8/5/2001 - Football
2001 Navy Football Media Day Notes and Preview

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Practice Schedule

The Navy football team will start practicing Monday, Aug. 6 and will conduct two practices per day through Tuesday, Aug. 14. The team will practice from 8 a.m.-10:30 a.m. and again from 6 p.m.-8:15 p.m. every day except Sunday, Aug. 12 when the team will have the day off. Navy's second practice on Saturday, Aug. 11 will take place at 7 p.m. at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium instead of 6 p.m. All other two-a-day practices will take place on campus. The Mids will be in 1/2 pads until Thursday, Aug. 9, when they will practice in full pads during the evening session. Members of the media are invited to attend all practices and scrimmages, but you must call the Navy Sports Information Office in advance if you plan on attending practice.

Tickets Available

Season and single-game tickets are still available for all the Navy home games (which includes the Oct. 6 game vs Air Force at FedExField). Tickets are available at the Navy Ticket Office in Ricketts Hall or by call the ticket office at 1-800-US4-NAVY. A season ticket will also allow you the opportunity to buy tickets for the Army-Navy game (for every season ticket you purchase, you have the opportunity to purchase a ticket for the Army-Navy game).

Weekly Press Conference

Navy head football coach Charlie Weatherbie will hold a weekly press conference Tuesday's at 12 noon at the Boathouse. Three Navy players will be available to the media from 12-12:20, the opposing coach from 12:20-12:30 and then Coach Weatherbie from 12:30-1 p.m. Lunch will be served immediately following Coach Weatherbie's remarks. The first press conference will take place Tuesday, Aug. 28 and will run every Tuesday except for Tuesday, Nov. 20, which is the date of the annual Army-Navy press conference at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia. Any media request for a particular player must be made by 12 noon on Sunday.

Weatherbie's Weekly Radio Show

Charlie Weatherbie will join host Bob Socci for a weekly coaches show every Thursday night from 7-7:30 p.m. live from O'Brien's Oyster Bar and Grill in historic downtown Annapolis. You can hear the show on 1430 WNAV or at www.wnav.com(.) The first show will take place on Thursday, Sept. 6. Weatherbie will also join Stan Charles every Thursday night, starting Aug. 9, from 10:15-10:30 on Navy's flagship station, WJFK in Baltimore (1300 AM).

Quarterback Club on Friday's

Charlie Weatherbie will meet with Navy fans for breakfeast and discuss the upcoming game every Friday of a home game (including the Air Force game) at 7 a.m. at the Boathouse. For more information, call the Navy Sports Promotions office at (410) 293-4517 x171

Mids To Play Tough Schedule

Navy's opponents in the 2001 season compiled a 69-57 (.548) record last year and five teams went to bowl games (Georgia Tech, Northwestern, Boston College, Air Force and Notre Dame). Subtract Army, Rice and Rutgers from the equation and the remaining eight opponents compiled a record of 62-31 (.667). Five Navy opponents are either ranked or receiving votes in the ESPN/USA Today Coaches Poll-#13 Georgia Tech, #16 Notre Dame, #20 Northwestern, #47 Toledo, #55 Air Force).

Navy On Television Four Times

Navy will appear on television a minimum of four times during the 2001 football season, including twice on national television. The Mids Nov. 17 game at Notre Dame will air on NBC at 2:30 p.m., while the Dec. 1 tilt against Army at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia will air live on CBS at 12 noon.

Navy will also appear at least twice on regional televison. The Sept. 8 game home opener against Georgia Tech will be carried by Fox Sports South and Comcast SportsNet (12 noon), while the Oct. 20 game at Rutgers will be televised by ESPN Regional.

Season Preview

Spring football is normally a time for teaching and learning. This past spring there was more teaching going on than ever before, as Navy installed a new offensive and defensive package. Navy head coach Charlie Weatherbie brought in Mark Hudspeth to run the offense and Rick Lantz to run the defense. With new coordinators come new systems - systems Weatherbie is excited about.

Hudspeth comes to Navy from Delta State, where he was the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach the past two seasons. He helped lead the Statesmen to the Division II National Championship last fall.

"We are very excited to have Mark join our staff," said Weatherbie. "He is a great fit for us with his vast option experience as a player and coach. I expect he will come in and install an offense that will be not only exciting to watch, but successful, as well."

Hudspeth's flexbone offense set six NCAA Division II records, 12 Gulf South records and 21 Delta State records in 2000. In the Division II National Championship game, the Statesmen ran up 646 yards total offense in their 63-34 victory over Bloomsburg.

