The usual capacity crowd at the Rentschler Field Club Lounge heard about UConn's latest signees first-hand from the coaching staff.

STORRS, Conn. (February 6, 2008) - University of Connecticut head football coach Randy Edsall announced on Wednesday that the Huskies have signed 22 student-athletes to a National Letter of Intent to join the UConn program.

"I am very excited about this group of young men,” head coach Randy Edsall says. “They bring the talent, work ethic, leadership and academic qualities that will allow our program to continue to win BIG EAST Championships and further establish ourselves on a national level.”

Student-athletes in UConn’s 2008 signing class hail from 13 different states (and Canada) which makes it the most geographically diverse group that the Huskies have signed in the Football Bowl Subdivision (I-A) era in terms of states represented. Edsall and his staff signed student-athletes from 11 different states in 2005 while adding signees from 10 states, with a Canadian, in 2006.

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

JIMMY BENNETT – A 2007 all-state selection at the AAA level… Named first-team All-Metro by the Washington Post in both 2007 and 2006 when he was one of just two juniors on the first-team…A unanimous first-team all-district selection in both 2006 and 2007 on offense and once on defense… Helped team to first playoff berth since 2000…Did not allow a sack in his career…Captained both the school’s football and basketball teams…An Honor Roll student.

JOHN DELAHUNT – Enrolled at UConn in January…A three-time All-Star…Nominated for the QJFL 2007 Player of the Year award…Played in just six games in 2007 but made 38 catches for 650 yards with 10 touchdowns…Team captain.

MATT EDWARDS – As a senior gained 1,445 total yards with nine touchdowns while also making 97 tackles with six sacks and an interception…A Tri-Valley League All-Star in both football and track…Team captain…Also named to all-league outdoor track team competing in sprints and the long jump.

DWAYNE GRATZ – Pronounced “grats” like “congrats”...Named first-team all-area in 2007 and all-region…Helped Piscataway to the 2005 and 2007 state championship games...Had 65 tackles as a senior with 16 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions, both coming in the Thanksgiving Day game...An all-county pick in track where he set a school record in the 55 meter hurdles (7.5 seconds)…Team captain.

RYAN GRIFFIN – Named first-team all-state by the Nashua Union-Leader and Varsity Magazine…Carried the ball 95 times as a senior for 749 yards…Team captain.

TED JENNINGS – Named first-team All-Ohio for Division III…Also named first-team all-district and all-league in 2007…Made 80 tackles as a senior including nine for a loss and four sacks.

JORY JOHNSON – Named first-team all-state as a senior…Earned all-county and all-conference recognition as a junior…Also named all-county in basketball...Team captain.

JEROME JUNIOR – An honorable mention all-state selection in 2007…Named to the Baltimore Sun All-Metro team…Part of the Baltimore Touchdown Club’s “Super 22”…Registered 153 career tackles with 13 sacks…Also gained 608 yards rushing on 76 carries with eight touchdowns and blocked three punts on special teams….Captain of tack team that won the 2007 Outdoor state championship.

ERIK KURACZEA – Pronounced curr-asia...A two-time all-state selection…The 2006 Hartford Courant Defensive Player of the Year…Twice named all-league…Helped Ansonia to the 2006 and 2007 State Championships...Recorded 77 tackles, 20 of them for a loss, with eight sacks…Team captain.

COREY MANNING – Named first-team all-region as a senior…Selected for Georgia’s North-South Football Classic…Had 33 tackles last year including nine TFLs and five sacks…Three-year starter…Team captain…Honor Roll student.

ADAM MASTERS – Named all-county and all-conference in 2007…Recorded 70 tackles as a senior including 15 sacks…Credited by his coaches with 120 “Pancake” blocks in his career…Team captain…Honor Roll student.

SIO MOORE – Pronounced SEE-oh...Named all-area…Played his freshman year at West Haven High School before moving to North Carolina.

BRIAN PARKER – A second-team all-state selection…Selected for the PAL All-Star Game…Averaged 20 yards per catch with six touchdowns…Also named all-conference in basketball…Team captain.

A.J. PORTEE – Named second-team all-state as a senior…A first-team all-area and all-conference selection in 2007…Made 48 solo tackles as a senior, 17 of which were for a loss including 11 sacks…Team captain.

GERRARD SHEPPARD – An all-state pick in 2007…Selected to the Baltimore Sun All-Metro team…Gained 656 receiving yards as a senior with 10 touchdowns…Also basketball team MVP and captain…National Honor Society member.

MICHAEL SMITH – Named second-team All-Texas for Class 5A…A finalist for the Touchdown Club of Houston’s Offensive Player of the Year…Named second-team All-Greater Houston...Made the all-district team...Selected for the 2007 Space City All-Star Game...A Houston Chronicle Player to Watch...Had 74 catches as a senior for 1,024 yards with 11 touchdowns…Team captain.

JORDAN TODMAN – Twice named all-state…A Boston Globe All-Scholastic pick in 2006 and 2007 and the Globe’s Division 1 Player of the Year as a senior…Conference Player of the Year as a senior…The second-leading rusher in Massachusetts history with 5,083 career yards and 70 touchdowns…Helped Dartmouth to state Division 1 Super Bowl where he rushed for 199 yards and had three total touchdowns in a losing effort…Team captain.

CASEY TURNER – Twice named first-team All-Tidewater at quarterback…Was the conference Player of the Year in 2006 and 2007…A three-time all-district pick…Ranks amongst the top four in Virginia high school history in career completions, passing yards and touchdowns…Team captain.

JEROME WILLIAMS – A two-time All-South Jersey selection…Was also named all-league, and all-county twice…Helped Holy Cross to a 2007 State Championship...Team captain…Honor Roll student.

TREVARDO WILLIAMS – Named to the 2007 all-state team by both the Hartford Courant and the New Haven Register…A two-time all-conference selection…On the track, placed second in New England in the 100 meters...Lived in Jamaica until 1999.

RYAN WIRTH – Named all-area and all-region in 2006…Made 105 tackles, including nine TFLs and seven sacks…Team captain...Prepped in 2007 at Cheshire Academy in Connecticut.

BLIDI WREH-WILSON – Pronounced bleed-ee ray-wilson...An honorable mention all-state pick as a senior…Also named all-district and all-region in 2007…Named to the Meadville Tribune’s Dream Team…Honor Roll student.