Moon Township, Pa. - Head Coach Joe Walton of the Robert Morris University football program has announced that 23 players have agreed to continue their careers for the Colonials in 2008. Among the new additions to the RMU roster are 17 players who have signed National Letters of Intent, four mid-year transfers and two other non-NLI signees.

The 2008 football recruiting class includes players from four states and includes 11 players on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. A total of 11 of RMU's 23 incoming recruits hail from Pennsylvania, including 10 from the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL). The Colonials will also bring in six products from the state of Ohio, four from Florida and two from New York. 

"I'm extremely pleased about our incoming recruiting class," Walton said. "I feel that we have addressed our areas of need for 2008 as well as provided valuable depth. It's going to be exciting to see how well they perform when they arrive for training camp. The entire staff worked extremely hard to recruit quality student-athletes, and they'll provide quality competition for us this year."

Five of RMU's incoming recruits play wide receiver, while another five play on the defensive line. The Colonials also welcome five players in the secondary, three on the offensive line and a pair at linebacker.

"I feel that we put together a solid recruiting class this year," recruiting and defensive coordinator Scott Farison said. "Many of these recruits have the ability to compete for playing time as freshmen and, along with some our returnees, will provide good battles in training camp. Another plus for this group is that it is filled with good young men that will not only add to our success on the field but in the classroom, as well."

Spring practice for Robert Morris begins Monday, March 31, and will continue for three weeks. The date for the annual spring game is to be announced.

2008 National Letter of Intent Signees (17)

 2008 Mid-Year Transfers (4)

2008 Additional Commitments (2)

Dave Agosti (TE) - Finished senior season in 2007 with 18 catches for 415 yards and five touchdowns ... Captain of football team for Marion Catholic as a senior ... Named second team all-state and first team all-county..

Steve Allen (CB) - Will have three years of eligibility with Robert Morris after enrolling at West Point for the fall 2006 semester ... Highly recruited out of high school at Trotwood Madison after earning all-conference and all-district honors as a two-year starter at cornerback ... His brother, Will, plays in the NFL for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and his brother, Chris, is on the roster at Ball State.

Marquell Bernard (WR) - Three-year starter for head coach Willie Dodero ... Led West Boca with 34 receptions in 2007, including six touchdown catches ... During 2007 earned all-conference and All-Palm Beach accolades ... Prep teammate of current starting running back Myles Russ, who will be a sophomore in 2008.

Troy Besterci (WR-DB) -Two-year starter at both wide receiver and defensive back at Plum High School ... Lead the team in receiving yards, return yards, touchdowns, receptions and interceptions as a senior in 2007 ... Paced the WPIAL Quad-A in receiving yards as a senior in 2007 ... Posted totals of 40 catches for 753 yards and six touchdowns as well as 1,203 all-purpose yards ... Named to All-Quad East First Team in 2007.

Brian Bevilacqua (OL) - Two-year starter who helped Franklin Regional High School advance to the Pennsylvania state playoffs as well as the WPIAL finals in 2006 ... Earned first team all-conference honors in 2007 ... Helped anchor a rushing attack that compiled over 1,500 rushing yards in 2007.

Michael Bevilacqua (DT) - Two-year starter who helped Franklin Regional High School advance to the Pennsylvania state playoffs as well as the WPIAL finals in 2006 ... Earned all-conference honorable mention honors as a senior in 2007 ... Finished with 47 tackles, including 24 solo stops, last season.

Aric Blythe (DE) - Recorded 49 tackles as a senior in 2007, including eight sacks and 10 tackles for a loss ... Earned the Ironman Award for never missing a game, practice or workout throughout his four years with Marysville High School ... Named to All-OCC First Team and all-district honorable mention squads.

Corey Dickens (WR) -Two-year starter at wide receiver for Trotwood Madison High School, recording 48 career receptions for 794 yards and seven touchdowns ... Averaged 10.8 yards per punt return as a senior, returning one for a touchdown.

Alex DiMichele (LB) - Transfer from Temple who will have three years of eligibility at Robert Morris ... In 2006 with the Owls played all 12 games, including one start as a true freshman ... In 2005 at Sto-Rox High School earned All-Class AAA honors from the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review and was a Pennsylvania Football News Second Team Class AA All-State honoree ... As a senior in 2005 recorded 104 tackles and an interception while rushing for 496 yards and three touchdowns on 92 carries at fullback.