Delta State averaged 40.4 points per contest in 2000, which was fifth in the nation, and averaged 478.5 yards per game (fourth in the nation). The Statesmen averaged 309.6 yards per game on the ground (sixth in the nation) and 168.9 through the air.

"I am excited about the opportunity to come to an institution like the Naval Academy," said Hudspeth. "It is a great academic institution with a lot of football history. We will run an offense that is similar to what Georgia Southern runs, except we will utilize more four and five wide receiver sets. We are going to open the offense up. We will be option oriented, but a lot more diverse and more open than what Navy has been in the past."

Lantz comes to Navy from Virginia, where he had been the defensive coordinator for Naval Academy graduate George Welsh for the past 10 seasons.

"We are very excited to have Rick join our staff," said Weatherbie. "He has a great deal of experience coaching at several major colleges and has been successful everywhere he has been. He has Academy experience, having coached here in the 1970s under Rick Forzano and George Welsh, so he knows what it takes to win at a service academy. I feel like he is going to bring the experience and schemes we need to be successful."

"Obviously, the Naval Academy has been very important in my background and growth as a coach," said Lantz. "My family and I have always had strong feelings for the Naval Academy and we are excited to have the opportunity to come back and work with the type of young men I had the opportunity to work with 25 years ago."

Navy returns 33 letterwinners and 12 starters from last year's team. The Mids return four starters on offense, seven on defense and one in the kicking game. The following is a breakdown of the team, position by position, entering spring practice.

Quarterback

Senior captain Ed Malinowski (Canonsburg, Pa.) and sophomore Craig Candeto (Orange City, Fla.) enter the fall in a battle for the starting quarterback job. Malinowski started three games last fall and played in all 11, while Candeto saw action in three games a year ago.

Malinowski rushed for 203 yards and five touchdowns in 2000, while throwing for 455 yards and three touchdowns. Candeto scored one touchdown while rushing for 46 yards.

"It should be a good battle to see who gets the call when we open up at Temple," said Weatherbie. "I have confidence that both can do the job. Senior Brian Madden (Lawton, Okla.), who has been suspended for the first two games for violating Academy rules, will be back at quarterback after missing all of last season with a torn ACL in his right knee. Madden suffered the injury in the spring game last year, while missing most of spring ball this year after reinjuring the medial meniscus in his right knee during a drill in the weight room. He had his knee scoped on March 20.

"Brian had a chance to work a little bit in the spring, but we kept him out of contact," said Weatherbie.

Madden came off the bench as a sophomore to lead Navy to a 3-2 record over the final-five games after the Mids had started 2-5. Navy's only two losses were a controversial loss at Notre Dame and a seven-point loss at Oahu Bowl Champion Hawai'i. Madden rushed for 897 yards, the most in the nation by a quarterback, in just 180 attempts (5.0 per attempt). He was the first player in Navy history to rush for more than 100 yards in his first-five career starts and is only the second quarterback in school history to rush for more than 150 yards on four or more occasions.

Fullback

Senior Raheem Lambert (Riverside, Calif.) returns at fullback for the Mids and will look to improve on a disappointing junior campaign that saw him slowed most of the year by a shoulder injury. Despite the nagging injury, Lambert still led the team in rushing, rumbling for 597 yards on 151 carries (4.0). The big surprise was that Lambert was unable to get in the end zone last year after rushing for six touchdowns as a sophomore. "I expect big things out of Raheem this year," said Weatherbie. "Raheem had shoulder surgery after the season, so he should be healthy and ready to return to form. He should have a lot of success in this new offense."

Seniors Marlon Terrell (Dallas, Texas) and senior Rashad Jamal (Berkeley, Calif.), who moved from slot back, will back up Lambert.

Slotback

Junior Gene Reese (Jacksonville, Fla.) returns as the most experienced slot back, though junior Brad Tepper (Mt. Pleasant, Pa.), sophomore Tony Lane (Wrens, Ga.), junior Donnie Fricks (Houston, Texas) and senior Terence Coleman (San Antonio, Texas) all saw playing time last year. Senior Jeff Lam (Bellevue, Wash.) could also see time.

Reese rushed for 194 yards on 29 carries (6.7) and caught 18 passes for 183 yards (10.2) and one touchdown last year. He will be dangerous in the new offense, as he will also be used as a wide receiver when Navy goes to the four and five wide receiver sets.

Tepper and Fricks are both outstanding blockers, while the talented Lane has a chance to be a game breaker in the same mold as Reese.

