Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Football Announces 2001 Signees
2/7/2001 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 7, 2001
EVANSTON, Ill. - Head coach Randy Walker and the Northwestern University football program announced today the signing of 20 football recruits to national letters of intent. In addition, Walker welcomed two transfers who sat out this year and will be eligible to play next season for the 'Cats: Dave Wasielewski, a punter from the University of Florida, and Jovan Witherspoon, a wide receiver from Notre Dame.
Walker's second recruiting class as the Wildcats' head coach reaffirmed Northwestern as a school with the power to recruit nationally. Again this year, the Wildcats went coast-to-coast, signing student-athletes from 14 different states. NU signed three student-athletes from Texas, and two apiece from Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, and New Jersey.
"I am very excited with the 2001 recruiting class," said Walker. "Our coaches did a great job of identifying quality student-athletes that fit our style of play and the Northwestern program. We did an especially good job of filling needs and building a rapport that is so essential in the recruiting process. I'm always reluctant to boast about any recruiting class, but I believe we have brought some outstanding players to Northwestern."
| Ashton Aiken | •56k | 200k |
| Jeff Backes | •56k | 200k |
| Brett Basanez | •56k | 200k |
| Sundi Brewer-Griffin | •56k | 200k |
| Luis Castillo | •56k | 200k |
| Vince Clarke | •56k | 200k |
| Thomas Derricks | •56k | 200k |
| Trai Essex | •56k | 200k |
| Jonathan Fields | •56k | 200k |
| Herschel Henderson | •56k | 200k |
| Braden Jones | •56k | 200k |
| Taylor Jones | •56k | 200k |
| Greg Lutzen | •56k | 200k |
| John Pickens | •56k | 200k |
| Dominique Price | •56k | 200k |
| Zach Strief | •56k | 200k |
| Frederic Tarver | •56k | 200k |
| David Thompson | •56k | 200k |
| David Wasielewski | •56k | 200k |
| DeMaris Wilson | •56k | 200k |
| Jovan Witherspoon | •56k | 200k |
| Joe Wohlscheid | •56k | 200k |
INTRODUCING NORTHWESTERN'S SIGNEES FOR 2001
Ashton Aikens
6-2 * 190 * Detroit, Mich. * Detroit Country Day
PROJECTED POSITION: Running Back
HIGH SCHOOL: Detroit Free Press Michigan Fab 50 Dream Team ... SuperPrep All-Midwest Region ... PrepStar All-Midwest Region ... Detroit News Bluechip Recruit ... Named all-state and all-county after his junior and senior seasons ... Team captain ... Two-time team MVP ... Ran for 1,500 yards and 27 touchdowns his senior season ... Also caught two TD passes and returned two kickoffs for scores ... Intercepted four passes on defense ... Ran for 180 yards and five touchdowns against Ann Arbor Pioneer ... Lettered 10 times as a prep (4-football, 3-basketball, 3-baseball) ... High school coach was Dan MacLean.
PERSONAL: Legal guardian is Darryl Jordan, uncle ... Born 12/20/82 ... Chose NU over Wisconsin, Michigan, Notre Dame and Michigan State.
Jeff Backes
5-10 * 180 * Columbus, Ohio * Upper Arlington
PROJECTED POSITION: Running Back
HIGH SCHOOL: Ohio's "Mr. Football" in 2000 ... Named SuperPrep All-Midwest Region ... PrepStar All-Midwest Region ... Division I Player of the Year in Ohio ... All-state ... Team captain ... Rushed for a state-record 3,354 yards and 44 touchdowns in 15 games ... Had seven interceptions on defense ... Rushed for 363 yards in one game ... Rushed for five touchdowns in a game twice his senior season ... Selected to play in the North-South All-Star Game and Big 33 Game ... Upper Arlington went 15-0, won the state championship, and achieved a final national ranking of 13th by USA Today ... Lettered 10 times as a prep (3-football, 3-basketball, 4-track) ... Member of the National Honor Society ... Honor roll ... High school coach was Darrell Mayne.
PERSONAL: Son of Carl and Wendy Backes ... Born 8/3/82 ... Chose NU over Ohio State and Virginia.
Brett Basanez (BAZ-a-nay)
6-2 * 175 * Arlington Heights, Ill. * St. Viator
PROJECTED POSITION: Quarterback
HIGH SCHOOL: USA Today Illinois Player of the Year ... Tom Lemming All-American ... Ranked the 67th-best player and the 10th-best quarterback in the country by Lemming ... SuperPrep All-Region ... PrepStar All-Region ... Chicago Sun-Times Player of the Year and all-state ... Chicago Tribune first team all-state ... Daily Herald first team all-area ... Champaign News-Gazette first team all-state ... High School Heisman finalist ... Participated in the National East-West High School All-Star Football Game ... Was the state's only representative ... Selected to play in the Down Under Bowl in Australia ... Team captain and MVP ... Threw for 2,876 yards and 39 touchdowns his senior season ... Threw for 5,153 yards and 69 TDs in his final two years of high school ... Broke all school passing and scoring records ... Led team to second round of playoffs, second-time ever ... High honor roll all four years of high school ... High school coach was Kevin Kelly.
