UNI Football Inks 21 on National Letter-of-Intent Signing Day

Courtesy of Northern Iowa Athletics

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – University of Northern Iowa head football coach Mark Farley announced the addition of 21 student-athletes on National Letter-of-Intent signing day.

The Panthers coming off their eighth top-25 finish in nine years signed 10 players from the state of Iowa. In fact, UNI signed 20 of its 21 players within a five-hour radius of the Cedar Falls campus.

The class includes three junior college All-Americans and three Elite all-state picks from the state of Iowa.

DEFENSE

DEFENSIVE LINE

Ryan Bingaman, 6-5, 248 lbs., DL, Overland Park, Kan. (Shawnee Mission North HS)

Earned all-conference honors his senior year as a defensive lineman and an offensive lineman … tallied all-conference status as a junior on the offensive line … also competed in track and was a state qualifier as a junior in the discus … high school coach: Brandon Claypool … born May 16, 1992, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa … son of Dan and Molly Bingaman … he has twin sisters (Clare and Nora) and a brother (Ned) … completed a signature program in high school for engineering … is an Eagle Scout.

Mohammed Kromah, 6-3, 300 lbs., DT, Blaine, Minn. (Totino Grace HS)

First-team all-area pick … three-time all-conference honoree … team captain … tallied seven sacks and 30 tackles-for-loss as a senior … led Totino Grace to two state championships and three conference titles … earned letters in football and basketball … high school coach: Jeff Ferguson.

Ryan Mack, 6-4, 230 lbs., DE, St. Louis, Mo. (Webster Groves HS)

Finished senior season with a perfect 13-0 record and the 2009 Missouri Class 5A state championship … earned second-team all-state honors at defensive end … first-team all-Suburban South pick at defensive end … second-team all-conference pick as a tight end … three-year starter and four-year letterwinner … made the Golden Horn all-metro team … recipient of the 2009 Ray Moss Award given to the Outstanding Student/Athlete for performance in the classroom and on the field … finished his senior season with two TD receptions, six sacks and eight tackles-for-loss… 56 total tackles as a senior … earned letters in basketball (2), track (2) and wrestling (1) … high school coach Cliff Ice… son of Tracey and Sabrina Mack … one sibling (Cory) … his father, Tracey, won Webster Grove’s first state championship title in football in 1979… Ryan Mack won the most recent title 30 years later in 2009… Cory is also a football player looking to win a state title for Webster Groves and a third for the Mack family.

Jack Rummells, 6-5, 250 lbs., DL, West Branch, Iowa (West Branch HS)

Earned first-team Class 1A all-state honors from the Des Moines Register and Iowa Newspaper Association … first-team all-district honoree … district Defensive Player of the Year … all-area offensive MVP runner-up … 2010 Shrine Bowl All-Star game invitee … first-team all-state as a junior from the Iowa Newspaper Association … second-team all-state as a junior from the Des Moines Register … member of National Honor Society … born June 7, 1992 … son of Larry and Susan Rummells.

Xavier Williams, 6-4, 294 lbs., DT, Grandview, Mo. (Grandview HS)

First-team all-conference pick … named to the Suburban Mid-Six team in 2009 … first-team all-metro status … team captain for head coach Ron Freeman and the Grandview Bulldogs … three-year starter on the wrestling team … two-time state qualifier … currently has a record of 22-3 on the wrestling mat … born Jan. 18, 1992 … son of Tom and Ursula Copeland … has a sister, Kristen, and a brother, Rodrick (who plays football for the Division II national champion Northwest Missouri State Bearcats) … plans to major in construction management.

LINEBACKERS

Max Busher, 6-1, 220 lbs., LB, Rosemount, Minn. (Rosemount HS)

Two-time honorable mention all-state pick at Rosemount High School … three-time all-Lake Conference honoree … two-time second-team all-Metro player … named team’s MVP as a senior … served as team captain in 2008 and 2009 … led the team to the conference title and state semifinals in 2008 … academic all-state in 2009 … leading tackler on the team as a junior and a senior … 287 career tackles … 33 career tackles-for-loss … earned letters in football (3), wrestling (3) and track (3) … member of National Honor Society … honor roll student … holds a 3.92 grade point average … high school coach: Jeff Erdmann … born Dec. 25, 1991, in Rockford, Ill. … son of Bill and Lori Busher … has a sister, Natalie … plans to major in business.

Chad Gilson, 6-0, 217 lbs., LB, Urbandale, Iowa (Urbandale HS)

All-State Elite selection as a senior … CIML defensive player of the year in 2009 … first-team all-CIML … 2010 Shrine Bowl All-Star game invitee … helped lead Urbandale HS to the state playoffs for the first time since 1999 … served as team captain … voted as team’s defensive MVP as a junior and as a senior … four-year letterwinner in track … Drake Relays and State qualifier in discus … high school coach: Sam Anderson … born April 10, 1992, in Urbandale, Iowa … son of Kirby and Vicki Gilson … has three siblings (Joel, Courtney and Nicole) … brother, Joel, played for the Panthers from 2006-2009.