"I think we have some talent at the slot," said Weatherbie. "Gene Reese is capable of having a huge year in this offense. He does a great job of catching the ball and can do some damage once we get the ball in his hands. Tepper and Fricks came on toward the end of last year and I expect big things from them, as well. Lane is a very good athlete who will be used the same way as Reese is used."

Wide Receiver

The Mids will need depth at wide receiver, as they will be playing as many as five at a time in some formations. Junior Dominic Bailey (Houston, Texas) returns as a starter at one wide receiver, while junior Chandler Sims (Oklahoma City, Okla.) who saw playing time last year, should get the nod at the other receiver spot. The speedy Jeff Gaddy (Davidson, N.C.), a senior who moved over from cornerback and possession receivers Mark Tedrow (Charleroi, Pa.), a sophomore, and Mike McIlravey (Virgina Beach, Va.), a junior, will be in the mix at receiver, as will Reese, Lane and junior Garrett Cox (Austin, Texas).

Bailey, who is Navy's fastest receiver, caught 13 passes for 193 yards and one touchdown last year, while Sims caught five balls for 53 yards.

When the Mids go to a formation that includes a tight end, look for junior Steve Mercer (Houston, Texas), junior Jim Zakar (Rosamond, Calif.) or junior Heath Sanders (Garland, Texas) to enter the game.

"I think we have a good stable of receivers," said Weatherbie. "They should enjoy the new offense because we are going to throw it to them. I think we have a nice mix of speed and size."

Offensive Line

The Mids will be replacing five senior starters on the offensive line, though Brian Schulz (Round Rock, Texas) ended up starting seven games at guard for the injured Philip Yeh. Though the offensive line will not be as experienced as last year, it has great potential

Junior David Walsh (Glenview, Ill.) and senior John Jeffery (Alpharetta, Ga.) are expected to start at tackle, junior Brett Cochrane (Houston, Texas) and junior Travis Peace (Helotes, Texas) at guard and Schulz at center. The offensive line will be big as Walsh weighs 288, Jeffery 275, Cochrane 292, Peace 287 and Schulz 287.

Vying for playing time will be junior Grant Moody (Eureka, Kan.) and sophomore Sean Magee (Lake Oswego, Ore.) at tackle, senior Dan Venuto (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) and junior Matt Nye (Menlo Park, Calif.) at guard and junior Ben Eastburn (Fairfield, Iowa) at center.

"I think we have a good nucleus of big, strong linemen and I feel like we have a good chance to be pretty good up front," said Weatherbie.

Defensive Line

In the 4-3 defense, Navy will line up with two defensive ends and two defensive tackles. Junior Dan Person (Havertown, Pa.) and sophomore Ralph Henry (Baltimore, Md.) enter the fall as the starting ends, while senior Matt Berger (Roanoke, Va.) and junior Josh Brindel (Ward, S.C.) are listed as the starters at tackle. Senior Michael Wagoner (Wichita Falls, Texas), who started all 11 games at defensive tackle last year, has been suspended for an undetermined amount of time. Wagoner led all defensive linemen in tackles last year with 46, including seven tackles for a loss. Brindel finished the year with 34 stops.

Also seeking playing time will be senior Eric Severson (Anaheim, Calif.) and sophomore at defensive end and juniors Joey Owmby (Houston, Texas) and Andy Zetts (Youngstown, Ohio) at tackle.

"I feel like we have good depth along the defensive line," said Weatherbie. "We have some experience up front and I think we will see an improvement over last year."

Linebacker

The Mids will play three linebackers in the new scheme and all three of the projected starters started last year. Ryan Hamilton (Havertown, Pa.) is listed as the starter at right linebacker. Last year, Hamilton started four games before injuring his knee, causing him to miss the rest of the season. Hamilton will be backed up by junior Justin Simmons (Sour Lake, Texas), who also saw playing time late in the year.

Sophomore Eddie Carthan (Donalsville, Ga.), who started six games as a freshman last year at outside linebacker, will start on the left side and will be backed up by senior Mike Chiesl (The Woodlands, Texas). It was Chiesl's forced fumble against Army that was returned for a touchdown by Brad Wimsatt.

Senior captain Jake Bowen (Asheville, N.C.) enters the fall in a dogfight with sophomre Ben Mathews (Pittsburgh, Pa.) as the starter at middle linebacker. Bowen is a tough-as-nails player who started all 11 games last year and finished second on the team in tackles with 72. Mathews gained valuable experience last fall as a freshman and started the final three games of the year. He finished the year with 35 tackles and picked off a pass against Army.

"I feel like linebacker may be our deepest position," said Weatherbie. "We have five guys there that have started for us and several others that have played."

