STORRS, CONN. - University of Connecticut head football coach Randy Edsall announced on Wednesday that the Huskies have signed 26 student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent to join the UConn program.

The press conference was held at the Goodwin Hotel Atrium in downtown Hartford and followed by a special presentation to Husky fans and donors that was attended by over 300 people (right).

"With this outstanding group of student-athletes, we filled the holes of our graduating seniors; and in so doing, we have become bigger, stronger, faster and more athletic than we have been in previous years," Edsall says. "I was impressed with the leadership, maturity and character that this group displayed throughout the recruiting process. They will come here and fit right in with our current student-athletes to continue the rise of the University of Connecticut football program."

UConn posted an 8-4 record in 2004 and defeated Toledo in the Motor City Bowl by a score of 39-10. The bowl appearance was the first in school history as the Huskies were in just their third season of competition at a Division I-A level. UConn also made its debut as a member of the BIG EAST Conference in 2004 and had a 3-3 record in the league - including a win over Pittsburgh, which represented the league in the Bowl Championship Series. In it’s inaugural season as a BIG EAST member, UConn led the conference in both total offense and total defense.

The following is a full signee roster and short biography of each:

JOE AKERS – First player in Maryland high school history to earn consensus all-state honors three times…was named Maryland State Lineman of the Year as a senior…as a senior on defense, recorded more than 100 tackles and also had 15 sacks…team went 13-1 and advanced to state championship game…was a three-time All-Metro pick in the Baltimore area...had a 3.2 grade point average in high school and was named to the Baltimore academic honor roll…enrolled at UConn in January of 2005.

MATT ASHMEAD – Senior year was only season of varsity football…had 71 tackles, seven sacks and four pass breakups…was named honorable mention All-Dade County.

TERRY BALTIMORE – Was team captain and earned first team all-state, all-league, all-section and all-county honors…rushed for 1,012 yards for 16 touchdowns on 120 carries in senior year…had 291 rushing yards in one game vs. Harrison High School…on defense, recorded three interceptions…team was state, section and league champions…was named the Journal News Player of the Year (Westchester, Putnam and Rockland counties)…was the Section I Class A League B running back of the year…team won fourth sectional title in five years in 2004…team was 10-1 in senior year…an excellent baseball player who holds the school record for singles in a season with 40…was a first team all-county and all-league pick in baseball.

ANTHONY BARKSDALE – Was a first team All-Nassau County and All-Long Island selection…rushed for 869 yards in his senior season on 136 carries for 11 touchdowns…also had 17 receptions for 272 yards and a TD…on defense as a linebacker, had 82 tackles for three sacks and an interception…team was the Nassau Conference I Champions…played his first three years of high school football in Columbia, N.J. and was a three-time All-Burlington County, All-Patriot Division and All-South Jersey pick.

CODY BROWN – A team captain who made 88 tackles and had nine sacks as a senior…was named first team All-Broward County and honorable mention all-state…played in the BCAA All-Star Classic on Dec. 4 and the Nike South Florida All-Star game on Jan. 17…was an All-Broward County pick in basketball…was an honorable mention Sweet 16 selection by the Miami Herald.

DENNIS BROWN II – Team captain...A third-team 6-A all-state selection in Florida and a first team All-Dade County pick…threw for 2,001 yards in his senior year for 18 touchdowns and led team to a 9-3 season…was a Dade-Broward County all-star pick…was named MVP of the Dade-Broward County All-Star game on Jan. 17..his 13-yard TD run in that game with 31 seconds left gave Dade a 20-17 win.

DON BROWN – Rushed for 2,032 yards as a senior and scored 27 touchdowns…was named first team all-division, All-Monmouth County and All-Jersey Shore and was second team all-state...has a 3.2 high school grade point average.

BILLY CUNDIFF – Was named first team all-league for three seasons and first-team all-district as a junior…was named second team all-state as a senior…had senior season cut short in the sixth game with an ankle injury…had 72 completions on 112 attempts for 1,051 yards and 15 touchdowns in those five-plus games…threw for a total of 3,137 yards in his high school career and was 217 for 403 for 42 touchdowns...will quarterback the North team in the Ohio North-South All Star Game.

BRANDON DILLON – Prepped at Fork Union Military Academy this past year…was nominated for the Big 33 (Pennsylvania-Ohio) All-Star Game as a high school senior at Pittston Area in 2002 and the Pennsylvania East-West Game …started at both tight end and linebacker…transferred for his senior year from Marshall High School in Rochester, N.Y.…was named first-team all-city at Marshall and was the school's offensive player of the year as a wide receiver…also started on the varsity basketball teams at both Pittston Area and Marshall.

