UConn Football Signs 25 To Letters of Intent

UConn Huskies football coach Paul Pasqualoni announced his first recruiting class as head coach of the UConn Huskies on Wednesday afternoon. Remember folks, last year’s class wasn’t exactly his since most of the recruiting had been done by the guy who left for his “dream job” at Maryland.

Here’s the release from UConn:

STORRS, Conn. (Feb. 1, 2012) — UConn football coach Paul Pasqualoni has announced that 19 high school seniors signed National Letters of Intent on Tuesday to attend the University of Connecticut. The 19 seniors come from seven states with the following breakdown: Florida 5, New Jersey 5, Massachusetts 3, Maryland 2, Pennsylvania 2, Connecticut 1 and New York 1.

In addition, UConn had five new student-athletes enroll for the spring 2012 semester and received a signed financial aid agreement from a junior college transfer.

The following is a list of the high school seniors that signed Letters of Intent:

The following is a list of student-athletes that enrolled at UConn for the spring 2012 semester:

The following is the junior college transfer that signed a financial aid agreement:

To learn more about the 25 new UConn Huskies football players, click on the read more button below if you’re on the home page.

The following, in alphabetical order, are biographies are all Husky newcomers.

Brendan Battles-Santos: Had 70 tackles his senior year with two sacks… played both defensive line and quarterback as a senior, running a single-wing offense as the lead blocker out of the backfield… named to the ESPN Boston All-State team and a Boston Globe and Boston Herald All-Star… also an outstanding wrestler… was a Boston Herald All-Scholastic pick in wrestling… captured the sectional, Division I and All-State titles as a junior in the 215-pound weight division… reached the finals of the New England Championship… was third at the National High School Coaches Association tournament..born April 28, 1994.

Kyle Bockeloh: Enrolled at Connecticut for the spring 2012 semester and will participate in spring practice… played at Cypress Creek High School in Houston and graduated in the spring of 2011… team went 9-4 in his senior season and team won three playoff games to advance to the regional round of the 5A Division I championship… delayed his enrollment to college until this semester… earned Greater Houston Academic All-State honors and also participated in track and field..born October 20, 1992.

Rennick Bryan: Named to the Connecticut High School Coaches’ Association All-Star Football Team and the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-Connecticut Team..named to the Levi Jackson All-Star Team, honored by the New Haven Gridiron Club… also throws the shot put and discus in track and field… was All-Southern Connecticut Conference in the shot put… born December 1, 1993.

Jazzmar Clax: Led Neptune HS to its first Central Jersey Group 3 title since 1998… had 156 tackles (72 solo) with six sacks and a pair of forced fumbles… born August 23, 1993… was an Asbury Park Press All-Shore first team selection in each of the past two years… began his high school career at Freehold Borough HS and helped lead that school to the Group 3 title in 2010… born August 23, 1993.

Casey Cochran: Enrolled at Connecticut for the spring 2012 semester and will participate in spring practice… Gatorade Player of the Year in Connecticut for each of the past two seasons… named to the Connecticut High School Coaches’ Association All-Star Football Team and the Walter Camp Football Foundation All-Connecticut Team… holds the Connecticut high school career records for passing yards and completions… played his final two years of high school at Masuk and led the team to the Connecticut Class L title in 2010… started his scholastic career at New London HS and led the team to the state class SS title in 2008… born February 25, 1994.

Jordan Floyd: Named to All-Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association team.. named all-state honorable mention by the Baltimore Sun and was a second team All-Metro pick in 2010..as a junior had 700 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns and also had 70 tackles..played in the 2011 Maryland Crab Bowl on December 17 for the Baltimore team… also plays basketball and runs track and field in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash… born April 19, 1994.

Drew Ghio: Enrolled at Connecticut for the spring 2012 semester and will participate in spring practice… graduate of Bristol Central High School and spent the fall 2011 semester at the Loomis Chaffee School in Windsor, Conn. … team captain at Bristol Central and earned team MVP honors… was an all-city and first team all-conference pick… honor roll student at both Bristol Eastern and Loomis… played for the Connecticut team in the 2010 Governors’ Cup All-Star Game… participated in track and basketball… born July 17, 1992.

John Green: Had 13 receptions for 186 yards and three TDs in 2011… had a 32.3 yards punting average as a senior… also runs track in the 100-meter, 200-meter and 400-meter events… born November 12, 1993.

Ricky Gutierrez: Wide receiver whose team played in regional semifinals of Florida Class 7A regional quarterfinals… son of former Major League Baseball player Ricky Gutierrez, who played for six teams from 1993-2004 and won a World Series ring with the ’04 Red Sox..born February 15, 1993.

Jonathan Hicks: Was named to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers Class AAA All-Star Team… Made 140 tackles, including 25 in one game, with 4.5 sacks as a senior in 2011 along with two blocked punts and two forced fumbles… played both inside linebacker and offensive line… will play in the Big 33 All-Star game (Pennsylvania vs. Ohio) on June 16 in Hershey, Pa. … will be first Palmyra HS player in that game since 1977 and is just one of four LBs for the Pennsylvania team… led high school team to a regular season record of 9-3, its best in four decades… team made its first-ever District Three playoff appearance and won a triple OT game in the first round… born December 10, 1993.

Richard Levy: Played both on the offensive and defensive line… also wrestles in high school… born September 12, 1992.