Defensive Backfield

The secondary returns three players that started at least a portion of last season. Senior Marcus Jackson (Missouri City, Texas) started all 11 games at corner last year, while the talented sophomore Shalimar Brazier (Detroit, Mich.) started four of the final-five games at corner. Jackson finished fourth on the team with 47 tackles. Brazier showed his knack for breaking on the ball by breaking up three passes in the first quarter of his first-career start against Rutgers. Junior Clyde Clark (Austin, Texas), who moved over from safety in the spring, is pushing Jackson for the starting job at one cornerback, while sophomore Sina Ekundayo (Randallstown, Md.) will back up Brazier.

Senior DeJuan Cromer (Dallas, Texas), who started all 11 games at strong safety last year and finished third on the team in tackles with 60, including five tackles for a loss, will get the starting nod at right safety. Meanwhile senior Matt Brooks (Laguna Niguel, Calif.) and junior Joey Fay (Allentown, Pa.) will try to fill the shoes of All-East selection Chris Lepore at free safety. Brooks did see action in all 11 games a year ago. Juniors Lenter Thomas (Eagle Lake, Texas) and Marc Giorgi (Charleroi, Pa.) will also compete for playing time.

"I think you will see a big improvement in the secondary this year," said Weatherbie. "We had a lot of young or first-time starters out there last year and they gained a great deal of valuable experience."

Specialists

Kicker David Hills (Latham, N.Y.) might have been the surprise of the team last year, as he turned what was thought to be a weakness into a strength by making nine of his 12 field goal attempts. Hills, though, is in a battle for the starting job as sophomore Eric Rolfs (Bartlesville, Okla.), who kicked for the junior varsity last year, is the leader heading into the fall.

Sophomore Bobby Sparks (Yorba Linda, Calif.) is the leading candidate to replace Brian Williams as the punter, while sophomore John Skaggs (Cantonment, Fla.) is expected to back up Sparks. Sparks got off a 69-yard punt in his only attempt last year.

Schedule

Six teams that finished the year either ranked or received votes in the USA Today Top 25, including five bowl teams, are part of Navy's 2001 football schedule. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, Northwestern Wildcats, Boston College Eagles, Air Force Falcons and Notre Dame Fighting Irish all participated in postseason bowl games following the 2000 season, while those same five schools, along with the Toledo Rockets finished the season either ranked or received votes.

"It is a very competitive schedule," said Weatherbie. "We are playing a lot of great football teams and we look forward to the challenge. Our fans should be excited with our home schedule."

Navy will open up the 2001 campaign Thursday, Aug. 30, with a 7 p.m. game against Temple at Franklin Field in Philadelphia. The Mids will play host to Georgia Tech in the home opener Saturday, Sept. 8, at 12 noon.

The Mids travel to Chicago the following weekend to take on Northwestern for the first time since 1951, before returning home for three-straight home games (two in Annapolis and one at FedExField). Navy will play host to Boston College (Sept. 22) and Rice (Oct. 13) at Navy-Marine Corps and Air Force (Oct. 6) at FedExField. All three games will kick off at 12 noon, with the Rice game serving as the annual Homecoming Game.

The Mids end the season with three of their final four contests on the road. The Mids play at Rutgers Oct. 20, at Toledo Oct. 27 and at Notre Dame Nov. 17. Only Tulane will visit Annapolis during the month of November, that coming Nov. 10.

The 102nd playing of the Army-Navy game will take place Saturday, Dec. 1 at 12 noon. The game will be played for the 17th and final time in Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia.Lepore Played Like An All-America.

The Coach

Charlie Weatherbie enters his seventh season as head football coach at the Naval Academy with a record of 30-38 (.441) and a 1-0 (1.000) mark in bowl games. Weatherbie's 30 wins in six seasons is the fifth most in Naval Academy history. He needs two wins to tie Bill Ingram for fourth place on Navy's all-time win list. His seven seasons as head coach of the Midshipmen is the third-longest tenure in school history. Only George Welsh and Eddie Erdelatz (nine years apiece) have been head coaches longer than Weatherbie at Navy.

Weatherbie is in his ninth year as a collegiate head coach and has a career record of 45-57 (.441) and a 2-0 record in bowl games (1.000). In 1996, Weatherbie led the Midshipmen to a 9-3 mark and a victory over California in the Aloha Bowl.

Weatherbie was appointed Navy's 34th head football coach on December 30, 1994. He came to the Naval Academy after three years as head coach at Utah State, where he took the Aggies to their first Big West Conference championship in 15 years in 1993 and a win over Ball State in the Las Vegas Bowl. He was an assistant coach at Air Force for six years and was also an assistant at Wyoming and Arkansas.

