Bagnoli Announces Incoming Football Class
5/26/2015 2:38:00 PM | Football
NEW YORK – A total of 25 athletes will join the Columbia football team this fall, as the Patricia and Shepard Alexander Head Coach of Football Al Bagnoli has announced the incoming football class.
Along with 22 first-year players, three transfers will make up Bagnoli's first class at Columbia. Twin brothers Jackson and Christian Conway will have two seasons of eligibility left after transferring from Duke, while Skyler Mornhinweg will also play his final two season at Columbia after transferring form Florida.
The incoming class hails from 17 different states, with Illinois and Texas having the most newcomers with three each. The group will add 14 offensive players, nine athletes on the defensive side and two specialists.
Class Breakdown by Position:
Offense – 14
4 – quarterbacks, offensive linemen
3 – running backs
2 – wide receivers
1 – tight end
Defense – 9
3 – linebackers, defensive linemen, defensive backs
Specialists – 2
1 – long snapper, kicker/punter
Class Breakdown by State (Interactive Map):
3 – Illinois, Texas
2 – Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia
1 – Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Washington
Individual Bios
Chris Alleyne | K/P | 6-2, 185 | San Diego, California | Highlights
Kicker and punter for The Bishop's School in San Diego, California … nailed a 47-yard field goal his junior season … owned the longest punting average in the county during his senior season … totaled 11 varsity letters in high school, while also participating on the soccer, volleyball and surf teams … earned League Player of the Year honors in both soccer and volleyball.
Brock Anglin | OL | 6-6, 245 | Dallas, Texas | Highlights
A four-year letterwinner in football and baseball who also earned three more letters in basketball at the Episcopal School of Dallas … notched All-Conference honors in football as a captain during his senior season … awarded the Presidential Service Award after completing over 100 hours of community service in high school … was a center on the basketball team while pitching and playing third base on the diamond.
Adam Armesto | TE | 6-6, 240 | Canton, Michigan | Highlights
Three-sport athlete coming out of Canton High School in suburban Detroit … spent time at tight end, nose guard and offensive tackle while helping the team to a district title … was a four-year scholar athlete, earned the Captain of the Week and Honey Badger awards … four-year letterman on the track & field team as a discus and shot put thrower and a three-year letterman on the wrestling team at heavyweight … earned eight state fine arts merit awards, while becoming the Letters for Literature state runner-up and a four-year scholar athlete.
Kyle Castner | QB | 6-1, 215 | Indianapolis, Indiana | Highlights
Claimed Indiana's Mr. Football and All-State honors while leading Ben Davis high school to the state championship at quarterback … two-time team captain … re-wrote the school record books by passing for 3,410 yards and 34 touchdowns in his senior campaign, while completing 64.6 percent of his passes … ended his career with 6,944 yards passing and 63 touchdowns, both school records … earned academic All-State honors, the Griddy Indiana Player of the Year award and the State Championship MVP in 2014 … graduated in the top one-percent of his class.
Partick Eby | LS | 6-3, 240 | Towson, Maryland | Highlights
A three-sport athlete and a long-snapper on the football field at Loyola Blakefield High School in Towson, Maryland … earned the Dennis Woolford Special Teams award, and was named a Baltimore Football Foundation Scholar Athlete … also participated in lacrosse as a defender and track & field as a shot put and discus thrower.
Cal Falkenhayn | LB | 6-2, 230 | Wilmette, Illinois | Highlights
A first team All-Catholic League Blue honoree during his senior season, playing linebacker for Loyola Academy in Wilmette, Illinois … tallied 91 tackles in 10 games in 2014, adding three sacks and seven tackles for a loss … in 14 games during his junior campaign, totaled 89 tackles at strong safety, adding two sacks, two interceptions and two pass breakups … went 23-5 during his final two seasons, including a class 8A state runner-up finish in 2013.
Lucas Faria | RB | 5-10, 190 | Sparta, New Jersey | Highlights
The 2013 New Jersey Herald Player of the Year from Sparta High School … set school records for most rushing yards and touchdowns in a game, season and career … team was the North I Group 3 state champions in 2013 and 2014 … ran for 2,174 yards and 39 touchdowns his junior season before tallying 1,273 yards and 22 scores in his senior campaign … was named a 2014 United Way Scholar Athlete, 2014 Destination Scholar athlete while taking the 2014 Greater Morris Country of the NFF Scholar Athlete award … also spent time playing lacrosse as at attack and in the midfield.
