Fifteen Football Players Named to the 2002 All-MIAA Teams; Lehman named MIAA Most Valuable Defensive Player

OLIVET, MI. -- Fifteen Olivet College football players have been named to the 2002 All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Football Teams. Headlining the list is senior defensive back Travis Lehman (Lake Odessa/ Lakewood High School), who was voted as the MIAA Most Valuable Defensive Player.

Senior offensive lineman Dock Davis (Battle Creek Central High School) and senior linebacker Mike Hanna (Lake Odessa/ Lakewood High School) join Lehman on the first-team squad. All three players ended outstanding careers after last Saturday's 43-29 win against Wisconsin Lutheran College. Davis began the year at offensive tackle before moving to center for the last three games. Hanna led the Comet defense this year with 93 total tackles, including 62 solo stops. He also had nine tackles for loss. Lehman ended the season with 42 tackles.

"Travis is a young man who has showed his true grit the last four years," said Olivet assistant head coach/defensive coordinator Dominic Livedoti '65. "He has seen the ups and downs of our football program. He is an unselfish player and very team oriented. Travis is the type of player that we need to recruit."

Senior offensive lineman Adam Brown (Whitmore Lake High School), freshman defensive lineman Jarrod LaRoche (Lake Odessa/ Lakewood High School) and sophomore defensive back DeShaun Warren (Detroit Denby Tech. High School) earned second-team All-MIAA honors. LaRoche finished the year with 52 tackles. He also had four quarterback sacks and forced a league-best five fumbles. Warren had 22 tackles and was second in the MIAA in interceptions (three) and pass breakups (11).

Senior wide receiver Andy Boyd (Algonac High School), freshman running back Damien Brown (Harper Woods Gallagher High School), sophomore running back Mick Faasen (Belding High School), junior defensive tackle Mike Hall (Middleville High School), freshman safety Ryan Hayes (Livonia Franklin High School), senior linebacker Al Littel (Bangor High School), freshman tight end Andy Storey (Battle Creek/ Harper Creek High School), sophomore cornerback Dave Trudell (Springport High School) and senior defensive end Mike Wilson (Detroit St. Agatha High School) were selected to the coaches honorable mention team.

Under first-year Head Coach Irv Sigler '65, Olivet wrapped up the 2002 season with a 5-4 overall record and a 3-3 mark in the MIAA. It was the first winning season since 1998 for the Comets and the third in the last 25 years.