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

This will be the 43rd season the Midshipmen have played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The stadium was dedicated Sept. 26, 1959, when Navy defeated William & Mary, 29-2. In the 164 games played at Navy-Marine Corps since its dedication, the Midshipmen have attracted 4,015,123 fans-an average of 24,482 fans. Navy set an attendance record in 1999 for the second-straight year with an average of 31,996, and it was also the first time in stadium history the Midshipmen drew over 30,000 in every game. Navy averaged 29,329 in 2000, the third best average attendance in stadium history. The Mids have a record of 99-73-1 (.575) in games played at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, including a 15-15 (.500) record under head coach Charlie Weatherbie.

Navy In The 2000 National Rankings-114 Teams in Division IA

Rushing Offense 33rd (166.0, 1st Nebraska, 349.3)

Passing Offense 108th (145.5, 1st Florida State, 384)

Pass Efficiency 83rd (109.8, 1st Boise State, 168.9)

Total Offense 98th (310.6, 1st Florida State, 549.0)

Scoring Offense 107th (15.2, 1st Boise State, 44.9)

Rushing Defense 93rd (192.4, 1st Memphis, 72.7)

Pass Defense 94th (238.1, 1st Central Michigan, 149.7)

Pass Efficiency Defense ...............114th (163.5, 1st Texas, 88)

Total Defense 101st (430.5, 1st TCU, 245.0)

Scoring Defense 108th (36.3, 1st TCU, 9.6)

Net Punting 71st (34.1, 1st Wisconsin, 42.9)

Punt Return 101st (6.5, 1st Army, 19.4)

Kickoff Return 77th (18.8, 1st TCU, 28.8)

Turnover Margin 95th (-0.80, 1st Toledo, +2.0)

Total Fumble Recoveries 91st (7, 1st Arizona State, 23)

Total Interceptions .......................106th (6, 1st , Louisville, 27)

Fumbles Lost ..105th (16, 1st Army, Boston College, Syracuse, 3)

Passes Had Intercepted 4th (5, 1st, Rice, 3)

Total Takeaways 113th (13, 1st Louisville, 38)

Total Turnovers 43rd (21, 1st Notre Dame, 8)

Individual Interceptions Per Game ...Chris Lepore (42nd, 0.40)

Kickoff Returns ................................ Justin Takasaki (46th, 21.9)

No Upset

Navy has lost 30-straight games to ranked opponents. The last time the Mids pulled an upset was Sept. 20, 1985, when Navy went into Charlottesville and stunned 20th-ranked Virginia, 17-13. Since that time, Navy has lost to Air Force, Notre Dame and South Carolina in 1985, Notre Dame in 1986, Notre Dame and Syracuse in 1987, Notre Dame and Syracuse in 1988, Air Force, Pittsburgh and Notre Dame in 1989, Virginia and Notre Dame in 1990, Notre Dame in 1991, Virginia and Notre Dame in 1992, Notre Dame and Louisville in 1993, Virginia, Notre Dame and Duke in 1994, Notre Dame in 1995, Notre Dame in 1996, Notre Dame and Air Force in 1997, West Virginia and Notre Dame in 1998, Georgia Tech in 1999 and TCU and Notre Dame in 2000.

Web Site

The Navy football team, as well as Navy's other 29 sports can be followed on the internet at http://www.navysports.com. Updated releases, bios and information will be continually updated on the Navy home page.

Broadcast.Com

The Navy football team can be heard on broadcast.com at www.broadcast.com/schools/navy(.)

Duden To Be Inducted Into College Football Hall of Fame

Dick Duden, who was a star end at the Naval Academy from 1943-45, will be inducted into the National Football Foundation and College all of Fame, Aug. 10-11 in South Bend, Ind. For more information on the festivities in South Bend, call Katie Berratini at the College Football Hall of Fame. Her number is 219/235-5715. Duden will also be honored at halftime of the Homecoming game against Rice (Oct. 13).

Four Navy Players Named to the Football News Preseason All-Independent Team

Navy placed four players on the Football News All-Independent Team. Senior fullback Raheem Lambert and senior center Brian Schulz were named on the offensive side of the ball, while senior linebacker Ryan Hamilton and senior corner Marcus Jackson made the team on the defensive side of the ball.

Giants Stadium to Host 2002 Army-Navy Game

One of the most revered rivalries in all of sports returns to the New York metropolitan area when the Army-Navy game is played at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., in 2002.

