May 10, 2006
ANNAPOLIS, Md.-Navy head football coach Paul Johnson announced Wednesday that Rob Caldwell (St. John, Ind.) and James Rossi (Buda, Texas) have been elected team captains for the 2006 football season by their teammates.
"It's a great honor for Rob and James to be elected by their teammates and I know it's a role they will take seriously," said Johnson. "I think this senior class is filled with leaders and it will take the whole class to step up and take on a leadership role if we are going to have a successful season."
Caldwell, a 2005 All-East selection, is coming off a remarkable season where he led the Mids in tackles with 140, the 10th most in the country and the seventh most in school history. Caldwell, the second-leading returning tackler in the country, is on the pre-season watch list for the Lombardi Award, which goes annually to the college football lineman (offense or defense) who, in addition to outstanding performance and ability, best exemplifies the discipline of Vince Lombardi.
Rossi is a two-year starter at center and will anchor an experienced offensive line that helped Navy lead the nation in rushing a year ago (319.3). Rossi was on the Rimington Award watch list last fall, which is given to college football's most outstanding center, and could be on that list again this year.
Navy is coming off an historic 2005 campaign that saw the Mids win the Commander-In-Chief's Trophy for a school-record third-consecutive year, go to a bowl game for a school-record third-consecutive year and win a bowl game in successive years for the first time in school history. This year's senior class will try to not only extend the CIC and bowl winning streaks, but also become the first class in school history to go a perfect 8-0 in Service Academy games.
Season tickets are currently on sale at the Navy box office in Ricketts Hall, by calling 1-800-US4-NAVY, or on the internet at www.navysports.com. Navy opens up the 2006 campaign Saturday, Sept. 2 against East Carolina at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. The game is scheduled for a 5:30 p.m. start and will be televised nationally by CSTV.
