Saddleback Football Players Earn More than $1.75 Million in Athletic Scholarships

After a 2011-12 season that ended in a heartbreaking loss to an undefeated team in the Golden State Bowl, things are looking up for 30 Saddleback College football players who have earned athletic scholarships to four-year universities. These 30 transfers (including six who will play in the PAC-12 Conference) account for more than $1.75 million in scholarships! This is an extraordinary number of transfers, considering there were only 33 sophomores on the 2011-12 roster. 

Saddleback College is proud of what these players have accomplished on the field, but even more so for what they have accomplished in the classroom. More than 120 student athletes were named to the spring 2012 Athletic Honor Roll (3.00 or higher GPA), including 16 who earned a perfect 4.00 grade point average.

After playing at four-year universities, the Saddleback alumni may have more to look forward to—two former Saddleback football players were selected in the 2012 NFL Draft. Richard Crawford, who played for Southern Methodist University, was selected by the Washington Redskins, and Aaron Brown, who played for University of Hawaii, was drafted by the St. Louis Rams.

To date, more than 70 student athletes from the 2011-12 season have committed to four-year universities, earning scholarships estimated at more than $2.25 million.

2011 Saddleback College Football Players, Their Position, and Their Transfer College/University (In Alphabetical Order)

• Dustin Alewine, DE, Trinity International University
• David Belz, LB, Chapman College
• Michael Bowlin, K, Washington State University
• John Cardona, QB, Sterling College
• Bryant Chirinos, DE, California Lutheran University
• Kasey Closs, WR, Portland State University
• Chris Connolly, LB, Northern Arizona University
• Zach Emde, QB, Northern State University
• Ben Gomez, QB, Lindenwood University
• James Hong, LB, University of Puget Sound
• Jake Johnston, DB, Northern Arizona University
• Keith Lawson, RB, Sterling College
• Kevin Lindeman, DE, Winona State University
• Kyle Long, OL, University of Oregon
• Christian Mejia, DT, Midwestern State university
• A.J. Merlino, LS/OC, University of Utah
• James Poole, RB, University of Utah
• Lorenzo Preston, RB, Southwest Baptist University
• Brendan Rowland, P, East Carolina University
• Jordan Runkel, OL, Eastern Oregon University
• Kevin Schick, TE, Azusa Pacific University
• David Skora, DL, University of Colorado
• Courtlin Thompson, DB, Lamar University
• Joshua Tinajero, OL, Southern Illinois
• Maua Vole, DL, Jamestown University
• Menelik Watson, OL, Florida State University
• Luke Williams, S, Arizona State University
• Rodney Woodland, WR, Texas State University
• Darian Yahyavi, CB, Murray State University