It will mark the fourth time that the Army-Navy Classic will be held at Giants Stadium and the first time the battle has been played at the Meadowlands since 1997. The three previous Giants Stadium matchups were held in 1989, 1993 and 1997 with Navy prevailing in two of those three affairs. While Navy won in 1989 and 1997 by the counts of 19-17 and 39-7, respectively, Army registered a 16-14 triumph in 1993.

"We are pleased to have the opportunity to play the 2002 Army-Navy game at the Meadowlands," Lengyel said. "We have played this game at Giants Stadium on three previous occasions and the administration and staff have always been wonderful hosts."

The 103rd edition of the storied Army-Navy series was originally scheduled for Dec. 7, 2002 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pa. When a scheduling conflict with the city of Philadelphia recently arose, the academies were forced to move the contest to an alternate site.

"We are pleased that the Meadowlands stepped forward in an expeditious manner to assist us in overcoming a difficult situation," added Greenspan. "Giants Stadium is one of the finest football facilities in the country, and we are very excited about having the opportunity to return this great game to the New York metropolitan area."

The Army-Navy game has been held in nine different cities and 14 different venues since the arch rivals first collided in 1890. The city of Philadelphia has served as site of the contest on a record 75 occasions. New York City has hosted the event 11 times, the second-highest total among U.S. cities, followed by East Rutherford, N.J., Baltimore, Md., West Point, N.Y. and Annapolis, Md., all of which have hosted the classic three times.

"On behalf of the nation's greatest sports venue, Giants Stadium, and the country's best football fans, the Sports and Exposition Authority is proud and grateful that the Army-Navy Classic will return to New Jersey in 2002," said New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority President James A. DiEleuterio Jr.

The Army-Navy football series has attracted nearly seven million fans in its previous 101 editions, more than any other collegiate rivalry in the nation. Army holds a slim 48-46-7 lead in the fabled pairing. This year's Army-Navy game will be played on Dec. 1 at Veterans Stadium, the final time the service-academy clash will be played at Veterans Stadium.

Madden and Wagoner Suspended

Naval Academy head football coach Charlie Weatherbie announced that senior quarterback Brian Madden and senior defensive end Michael Wagoner have been suspended for violating Academy rules. Madden has been suspended for the first two games, while Wagoner's suspension is for an undetermined number of games. Weatherbie also announced that Madden has voluntarily resigned his captaincy and that senior Ed Malinowski will be the offensive team captain. Madden and Wagoner will both be allowed to practice with the team, though Wagoner will not practice with the team until Aug. 10 when he returns from a military obligation.

LENGYEL TO RETIRE AS NAVAL ACADEMY DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Jack Lengyel announced July 16 that he will retire from his position as Director of Athletics at the Naval Academy effective Oct. 1.

"I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to represent the United States Naval Academy as Director of Athletics," said Lengyel. "I've had the privilege to serve the finest coaches and athletic staff in the country. Together, we've made major facility improvements that will provide our varsity athletic teams a competitive edge in the future. After 13 years as Director of Athletics it is time for me to turn over the leadership of the athletic department. I'm looking forward to spending more time with my family and doing the things that I've never had the time to do as a coach or Director of Athletics. Retiring Oct. 1 will allow the Naval Academy sufficient time for their search and will allow a smooth transition to have a Director of Athletics on board for the second semester.

"All of us at the United States Naval Academy are very appreciative of Jack Lengyel's 13 years of dedicated service at the helm of the Naval Academy Athletic Association," said Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. John R. Ryan, USN. "Jack Lengyel's broad experience, national reputation, strong work ethic and love of this institution have been key to our raising the bar of excellence throughout his tenure under five Superintendent's. Jack leaves behind a solid organization filled with many talented coaches and staff that will continue to help us mold scholar-athletes of great character and competence. Thanks to a heads up from Jack, we have already taken the first steps in forming a search committee and establishing the process that will help us select his successor in a timely manner. Jack and his wife, Sandy, have been and will continue to be mainstays in our Naval Academy family. We will always be grateful for their many significant contributions to this institution."

Since his arrival at Navy in August 1988 as the school's 27th Director of Athletics, Lengyel has worked constantly to market Navy athletics, acquiring the necessary funds for a 30-sport program, one of the largest in the country. Group ticket sales have been stimulated through the creation of NAVYFEST, which highlights the festive atmosphere of Navy football games. Also implemented were the Billy the Kid family ticket plan for football games, the Admirals Fleet, which provides tickets to Navy football games to the underprivileged youth of Annapolis, new concession areas at the stadium and a weekly quarterback club luncheon. The Navy Football Radio Network has been expanded to include WMAL Radio in Washington, D.C. and WJFK in Baltimore, Md.