OFFENSE

RUNNING BACKS

Andre’ Dawson, 6-2, 210 lbs., RB, Cedar Rapids, Iowa (C.R. Washington HS)

No. 1 running back prospect in the state of Iowa … All-State Elite player after leading the state in rushing (2,212 yards) as a senior at Cedar Rapids Washington High School … Class 4A first-team all-state pick as a senior … Class 4A second-team all-state honoree as a junior … Iowa Newspaper Association first-team all-state selection in 2009 … rushed for 2,212 yards and 28 touchdowns as a senior … rushed for 1,485 yards and 27 TDs as a junior … netted 1,387 rushing yards and 13 TDs as a sophomore … holds six school records: points in a season (170), points in a career (398), TDs in a season (28), TDs in a career (64), rushing yards in a season (2,212), rushing yards in a career (5,084) … team captain in 2009 … 2008 team offensive MVP and 2009 team MVP … relative of former Michigan wide receiver Adrian Arrington.

Wilmot Wellington, 5-10, 205 lbs., RB/ATH, Fairfield, Iowa (Fairfield HS/Iowa Central CC)

First-team all-state Elite player in high school … first-team all-conference pick as a prep … team captain … voted team MVP his senior year for head coach Mike Schenck … 100-meter state champion in high school … a two-year starter at Iowa Central for head coach Kevin Twait … honorable mention All-American and served as team captain … also earned All-America honors in track at Iowa Central.

QUARTERBACKS

Jared Lanpher, 6-1, 190 lbs., QB, Blue Springs, Mo. (Blue Springs HS)

Earned all-state honors after guiding Blue Springs High School to the 2009 Class 6A state championship game with a 12-1 record … selected to play in the MO-KAN All-Star Game … all-conference and all-area selection … three-year starter at quarterback .. passed for 5,025 yards, 52 TDs with a 60.2 completion percentage and a 142.7 QB rating … finished prep career with a 29-6 record and reached the state playoffs all three years he was the starter … involved in Student Senate for four years … honor roll student … member of the Senior Mentor Program … also played basketball and baseball in high school … born July 2, 1991, in Independence, Mo. … son of April and David Lanpher … older brother, Ryan, plays baseball at Peru State (Neb.) … plans to major in mathematics.

Will Roth, 6-6, 215 lbs., QB, Marion, Iowa (Linn-Mar HS)

First-team all-conference MVC QB … first-team all-Metro pick … IowaPreps.com second-team all-state QB … had 3,056 career passing yards and 18 TDs … led the Lions to a single-game record 626 total yards of offense … basketball team finished second in the state as a junior … born March 14, 1992 … son of Bill and Judy Roth.

WIDE RECEIVER

David Johnson, 6-3, 200 lbs., WR, Clinton, Iowa (Clinton HS)

Earned first-team Class 4A all-state honors from the Des Moines Register and Iowa Newspaper Association … first-team MAC all-conference as a running back and defensive back … led Clinton to an 11-1 record senior year … 2009 Outstanding Offensive Player for Clinton HS … accounted for school record 42 touchdowns as a senior … Clinton HS all-time leader in career receptions, career receiving yards, career and single-season total offense and single game record for touchdowns (6) … 2010 Shrine Bowl All-Star game invitee … two-time Drake and state qualifier in track … second-place finish in 4x200 and 4x400 relays at the Drake Relays … WQAD Channel 8 two-time winner of the Player of the Week Award … second-team all-conference in basketball as a junior … has maintained over a 3.0 GPA throughout high school … born Dec. 16, 1991 … son of Regina Johnson.

Brett LeMaster, 6-2, 175 lbs., WR, Wichita, Kan. (Wichita Collegiate HS)

A member of the Wichita Eagle and Capital Journal’s Top-22 team … selected to the Class 3A all-state squad … all-metro pick in the Wichita area … selected to take part in the Kansas Shrine Bowl … credited with 68 receptions for 1,386 yards and 27 TDs as a senior … had six games of 100-plus receiving yards … tallied seven interceptions … helped his prep squad to the 3A state championship with a 14-0 record as a senior … honor roll student … lettered in three sports – football, basketball and golf … high school coach: Bill Messamore … born Aug. 13, 1991 … son of Larry and Christie LeMaster.

Chad Owens, 5-11, 175 lbs., WR, Urbandale, Iowa (Waukee HS)

Second-team all-state quarterback selection by Des Moines Register and Iowa Newspaper Association … first-team all-CIML … team captain in 2009 … rushed for 1,635 yards and 24 TDs … passed for 1,703 yards and 14 TDs as a senior … set school record for passing yards in a game (395) … rushed for 220 yards and 5 TDs in one quarter … all-conference WR/QB as a junior with 1,151 all-purpose yards and 7 TDs … 2008 all-state Elite honoree in track … two-year starter in basketball … honor roll student … high school coach: Scott Carlson … son of Scott and Darlene Owens … father, Scott, played football at UNI from 1982-85.

