April 30, 2005
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette senior linebacker Maurice Bennett (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington) and senior fullback David Nelson (Dover, Mass./Xaverian Brothers) have been elected co-captains of the 2005 Leopard football team by their teammates.
Bennett and Nelson were formally introduced as captains during Lafayette's spring football game at Fisher Field on Saturday.
"I think the team made outstanding choices in selecting Maurice and David as captains," said sixth-year head coach Frank Tavani. "Even as underclassmen, these two young men have been very strong leaders both on and off the field and I have full confidence they will continue that leadership as our captains this season."
In addition to Bennett and Nelson, a third special teams captain will be named on a weekly basis throughout the 2005 season.
Bennett, an All-Patriot League First-Team honoree in 2004, has emerged as one of the top players at any position in the Patriot League. His 119 total tackles were tied for the most in the Patriot League in 2004, while his 108 were the second-most in the league in 2003. He recorded at least 10 tackles in nine different games as a junior and was named Lafayette's 2004 Defensive Player of the Year. An Economics and Business major, Bennett is a member of the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll and will complete an investment banking internship on Wall Street this summer.
Nelson is a three-year letterwinner, and projected starter in 2005, at fullback. He ran 15 times for 60 yards and caught nine passes for 90 yards and a touchdown while spelling starter Brendon Green in 2004. An Anthropology and Sociology major, Nelson has appeared in 26 career games, making three starts.
Lafayette opens the 2005 season on Sept. 3, visiting Marist at 7 p.m. The Leopards (8-4 overall, 5-1 Patriot League) made their first postseason appearance in program history in 2004, earning the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Playoffs by virtue of their 24-10 win over Lehigh in the regular season finale. The Patriot League champs were ranked 19th in both The Sports Network and ESPN/USA Today final Top 25 polls.