Navy has won nearly 60 percent of its contests every year in Lengyel's tenure and the Mids have won the season series against Army in 11 of those 13 years. One reason for Navy's success is Lengyel's hiring of outstanding coaches in football, men's and women's basketball, golf, women's soccer, women's track, lacrosse, baseball, women's volleyball and men's gymnastics.

To compete successfully at the Division I level, Lengyel realized that not only do you need tremendous coaches, but outstanding facilities, as well. He has worked tirelessly to make the Naval Academy facilities some of the best in the country.

The litany of facility improvements is extensive. The $30 million Alumni Hall was completed in 1991 and is the venue for the Midshipmen men's and women's basketball games. Five years ago, the Rear Admiral Thomas Hamilton Locker Room complex was constructed at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, with a Football Walk of Fame. In that same time period, the Zachary Fisher Rowing Center was finished as part of a $850,000 renovation to Hubbard Hall, home of Navy's three intercollegiate crew squads, the Naval Academy Golf Course got a $250,000 clubhouse and a $500,000 watering system was installed. The spring of 1995 saw the completion of the $8 million Armel-Leftwich Visitors Center on the side of Halsey Field House, the opening of the $850,000 Admiral Fitzgerald Baseball Clubhouse at Bishop Stadium and the $9 million renovation and addition to Ricketts Hall. Recently the Naval Academy Athletic Association completed renovations of the varsity tennis center through private donations and the 4.2 million dollar Glenn Warner Soccer Facility will be completed this fall. Facility improvements in progress include a $40 million expansion and renovation of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, a new indoor track facility and a major renovation of Halsey Field House.

Prior to his arrival in Annapolis, Lengyel gained recognition as Director of Athletics at Missouri, Fresno State and Louisville, and by his stature in the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics. He is a past president of the latter organization and a past president of the Division I-A Athletic Directors. He is a member of the NACDA Division I-A Executive Committee and chairman of the NACDA Preseason Football Games Committee, which sponsors the Kickoff Classic and the Disney Pigskin Classic.

In 1990, he was elected to the Board of Directors of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame and to the Board of Directors of the United States Sports Academy. In 1991, he moved the Midshipmen from the Colonial Athletic Association to the Patriot League and elevated the women's intercollegiate program to Division I status. He was voted into the Summit County (Ohio) Sports Hall of Fame and was the 1991 Achievement Award winner from the Akron's Varsity "A" Association. In 1996, he was named to the Board of Directors of the College Football Association and chairman of the CFA's Athletic Directors Committee, and in 1997, he was enshrined into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame for his outstanding contributions to amateur football. Lengyel was a driving force behind the foundation's new program to include players and coaches from all divisions for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame. Also in 1997, he had an alley off historic Main Street in downtown Annapolis named after him by Mayor Al Hopkins for his contributions to the city of Annapolis.

The 1998-99 season was a memorable one for Lengyel on a personal level, as he was named the National Association of Collegiate Athletic Directors/National Invitation Tournament Athletic Director of the Year, received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Akron and was given an honorary doctorate by the United States Sports Academy.

In the spring of 2001, Lengyel received the highest honor awarded to an athletic director when he was named the winner of the James J. Corbett Award. The award is presented annually to the collegiate athletics administrator who "through the years has most typified Corbett's devotion to intercollegiate athletics and worked unceasingly for its betterment." Corbett, athletics director at Louisiana State, was NACDA's first president in 1965. Additionally, Lengyel received an honorary degree from the Sports Management Institute (SMI), an educational institute sponsored by the universities of Michigan, North Carolina, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Southern California and Texas, and NACDA. This award marks Lengyel's second enshrinement into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame.

Lengyel's efforts to promote the Naval Academy's varsity athletic program included overseeing the production and national airing (CBS) of a one-hour documentary on the history of Navy football. "Anchors Aweigh for Honor and Glory," produced by NFL Films, was deemed a success by both critics and fans alike.

Lengyel headed Missouri's athletic program from 1986-88, aggressively marketing the Tiger football and basketball programs. As Athletics Director at Fresno State from 1983-86, he revived a program that was on probation, improved old facilities and added new ones. Eight Bulldog teams achieved Division 1-A top 20 ranking during his final 18 months there. The Bulldogs also won two California Bowl games and a NIT Championship in basketball.

Lengyel, a native of Akron, Ohio, won letters in football, lacrosse, swimming and track at Akron. He received his bachelor's degree in physical education from Akron in 1957 and earned a master's degree in education from Kent in 1960. He received a commission in the U.S. Army after completing the ROTC program at Akron, where he was the Distinguished Military Graduate. He later spent 12 years in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, achieving the rank of Captain.

