GUELPH, Ont. – The University of Guelph Gryphons football team is pleased to announce their 2011 preliminary recruiting class today.

The 2011 class is the second recruiting class for Guelph head coach Stu Lang who was hired last year.

"Recruiting is the cornerstone to our program," said Lang.  "This year's class is the result of a great effort by all of our coaches and especially our recruiting coordinator Bill Brown.  These 31 talented young men will be an outstanding addition to the Gryphon family.  We've covered all our needs and have recruited a great class of student-athletes to add to a team of the same. We continue to move forward to build and improve on last season.

The new class features 16 offensive players and 15 defensive players.  By position, defensive backs leads the way with seven, followed by offensive lineman (5), defensive lineman (4), wide receivers (4), linebackers (4), full backs (3), running backs (3) and one kicker / punter.

The 30 newcomers hail from primarily across Ontario.  Seven of the recruits are from London, Ont. and a total of six from St. Catharines, Ont.

The Gryphons will welcome a number of these recruits in Guelph this Saturday (April 30) for a 'Meet the Team' event. Recruits will be present to watch the Red & Black inter-squad scrimmage taking place at Varsity Field which will conclude the Gryphons spring camp.

The Gryphons are scheduled to open their 2011 regular season on September 5 against the Ottawa Gee Gees at Alumni Stadium.

Below is a complete list (sorted by position) of the 2011 Gryphon Football preliminary recruiting class:

Name-Pos.-Ht-Wt-Hometown-High School-Summer Team

John Rush – LB - 6'0 – 215 - Port Robinson, ON - St. Michael CHS - Niagara Spears

Connor Pritty – LB - 6'2 – 200 – Markham, ON - Markham DHS

Cam Walker– LB - 6'3 – 195 – London, ON – STA - London Falcons

Chad Sorensen – LB - 6'4 – 207 – London, ON - Mother T - London Falcons

Graham Smyth – DB - 6'2 – 195 – Chatham, ON – Chatham Kent SS - Cougars

Dave Rossetti – DB - 5'10 – 180 – Mississauga, ON - St. Mikes- 

Nigel Henry - DB/LB - 5'11 – 185 – Burlington, ON - MM Robinson - Stampeders

Kevin Griffiths – DB - 6'3 – 190 – London, ON - CCH

Mac Myers - DB - 6'0 -175 – Guelph, ON – Centennial - Guelph Bears

Iain Hutchison – DB - 5'10 – 182 - Sault Ste. Marie, ON - Superior Heights - Saber Cats

Brian Schenck – DB - 5'10 – 175 - St. Catharine's, ON - St. Francis

Keaton Spratt - RB/DB - 5'11 – 185 - Port Colborne, ON - Lakeshore

Mike Ullerick - RB/DB - 5'10 – 180 – London, ON – South - London Falcons

Stephen Gauntlett – RB - 5'8 – 170 – Oakville, ON - St. Thomas Aquinas

Dan MacDonald - FB/LS - 5'11 – 240 – Burlington, ON - Notre Dame SS - Stampeders

Kofi Yeboah – FB - 6'00 – 245 – Brampton, ON - St. Augustine - Mississauga Warriors

Aaron Dekker – FB - 6'1 – 220 - St. Catharine's, ON - Denis Morris

James Ingram – Rec - 6'3 – 203 – Guelph, ON – GCVI - Guelph Bears

Jordan Boutilier – Rec - 5'11 – 185 – London, ON – Central - London Falcons

Alex Charette – Rec - 6'2 – 185 - St. Catharine's – ON - St. Francis - Niagara Spears

Dylan Husty – Rec - 6'3 – 175 – London, ON – South - London Falcons

Kevin DenHollander – DL - 6'3 – 250 - St. Catharine's, ON - Denis Morris HS - Niagara Spears

Brenden Johnson – DL - 6'2 – 270 - St. Catharine's, ON - Denis Morris HS

Blake McNeely – DL - 6'5 – 195 - Waterloo/Victoria, ON/BC - St. Davids/Mt Doug - Predators

Hunter Bowman – DL - 6'8 – 310 - Niagara Falls, ON - Stanford Collegiate - Niagara Spears

Chris Hutton - OL -6'0 – 265 -L'ange Gardien, QC - St. Andrews College

Matt Nesbitt - OL/DL - 6'2-270 – London, ON - STA -London Falcons

Matt Toppan - OL/DL - 6'1 – 270 – Oakville, ON - Holy Trinity

Dave Tessier - OL/DL - 6'3 – 280 - St. Catherine's, ON - Denis Morris HS - Niagara Spears

Mike Halfday - OL/DL - 6'1 – 250 – London, ON – South - Thunderbirds

Daniel Ferraro – K/P – 5'9 – 180 – Brampton, ON – St. Marcellinus SS – Mississauga Warriors

Athletes who commit to any Guelph Gryphon team will be eligible to compete provided they are academically admissible and eligible to the University of Guelph.