Tre Gabriel | WR | 5-6, 157 | West Palm Beach, Florida | Highlights
A three-time team captain at Oxbridge Academy in West Palm Beach, Florida … all-purpose player who earned the Gulf Atlantic Conference Player of the Year and first team all-conference honors in 2013 … led his team to conference championships in 2013 and 2014 … named Palm Beach Preps special teams Player of the Year in 2013 and CBS News 12 Athlete of the Week in 2014 … tallied 1,020 all-purpose yards his senior season to go along with 10 touchdowns … scored nine touchdowns his junior year with 894 all-purpose yards … finished his career with 778 receiving yards and 13 touchdown catches … set a school record with two punt return touchdowns in a single game.
Ryan Gilbert | CB | 6-0, 180 | Bellevue, Washington | Highlights
A three-time state champion at Bellevue High School in Washington … ended his high school career with a 55-1 record while playing cornerback, wide receiver and long snapper … claimed all-league honors at corner, while becoming a part of the student-athlete leadership team … 2014 scholar athlete nominee for the National Football Foundation … along with his four letters in football, he threw the javelin on the track & field team, lettering three times.
Connor Halm | OL | 6-7, 280 | McLean, Virginia | Highlights
An all-conference offensive lineman from Langley High School in McLean, Virginia … part of the team that went undefeated in conference play, and part of the highest scoring offense in school history … spent time on both the offensive and defensive lines … earned the schools Scholar Athlete Award while becoming a member of the National Honor Society, the Spanish Honor Society and earning a National Merit Scholar Letter of Commendation.
Mike Hinton | DE | 6-4, 227 | Winston-Salem, North Carolina | Highlights
A multi-sport athlete at R.J. Reynolds High School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina … earned All-Central Peidmont Conference honors as a defensive end … averaged 7.6 tackles per game and 1.2 sacks per game during his final season … was an AP Scholar at R.J. Reynolds … a four-year letterman on the basketball team as a small/power forward … participated in track & field as a sprinter while also competing in the high jump, shot put and discus.
Daniel Hong | QB | 6-3, 210 | Las Vegas, Nevada | Highlights
A member of four state championship teams as a quarterback at Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas … was an AP Scholar, while becoming a member of the Nation Honor Society and the Spanish National Honor Society for two years … also a member of the basketball team at Bishop Gorman as a wing.
Brandon Krcilek | WR | 6-2, 185 | Chandler, Arizona | Highlights
An all-state wide receiver at Hamilton High School in Chandler, Arizona … earned first team all-state and all-conference honors as a captain during his senior year … tallied over 900 yards receiving and 13 touchdowns during his final season … team won the state championship his sophomore season and was the state runner-up during both his junior and senior year … set a state record with a 70-yard punt … invitee to the US Army All-American National Combine … played in the Global Ireland Football Tournament in Dublin … also participated in wrestling and tennis during high school.
Cole McDonough | DL | 6-3, 290 | Bel Air, Maryland | Highlights
A three-sport athlete at Bel Air High School in Maryland … helped his team to a 10-2 record during his all-state senior season as a defensive lineman, while taking home first team all-conference honors his final two years and first team all-county honors his final three seasons … also participated in wrestling as a heavyweight and rugby all four years.
John Riley McLaughlin | DB | 6-1, 195 | Aloca, Tennessee | Highlights
A graduate of Alcoa High School in Tennessee after spending his first three years at Phillips Academy in Andover, Massachusetts … captain of the 2013 state champion Tornadoes, helping the team to a 14-1 record as an all-state defensive back … claimed Knoxville PrepXtra first team honors, all-district and all-county honors in 2013 … finished the season with 48 tackles, five interceptions, including two returned for a touchdown, five pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery … member of the National Honor Society and the Alcoa Senior Scholar.
Luke Melsop | DE | 6-5, 220 | Columbus, Ohio | Highlights
Lined up at defensive end, linebacker and tight end at Saint Francis DeSales High School in Columbus, Ohio … earned all-conference, all-metro and honorable mention all-state honors on the gridiron … tallied five sacks, seven tackles for a loss, three pass deflections and one interception in his final two seasons … finished his career with three letters in football and three more in volleyball as a middle hitter … took home CCL Player of the Year honors in volleyball.
H.T. Minor | RB |5-9, 178 | Woodberry Forest, Virginia | Highlights
Spent time on both sides of the ball as a running back and corner at Woodberry Forest High School in Virginia … earned all-state and all-prep honors in both football and track & field … helped his high school squad to three prep league championships in football and track … rushed for 750 yards during his junior season.