TIGHT END

Brian Peters, 6-4, 240 lbs., TE, Waukee, Iowa (Waukee HS)

Unanimous first-team all-CIML tight end as a senior … posted 19 catches for 262 yards and two TDs as a senior … selected as a nominee for the top student-athlete in Class 4A by the College Football Hall of Fame … earned second-team all-CIML status as a junior … lettered in football, baseball, basketball and track … son of Dave and Cathy Peters.

OFFENSIVE LINE

Spencer Hicks, 6-6, 295 lbs., OL, Long Grove, Iowa (Central DeWitt HS)

Earned first-team Class 3A all-state honors from the Des Moines Register … third-team all-state honors from the Iowa Newspaper Association … first-team All-Eastern Iowa … first-team all-area and first-team all-district performer as a senior … 2010 Shrine Bowl All-Star game invitee … born Jan. 16, 1992 … son of Nancy and Allen Phelps and Jimmey Hicks.

Brian Palangi, 6-5, 301 lbs., OL, Nahant, Mass. (Swampscott HS/Northeastern Univ.)

Played in 11 games and made six starts at center for Northeastern University in 2009 for head coach Rocky Hager … redshirted in 2008 … three-year starter at Swampscott High School in Massachusetts … named to Boston Globe and Boston Herald all-scholastic teams in 2007 … two-time all-conference honoree in 2006 and 2007 … selected to the Massachsuetts All-State Super 26 team … played in the 2008 Shriner’s Football Classic All-Star game … captain his senior year … led his team to the Division 3 Super Bowl in 2007 with a record of 12-1 … born Dec. 12, 1989 … son of Richard and Maureen Palangi … has a sister, Ashley … majoring in criminology.

Ben Ryder, 6-8, 270 lbs., OL, Ottumwa, Iowa (Ottumwa HS)

Earned first-team Class 4A all-state honors from the Des Moines Register … first-team all-CIML Metro … first-team all-district … won the Lineman of the Year, Bulldog Player of the Year and Team MVP for Ottumwa High School as a senior … 2010 Shrine Bowl All-Star game invitee … second-team all-state baseball pitcher as a junior … first-team all-conference pitcher as a junior … first-team all-district as a junior … born Nov. 20, 1991 … son of Wes and Michelle Ryder.

PLACEKICKER

Mike Kusnierz, 6-0, 220 lbs., PK, Combined Locks, Wis. (Rochester Comm. & Tech. Coll.)

First-team all-NJCAA All-America pick in 2009 … first-team all-conference honoree in 2008 and 2009 … second-team all-NJCAA All-America selection in 2008 … two-time first-team all-region player … made 21 of 26 FGs as a freshman with a long of 42 yards … drilled 18 of 26 FGs as a sophomore with a long of 48 … made 64 of 67 extra points in his two years at Rochester Community and Technical College … broke the school record for career field goals (39) and season field goals (21) … tied school record for FGs in a game (4) … in 2008, led the nation in points per game … holds a 3.3 GPA … junior college coach: Brad LaPlante … born Feb. 15, 1990 … son of Gary and Sue Kusnierz.

ATHLETES

Tirrell Rennie, 6-0, 190 lbs., ATH, North Lauderdale, Fla. (Coconut Creek HS/Ellsworth CC)

Two-time All-America pick at Ellsworth Community College … passed for 2,863 yards and 23 TDs, while rushing for 1,025 yards and 10 TDs as a senior … broke school record for total offense in one game with 557 total yards (460 passing and 97 rushing) … set the single-season total offense record with 3,888 yards … accounted for 73 touchdowns and over 7,300 yards of total offense while setting 13 school records in a two-year span … played quarterback as a senior at Coconut Creek High School in Florida … broke his prep school’s record for total offense in a single game with 330 passing yards and 155 rushing yards … led Coconut Creek to a 6-4 record as a senior.

Kevin Vereen Jr., 6-3, 205 lbs., ATH, Waynesville, Mo. (Waynesville HS)

Lettered on the 2007 state championship team at Waynesville High School as a sophomore, played cornerback and special teams … as a junior, started at quarterback and cornerback … threw for more than 1,500 yards with 14 TDs … he also rushed for 546 yards and 11 TDs …first-team all-district and honorable mention all-conference as a junior … 2009 team captain … first-team all-conference quarterback … first-team all-district pick … second-team all-state honoree as an athlete … completed 111 of 193 passes for 1,445 yards and 12 TDs as a senior … rushed 120 times for 991 yards and 12 TDs to break school record for most yards rushing by a quarterback … team MVP ... all-state in track and field in the 4x400 meter relay ... two-year varsity letterwinner in basketball … all-district pick in basketball averaging 14 points and 10 rebounds per game … high school coach: Rick Vernon … son of Kevin and Lisa Vereen… one sibling (Kirkland) … a native of Fayetteville, N.C. … high school teammate of current UNI Panthers L.J. Fort and B.J. Ray.