November 23
Football
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seventeen Cardinals Earn GLIAC Honors

UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - Twelve Saginaw Valley State University football team members were named to the GLIAC all-conference first or second team, while five players garnered honorable mention honors. The Cardinals placed three individuals on the first-team offense, and defense respectively, while four players were chosen to the second team offense. Two Cardinals were selected to the second team defense. The seventeen players who earned GLIAC honors set a new school mark for most players receiving post-season conference accolades.
   Senior wide receiver Travis McAlpine (Pontiac, Mich./Notre Dame Prep), guard Nic LaFear (Davison, Mich.) and Jason Chounard (Norway, Mich.) were each selected to the GLIAC first team offense. McAlpine finished second on the team with 68 points. He tallied 41 receptions for 716 yards and 11 TDs. LaFear started all 12 games along the SVSU offensive line. He played both guard and center in 2002 and helped anchor the offense which averaged 39.9 points per game. Chounard was named the All-GLIAC first team specialist. He became the school's all-time leader in punt return yardage (1,018) this season.
   Seniors Nick Allen (Big Rapids, Mich.), Jason Battershell (Rochester Hills, Mich.) and Pat Cavanaugh (Troy, Mich./Bishop Foley HS) were each named to the GLIAC first-team defense. Allen led the Cardinal defense with 7.5 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. The defensive end finished third on the team with 76 tackles. Battershell started all twelve games at linebacker and led the Cardinal defense with 108 tackles, finishing ninth in the conference in tackles per game (9.0). He also posted one sack, one interception, and two fumble recoveries. Cavanaugh recorded 104 tackles, including ten for loss. The strong safety finished the season with three interceptions, ten pass break-ups, and two forced fumbles.
   Quarterback Matt LaFleur (Mt. Pleasant, Mich.), wide receiver Ruvell Martin (Muskegon, Mich./Catholic Central HS), tackle Chad Lackowski (Harbor Beach, Mich.) and kicker Eric Houle (Flint, Mich./Kearsley HS) were selected to the All-GLIAC second-team offense. LaFleur finished the year with 2,243 passing yards and 20 TDs. He finished second in the conference in pass efficiency (151.1). Martin led the team with 47 receptions and finished second in receiving yards (732). His 61.0 yards per game average was tenth best in the conference. Lackowski started all 12 games at left tackle in 2002. He has started 33 consecutive games along the Cardinals' offensive line. Houle was named the GLIAC second-team place kicker. He led the team in scoring (91 points) and tied for fifth place in the conference. He converted 58 of 59 extra point attempts and was 11 for 15 on field goal attempts.
   Senior defensive tackle Steve Gangler (Sandusky, Mich.) and sophomore safety Corey Gonzales (Avondale, Mich.) were named to the second-team defense. Gangler finished with 26 tackles, including four for loss. Gangler tallied 2.5 sacks against Wayne State on November 16. Gonzales led the GLIAC with seven interceptions and finished in a tie for fourth place in pass break-ups (10). He tallied 58 tackles, including four for loss this season.
   Senior running back Keath Bartynski (Saginaw, Mich./Nouvel CC), junior wide receiver Glenn Martinez (Auburndale, Fla.), defensive tackle Derrick Wyatt (Saginaw, Mich./Buena Vista HS), sophomore Neil Baumgartner (Iron River, Mich./West Iron County HS), and freshman John DiGiorgio (Shelby Twp., Mich./Eisenhower HS) earned honorable mention honors. Bartynski led the Cardinals with 856 rushing yards, including a 244-yard performance against Wayne State. Martinez led the team in receiving yards (814), while Wyatt recorded 33 tackles and four pass break-ups. Baumgartner finished the year with 55 tackles, including 12 for loss, to go with four and a half sacks and one interception. DiGiorgio turned in an impressive freshman campaign, posting 72 tackles, an interception returned for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.
   The Cardinals finished the 2002 season 9-3 and participated in the NCAA Division II National Playoffs for the third consecutive season.

Contact: Jason Yaman (989) 964-4053

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