Ellis Marder: 2011 Central Florida all-star..Played defensive back in high school… team played in regional semifinals of Class 4A championship… born January 14, 1994.

Obi Melifonwu: Played both running back and defensive back in high school… rushed for 1,394 yards in senior year with 17 touchdowns… made 14 tackles on defense and had three interceptions..also had ten two-point conversions… named to the ESPN Boston All-State team… rushed for 320 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Leichester in 2011..is also a long jumper and triple jumper on the track team… born April 5, 1994.

Mikal Myers: Will played defensive tackle at UConn after playing on both the offensive and defensive line in high school… was named a first team Class AA selection on the offensive line by the New York Sportswriters Association… was second team in junior year… on defense as a senior, had 91 tackles with 14 for a loss and 10 sacks… team was 10-2 in senior year and advanced to championship game of NYSAPHSAA Class 4A tournament… team won its first Section 9 Class AA title since 2003… born August 14, 1994.

Elijah Norris: Was a receiver on offense and had 20 receptions for 440 yards and four TDs… also made 102 tackles with 16.0 sacks… had a 37.03 yards punting average… born July 4, 1994.

Bobby Puyol: Was a finalist for the Palm Beach (Fla.) Placekicker of the Year by the Palm Beach County Sports Commission… had career mark of 22-27 in field goals with a long of 54, to break a school record… was 189 for 198 on PATs and had a KO touchback percentage of 82%… first team all-conference 3A-4A as a senior and first team all-area by Orlando Sun Sentinel… third team all-state 7A… was 9 of 12 on field goals and 50 of 52 on extra points… also was the backup QB… team won three playoff games in Class 7A tournament as team made it to state semifinals and was regional champion… team went 50 games over his four-year HS career… first-team all-conference three times… team won state championship in sophomore year..also plays baseball… high school baseball coach was Frank Torre, Jr… .son of former major leaguer Frank Torre and nephew of legendary Joe Torre… son born August 17, 1993.

Zach Rugg: Had 72 tackles in senior year with two double-digit tackle games… also had 2.5 sacks… also played on the offensive line… named first team All-Area by the Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.)… also named to the Pennsylvania Sports Writers all-state team… team went 7-4 in senior season… as a junior had 99 tackles… in junior year, team went 8-5 and reached the District 6 Class A championship game… born February 16, 1994.

Tyler Samra: Helped team rush for 1,910 rushing yards and 1,194 passing yards in senior year… was named first-team all-state by the Newark Star-Ledger… team went 11-0 in senior year and won the New Jersey Non-Public Group 4 state championship… born December 23, 1993.

Neil Shortell: A junior college transfer from Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas… same junior college as UConn spring enrollee Chandler Whitmer… will have two years of eligibility over three at UConn… had four receptions for 60 yards and a TD as a tight end for Butler in 2011… was named All-Kansas Junior College Conference first team honors… Butler was the second-ranked junior college team nationally this past season… born July 9, 1991.

Omaine Stephens: Named All-Area by the News-Record (Maplewood and South Orange, N.J.)…also named First Team All-Group 4 by the Newark Star-Ledger and First Team All-Essex County…made 70 tackles as a senior (54 primary) with 13 sacks…born June 2, 1993.

Jason Sylva: Will play linebacker at Connecticut… made 72 tackles on defense with 22 for a loss and 10 sacks this past fall at Tabor Academy (Marion, Mass.)… .also rushed for 900 yards and 10 TDS… was a three-time All-Colonial League pick, a first team All-New England selection twice and a runner-up for the New England Player of the year as a senior… began his high school career at Plymouth South HS, earning Atlantic Coast League honorable mention all-conference honors in football and basketball… his father, Ed, played football at Boston State (now UMass-Boston)… his uncle, Bob, played football at Norwich with current UConn DC Don Brown… born July 14, 1992.

Wyatt Vinci: Attended same prep school as current Husky wide receiver Nick Williams… played high school football at St. Joseph HS in Montvale, N.J… born January 9, 1993.

Jhavon Williams: Team went 7-4 in senior season and played in the regional quarterfinals of the Florida Class 8A championship… played in the Florida Atlantic Coaches’ Association North-South All-Star game following his senior season… started his high school career at American Heritage HS… born January 20, 1993.

Joseph Williams: Enrolled at Connecticut for the spring 2012 semester and will participate in spring practice… spent the fall 2011 semester at Fork Union (Va.) Military Academy after graduating from Emmaus High School in the spring of 2011… .at Emmaus, rushed for 1,243 yards as a senior and was a second team all-area pick… first team All-Lehigh Valley Conference selection… was a track standout winning the LVC outdoor track titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter dash… born September 4, 1993.

Chandler Whitmer: Enrolled at Connecticut for the spring 2012 semester and will participate in spring practice… will have three years of eligibility at Connecticut… originally enrolled at Illinois in the fall of 2010 and was a redshirt… named to The Champaign News-Gazette’s All-State team following his senior year of high school at Downers Grove (Ill.) South… earned all state and all-area honors… spent the 2011 fall semester at Butler Community College in El Dorado, Kansas… was 180 for 316 in the air for 3,022 yards this past season with 25 TDs and 14 interceptions… was named All-Kansas Junior College Conference first team honors… named National Junior College Athletic Association All-American honorable mention… Butler was the second-ranked junior college team nationally this past season… born August 16, 1991.

Follow Ian on Twitter @soxanddawgs. And be sure to like us on Facebook as well.