His coaching career spanned a total of 18 years at all three NCAA levels, and he has been a head coach in football, lacrosse, baseball, wrestling and swimming on the collegiate level. He served on the staffs at Akron, Heidelberg, Cornell, Wooster, Marshall and Louisville.

In 1971, he went to Marshall to rebuild the football program there after a tragic plane crash wiped out the team and its coaches in 1970.

Lengyel and his wife, Sandra, have three children: David, a 1980 graduate of the Naval Academy and now a Lt. Colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, who is currently the Executive Director of the Aerospace Safety Advisory Panel at NASA Headquarters; Peter, a Commander in the Navy and a 1984 graduate of the Academy, is currently attending the Naval War College in Newport, R.I.; and Julie, a graduate of Kentucky. They also have six grandchildren.

EASTMAN & BEAUDINE, INC. TO HEAD SEARCH FOR NAVAL ACADEMY DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Adm. John Ryan, USN, announced July 26 that the executive search firm of Eastman & Beaudine, Inc. has been selected to conduct a national search for a new Director of Athletics. Jack Lengyel is retiring Oct. 1 after thirteen years of service as Director of Athletics at Navy.

"We are looking for a qualified individual who can build on Jack Lengyel's excellent legacy, someone who really understands intercollegiate athletics and one who can enthusiastically embrace the Academy's unique mission," said Ryan. "We are very pleased to have Eastman and Beaudine on our team as we begin this important work," he added. "We fully expect to have a new director selected and in place in October."

Eastman & Beaudine, Inc. is recognized as one of the pioneer firms in executive recruitment, particularly within the sports industry. Based out of Plano, Texas, the search firm has headed up Director of Athletics searches at Duke, Louisville, Virginia Tech, Texas Christian, Army, Vanderbilt, Houston, SMU, Miami and Oklahoma.

"Our goal at Eastman & Beaudine has always been to keep quality of performance as the key focal point in successfully handling assignments," said Bob Beaudine, President and CEO of the firm. "Our objective is to fill positions in such a way that the results exceed our clients' expectations." Beaudine will personally spearhead the assignment for the Naval Academy.

Inquiries should be directed to Eastman & Beaudine at (972) 267-8891 or info@eastman-beaudine.com.

Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium Renovation Project

The Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy, Vice Admiral John Ryan, has approved a plan to raise $40 million dollars in private funds to renovate Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The current Navy-Narine Corps Memorial Stadium was a model of the modern all-purpose outdoor stadium when it was planned and constructed in 1957. The stadium held its first game on September 26, 1959, with the Mids defeating William & Mary, 29-2.

CDFM2, an archiectural firm located in Kansas City, Mo., has been hired to begin the conceptual design process. Hoffman Management Partners has been hired as the project manager while, Whiting Turner has been selected as the construction manager.

The project goals are to make the stadium accessible for disabled veterans and fans, improve scholar-athlete recruiting, preserve and update the memorial aspects of Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, improve midshipmen, alumni and fans' enjoyment of the game, atmosphere and experience, and improve the home-field advantage for the Navy football teams.

Navy's Radio Team

Bob Socci returns for his fifth season on the Navy football broadcasts and is entering his fourth year as the full-time play-by-play announcer for the Navy Football Radio Network.

He has also been the voice of Navy basketball the past five seasons. In addition to football, Socci serves as the voice of the Baltimore Orioles Class "A" affiliate Frederick Keys. The Dayton graduate has had stints with the Delmarva Shorebirds, the Peoria Chiefs and served as the director of communications for the Rochester Red Wings. Socci also worked in the sports information office at North Carolina as a student and worked in the publicity department of the Cincinnati Reds. Socci, a native of Auburn, N.Y., is single and lives in Annapolis.

John Feinstein (above right) enters his fifth season behind the microphone as a color analyst, but has been close to the program for years. He covered the Midshipmen for the Washington Post, and recently has authored two highly-acclaimed books that have featured the Naval Academy, Army vs. Navy, A Civil War (about the Army-Navy football rivalry) and The Last Amateurs (a basketball book about student-athletes in the Patriot League, of which Navy is a member). He has also written best-sellers, The Majors, A March to Madness, A Good Walk Spoiled, A Season on the Brink, Play Ball, and Hard Courts and two mystery novels, Running Mates and Winter Games. Feinstein writes regular columns for AOL and Golf Digest and is a weekly guest on National Public Radio. He is also a regular contributor to ESPN's The Sports Reporters.