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Jovan Belcher, Jhamal Fluellen Named 2008 Football Captains
May 5, 2008
ORONO, Maine - University of Maine football rising seniors Jovan Belcher and Jhamal Fluellen were named the 2008 co-captains following the conclusion of the Black Bears' 2008 spring practice schedule this past weekend. The captains were determined by a vote amongst team members, and were announced in a team meeting Friday afternoon following the final spring practice. "We as a coaching are very pleased for the team and for Jovan and Jhamal," Cosgrove said. "Both young men have outstanding leadership qualities and I'm excited for them to have a hand in leading the 2008 Black Bears. We, as a team, have a better working knowledge of what leadership skills are. By voting for Jovan and Jhamal, our players have demonstrated that knowledge of what leadership is." Belcher, a defensive end, was one of the most feared players in the CAA last season as he led the league in sacks and tackles for loss. The West Babylon, N.Y. native earned numerous honors, including being named a second-team All-American, a First-Team All-CAA selection, an ECAC First-Team All-Star and a New England Football Writer's Association First-Team All-Star. Fluellen, a tailback, rushed for 1,052 yards last season and became just the eighth back in school history to top 1,000 yards rushing in a season. The Lockport, N.Y. native was named to the All-CAA Third-Team for his efforts.
In addition to the announcement of captains, the coaches also singled out a trio of individuals for their steady improvement during spring practice. Rising junior linebacker Robert Admire was named the most improved defensive player, while rising sophomore wide receiver Tyrell Jones was named the most improved on offense. Rising junior kicker John Moloney was recognized with the same honor for special teams.
"Our spring practices are geared towards recognizing the players who have raised their level of play from the beginning of spring to the end," Cosgrove said. "We place a tremendous amount of value on that. All three of these young men certainly stood out in terms of growth throughout the spring and we are thrilled to recognize them. When it came time to determine who the players were, the coaching staff threw out several names that had improved during the spring. That's exciting to know because it shows improvement across the board for the entire team." Also during spring practice, the program honored several players with individual awards from the 2007 season. The awards were handed out at the annual spring football banquet last week at the Wells Conference Center on the Orono campus. Player ... Award(s) Jovan Belcher ... Harold Westerman MVP; Maine Man Strength & Conditioning Jhamal Fluellen ... Jack Butterfield Outstanding Offensive Player Andrew Downey ... Walter Abbott Outstanding Defensive Player Ryan Canary ... Sam Sezak Outstanding Offensive Lineman Patrick McCrossan ... Roger Ellis Outstanding Defensive Lineman Shawn Demaray ... Woody Carville Student-Athlete Achievement Dominic Cusano ... Thurlow Cooper Rookie of the Year Bobby Donnelly ... George Wood Outstanding Special Teams Conor Keating ... Jim Butterfield Scout Team Player of the Year Raibonne Charles ... Jim Butterfield Scout Team Player of the Year; Freshman Strength Award Jordan Stevens ... Maine Man Strength & Conditioning Jerron McMillian ... Freshman Strength Award Bruno Dorismond ... Ron Rogerson Spirit Award |