Paul Evans (WR) - Two-year starter on both offense and defense for Iroquois Central High School ... Earned first team Class A honors on offense, All-Western New York Second Team honors and All-New York State Second Team accolades as a senior in 2007 ... Finished with 24 catches for 754 yards and eight touchdowns as a senior ... Paced Iroquois Central with five interceptions in 2007 ... Earned the Cross Training Football Leadership award in 2007.

Sanchez Faugue (LB/SS) - Two-year starter at Lely High School in Naples, Florida ... As a senior recorded 110 tackles, including two sacks, in 2007 ... As a junior in 2006 recorded 113 tackles, seven pass breakups and 13 tackles for a loss ... Two-time member of All-Southwest Florida Honorable Mention squad.

Sam Kelley (DT) -Two-year starter on both offense and defense for Miramar High School ... Named to the prestigious Dade vs. Broward County All-Star Game in 2007 ... Named MVP of the Dade-Broward County All-Star Game in 2007 after returning a fumble for a touchdown to help Broward garner a 14-13 victory ... Finished with 45 tackles, including five sacks and nine for a loss, as a senior in 2007 ... Named to the All-Broward County Team.

Jon Krepps (LB) - Three-year starter at linebacker for Belle Vernon, compiling 352 career tackles ... In two years as the starting fullback rushed for 1,015 yards and 10 touchdowns ... Named to the All-Keystone Conference Team three times at linebacker and twice at fullback ... Named the 2007 Keystone Conference Defensive MVP ... As a senior in 2007 was named to the Washington Region Fabulous 22 by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Farren Mason (DT) - Transfer from Milford Academy ... Posted 45 tackles in 2007 ... Played for head coach Terry Smith at Gateway High School and in 2005 helped lead the club to the WPIAL semifinals.

Logan Miles (OL/DL) - Three-year starter on both the offensive and defensive lines at Southmoreland ... Recorded 110 career tackles and eight sacks, recording 54 stops as a senior in 2007 ... Named to the Interstate Conference First Team both his junior and senior seasons on offense.

Sam Miller (OL/DL) - Named to Interstate Conference First Team as a defensive tackle in 2007 for Washington High School ... Earned Washington Region Fabulous 22 honors by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as a senior ... Three-year starter, recording over 70 tackles in 2007 ... Also a dominant high school wrestler.

James O'Quinn (WR) - Posted totals of 32 catches for 609 yards and four touchdowns in 2007 at Kiski Area High School ... Named the No. 50 recruit in the state by the PSR Keystone Recruiting ... A 2007 preseason all-state selection ... Earned first team all-conference honors in both 2006 and 2007.

David Pittman (S) - Two-year letterwinner at William T. Dwyer High School ... Recorded 87 tackles and five interceptions as a senior in 2007 ... Helped guide a Dwyer defense that allowed just eight points per game last season ... Helped seal a semifinal win in the regional finals by returning an interception 93 yards for a touchdown ... Also added 23 receptions for 374 yards and four touchdowns as a receiver.

Kevin Quinn (QB) - Two-year starter at quarterback for Brockport Central High School ... Threw for over 1,100 yards and 12 touchdowns as senior in 2007 ... Team captain ... Named first team all-county and all-league in 2007 ... Named to the All-Greater Rochester Area team as well as earning a spot in the Eddie Meath All-Star Game.

Joe Reed (DB) -Earned three letters at Big Walnut High School and was a member of a team that claimed the Division 3 state championship in 2007 ... Earned All-OCC First Team honors as well as first team all-district and honorable mention all-state accolades ... Led Big Walnut in interceptions and pass breakups in both 2006 and 2007 ... Earned the Grange Insurance MVP honor in the 2007 Division 3 state championship game.

Brad Rodgers (OL) - Team captain as a senior at Norwin High School ... Three-year starter on the offensive line, being named as an East Elite Player to Watch in 2007 ... Earned first team all-conference honors in 2006 and 2007 ... Helped Norwin rack up over 2,300 yards of total offense in the Quad South.

Joe Wines (DB) -Transfer from Ashland University ... A two-year starter at both quarterback and defensive back at East Liverpool High School ... Two-time Division Two All-State player and a first team all-district performer in 2005 and 2006 as a quarterback.

Steve Yoak (FB) - Rushed for 2,330 yards and 31 touchdowns on his career at Archbishop Hoban High School ... Nominated to play in the Ohio North vs. South All-Star Game ... Earned All-North Coast League First Team honors and second team all-district accolades.