April 21, 2007
EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Seniors Marcel Quarterman (Philadelphia, Pa./Central) and Kyle Sprenkle (Thomasville, Pa./Spring Grove) will serve as captains for the Lafayette football program for the 2007 season, head coach Frank Tavani announced Saturday at the Leopards' annual Maroon-White spring football game.
Quarterman (safety) and Sprenkle (defensive tackle) are members of a Lafayette defense that returns seven players with starting experience from last year. They will be charged with leading the three-time defending Patriot League champions as they attempt to become only the second school in league history to earn a share of four straight titles.
"The team voted for its captains on Thursday night after hearing remarks from about half of the senior class, and two candidates emerged from that in Marcel and Kyle. The voting was clear cut and reaffirmed to the coaching staff that our team will be able to rally around the captains that they've selected," said head coach Frank Tavani. "The senior class as a whole is dedicated to its goal of leaving Lafayette with four championship rings, and going through a very successful spring practice and then naming the captains was the first step."
Sprenkle was a second team All-Patriot League selection last season after ranking second in the league with 13.5 tackles for a loss, including four sacks. He was fourth on the team and led Lafayette's defensive linemen with 61 tackles. Sprenkle has started 20 of the Leopards' 24 games over the past two seasons and is a three-year letterman.
Quarterman started the final six games at safety for the Leopards and had interceptions in victories over Georgetown and Lehigh while making 27 tackles in that stretch. The program's Rookie of the Year in 2004, Quarterman also intercepted a pass at the end of the first half of Lafayette's NCAA Playoff game at Delaware during his freshman year.
Lafayette will open the 2007 season with the first home night game in school history, as the Leopards host Marist on Sept. 1 at 6 p.m. at Fisher Stadium.