Tyler Schonewolf | OL | 6-3, 260 | South Williamsport, Pennsylvania | Highlights
A two-time recipient of the Northern Tier League Lineman of the Year and two-time all-state honoree from South Williamsport, Pennsylvania … team made it to the state semi-finals after winning PIAA District 4 in 2014 … earned first team Northern Tier League honors at tight end (twice) and defensive line (three times) … was the President of the schools Leo Club … played in all 49 varsity football games during his high school career … blocked for Lehigh recruit Dom Bragalone, who rushed for a state record 4,716 yards his senior season … father, Rich, was a defensive lineman at Penn State, and a member of the 1986 National Championship team … also participated in basketball in high school.
Ryan Suitt | QB | 6-1, 180 | Fort Worth, Texas | Highlights
A three-sport athlete and quarterback at All Saints Episcopal in Fort Worth, Texas … passed for 2,171 yards and 23 touchdowns his senior year during an All-Conference season … ran for another 702 yards and eight scores … also participated in basketball as a point guard, track & field as a sprinter.
Pete Szymanski | OT | 6-6, 280 | Park Ridge, Illinois | Highlights
A IHSA and CSL Scholar Athlete his final two seasons at Maine South High School in Park Ridge, Illinois … helped high school team to two conference crowns in his junior and senior seasons as an offensive tackle … also a member of the basketball team … a black belt in taekwondo and hapkido.
Jason Vravick | LB | 6-2, 230 | Lincolnshire, Illinois | Highlights
An All-State linebacker at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, Illinois … two-time team captain … totaled 155 tackles his senior season, including 10 for a loss and four sacks to go along with two forced fumbles while helping Lincolnshire to the 2014 state championship … a 2014 IHSFCA All-State honoree and member of the Pioneer Press & Daily Herald All-Area team … first team Academic All-State … also a member of the baseball team, playing catcher and first base.
Sean White | LB | 6-3, 225 | Friendswood, Texas | Highlights
Earned first team all-county and all-district honors as a defensive back in his final season at Friendswood High School in suburban Houston … totaled 149 tackles his senior season, while putting up a career-best three interceptions and four forced fumbles during his all-district junior campaign … spent time on the track at Friendswood in the sprint relays and hurdles, while participating in lacrosse as a defensive midfielder.
Jackson Conway | RB | 5-11, 235 | Bronxville, New York (Duke) | Highlights
Transfer student after spending 2012-14 seasons at Duke University alongside his twin brother, Christian … spent time at running back while at Duke, seeing game action against Kansas and Tulane in 2014 … helped guide Bronxville High School in New York to the 2010 state championship, compiling a 20-1 record his final two seasons … was twice named all-state in New York, rushing for 580 yards in his senior year … also was a star on the diamond, becoming the New York state batting champion by hitting .565 during his all-state senior season.
Christian Conway | S | 5-11, 215 | Bronxville, New York (Duke) | Highlights
Transfer student who spent the 2012-14 seasons at Duke University alongside his twin brother, Jackson … played in 27 career games for the Blue Devils at safety, tallying 18 tackles, including one for a 17-yard loss … special teams standout who led the unit in tackles with 15 last season, spending time on the field for 326 career snaps … spent the last two seasons of his high school career at Bronxville High School in New York, guiding the team to the 2010 state championship and a 20-1 record in two seasons … rushed for a school record 1,885 yards his senior season with 30 touchdowns, a year after running for 1,720 yards and 26 scores his junior season … earned all-state honors in football twice, as well as all-state honors in baseball his senior year.
Skyler Mornhinweg | QB | 6-3, 217 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Florida) | Highlights
Transfer from the University of Florida, who spent the 2012-14 seasons playing quarterback for the Gators … after not seeing any game action his first year, came on the scene at the end of the 2013 season, starting the final three games … went 44-for-63 with 344 yards, three touchdowns and one interception in starts at No. 11 South Carolina, Georgia State, and the eventual national champion, No. 2 Florida State … tallied career highs with 122 yards and two passing scores against Georgia State, while completing 20-of-25 passes for 115 yards and a score against the Seminoles … was named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll three times during his career … rated a four-star recruit out of high school and the sixth best prospect in the state of Pennsylvania coming out of St. Joseph's Prep in Philadelphia … totaled 4,912 passing yards, 1,243 rushing yards and 71 total touchdowns (52 passing, 17 rushing, 2 interception returns) in his high school career … winner of the Leroy Kelly Award, given to the Southeast Pennsylvania Player of the Year … son of Marty Mornhinweg, the current quarterbacks coach with the Baltimore Ravens and former head coach of the Detroit Lions.