ANDRE DIXON – Rushed for 1,018 yards as a high school senior for 20 touchdowns….was high school teammate and next door neighbor of current Husky Marvin Taylor.

TODD DORCELUS – Pronounced door-CELL-us...Earned first team all-state honors in New Jersey as named by the Associated Press…made 40 receptions for 659 yards and 10 touchdowns as a senior - playing in just seven games due to a shoulder injury…also returned a combined 19 kickoffs and punts for 365 yards…team was 7-3 in senior season…had high school career total of 82 receptions for 1,461 yards and 14 touchdowns…served as team captain and team MVP…a finalist for the US Army All-American Bowl…earned all-region honors…as a junior, was named first team all-county, all-conference and third team all-state for Group IV.

BOBBY FRY – A team captain who was a first team all-conference pick and second team all-state for class 4A...was named to the Central Florida All-State team as a senior and also a Brevard County All-Star…was an All-Space Coast Team selection by Florida Today…an outstanding student-athlete with a 3.9 grade point average…played offensive tackle in high school.

ROB GETEK – Pronounced GET-eck...Spent the 2004 season in prep school at Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y….had 13 receptions for 22 yards and three touchdowns at Milford…named first team all-state and all-area as a senior in 2003 at Bishop Guertin in Nashua, N.H…played in the Shrine-Maple Sugar Bowl between New Hampshire and Vermont all-stars…made 30 receptions for 400 yards as a senior after grabbing 24 passes in his junior year for 350 yards…a team captain in both football and basketball...enrolled at UConn in January of 2005

LAWRENCE GREEN – A two-time first-team all-conference pick…an all-region selection as a senior…team went 7-3 in senior year and advanced to second round of state playoffs…comes from the same high school as current Husky Jason Williams and Kinnan Herriott, who was a senior last year.

JARVIS HICKS – A first team All-Broward County pick and second team all-state selection…was named a Dade-Broward County All-Star.

MIKE HICKS – An all-state selection on the offensive line by both The Hartford Courant and the New Haven Register…also earned all-league and all-area honors as a senior and was an all-league pick as a junior…on defense, had 37 tackles with seven sacks…team went 8-2 in his senior year…. a state weight lifting champion.

ALEX LaMAGDELAINE – A team co-captain…was a first team all-division, all-county and all-shore (by the Asbury Park Press) pick…has a 3.0 high school grade point average…as a junior was first team all-division and all-county and third team all-shore.

JIMMY McCLAM – Team co-captain...earned second team all-county honors and was an invitee to the Prince George County All-Star game and the Super 44 All-Star game…rushed for 560 yards on 54 carries and scored seven touchdowns as a senior…team finished with a record of 10-2 in senior year…a two-time second team all-county pick in track…a member of the Academic Honor Roll.

GLEN MOURNING – Team captain...arned first team all-conference honors and won the Fairfield County Scholar-Athlete Award…threw for 1,767 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for 934 yards and 15 more touchdowns…earned all-league honors as a junior as he threw 20 touchdown passes…was a state finalist for the Wendy's High School Heisman…earned honorable mention all-state honors from the New Haven Register.

KITT POMMELLS – Earned first team All-North Jersey and all-league honors…ran for 1,070 yards in his senior year and also caught 31 passes for 365 yards….scored a total of 20 touchdowns…led the team with 85 tackles and five interceptions...had a sack, three caused fumbles and two recoveries…also had a punting average of 39.8 yards…named team MVP…team went 21-1 over the past two seasons and won state championship in 2003.

ANDREW PRESNELL – An all-state pick amongst small schools...named all-area...had 55 tackles in 2004, including six sacks...was third in the state for wrestling, winning the county championship and all-area accolades...a member of the Academic Honor Roll.

KELVIN QUARLES – A team captain both his junior and senior seasons...two-time Gwinnett County Player of the Week as a senior...recorded 16 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2004 and made 138 total tackles over the combined 2003 and 2004 seasons...a four-year letterwinner.

COURTNEY ROBINSON – Team captain...first team all-county pick and honorable mention all-area on the defensive side…had 25 tackles as a senior…played on both sides of the ball…also plays basketball, baseball and track…was first team all-county pick and team was conference champion.

DAN RYAN – Began playing organized football during his sophomore year of high school…started his junior season, but only played in three games during his senior year due to a knee injury.

CARL TEAGUE – A first-team all-state pick and first-team all-conference selection…team captain who had 87 tackles and ten sacks in senior year…also played fullback and rushed for 14 touchdowns…brother, Jason, is the starting tailback at Michigan State.

TRAVIS WATSON – Made 52 receptions for over 750 yards and nine touchdowns as a senior…named first team all district for class 5-A...also runs track.