach Phil Guidry.

Zach Wilson FB, 6-3, 245 (Yarmouthport, MA / Barnstable HS)
Massachusetts Shriner's All-Star game participant ... Two-Time Old Colony League All-League selection football ... Standout baseball player, earning two Old Colony League honors in baseball heading into the spring season ... All-Cape Cod All-Star.

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