PERSONAL: Son of Marc and Ann Basanez ... Born 5/11/83 ... Chose NU over Illinois, Vanderbilt, Missouri, Penn State and Miami (FL).
Sundi Brewer-Griffin (SOON-dee)
6-0 * 180 * St. Paul, Minn. * St. Paul Academy
PROJECTED POSITION: Running Back
HIGH SCHOOL: SuperPrep All-Midwest Region ... PrepStar All-Midwest Region ... Minneapolis Star Tribune All-Metro selection ... Named all-conference his sophomore, junior and senior years ... Rushed for 1,350 yards and 12 touchdowns for a team that won only one game his senior year ... Ran for 234 yards and four TDs in school's only win of the year ... Rushed for more than 1,000 yards and had 18 TDs his junior season ... Two-year team captain ... Lettered 12 times as a prep (4-football, 4-track, 4-hockey) ... High school coach was Brian Sandifer.
PERSONAL: Son of Walter Griffin and Rose Brewer ... Born 8/31/83 ... Chose NU over California, Illinois, Iowa and Michigan State.
Luis Castillo
6-4 * 265 * Garfield, N.J. * Garfield
PROJECTED POSITION: Defensive Tackle
HIGH SCHOOL: PrepStar Super 30 All-Eastern Region ... SuperPrep All-American ... Tom Lemming All-Region ... Rated third-best defensive line prospect in New Jersey by the McCarthy Report ... Newark Star Ledger first-team all-state ... Associated Press All-State ... First team all-county his junior and senior years ... First team all-league his sophomore, junior and senior years ... Third team all-state as a junior ... Team MVP and captain ... Recorded 89 tackles, eight sacks, five forced fumbles his senior year ... Recorded 159 tackles and 18 sacks in his high school career ... Picked to play in the New York/New Jersey Governor's Bowl ... Lettered eight times as a prep (3-football, 3-track, 2-wrestling) ... Is the top-ranked heavyweight wrestler in the state ... Member of the Math Honor Society, National Honor Society and the Honor Roll ... High school football coach was Steve Mucha.
PERSONAL: Son of Maria Castillo ... Born 8/4/83 ... Played against fellow NU recruit John Pickens in high school ... Chose NU over N.C. State, Duke, Minnesota and Iowa.
Vince Clarke
6-5 * 275 * El Cajon, Calif. * Granite Hills
PROJECTED POSITION: Offensive Tackle
HIGH SCHOOL: Second team all-conference in only his second year of playing organized football ... Recorded 88 pancakes during his senior year ... Received the Dick Klawitter Leadership Award ... Puts the shot and throws the discus in track ... Has lettered twice in football and track ... San Diego Union Tribune All-Academic Team ... Honor roll all four years ... Football coach was Mitch Burton.
PERSONAL: Son of Vinny and Maurice Clark ... Born 7/9/83 ... Chose NU over Colorado State, UNLV, Arizona State and New Mexico.
Thomas Derricks
6-1 * 295 * Garland, Texas * Jesuit Prep
PROJECTED POSITION: Defensive Tackle
HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked the 96th-best player and the 11th-best defensive line prospect in the country by Tom Lemming ... Ranked the seventh-best defensive lineman in the country by Rivals100 ... Ranked the 12th-best defensive line prospect in the country by SuperPrep ... Lemming All-American ... SuperPrep All-American ... PrepStar Preseason All-Region ... CBS Sportsline Preseason All-American ... Dallas Morning News First Team All-Area ... Two-time first team all-state selection ... Two-time conference defensive player of the year ... Played in the National High School All-Star Game ... In his three-year high school career, he recorded 251 tackles, 12 sacks, 12 fumble recoveries, two pass breakups, six fumbles forced and 34 tackles for loss ... Football coach was Bob Wunderlick.
PERSONAL: Son of Jacqueline Derricks ... Born 12/13/82 ... Chose NU over UCLA, Penn State, Duke, Nebraska and Notre Dame.
Trai Essex (tray)
6-4 * 240 * Fort Wayne, Ind. * Paul Harding
PROJECTED POSITION: Tight End
HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked the fifth-best tight end in the country by Tom Lemming ... Tom Lemming All-American ... PrepStar Super 30 All-Midwest Region ... PrepStar Top 125 Dream Team ... SuperPrep All-Region ... Bloomington Herald Top 33 All-State his senior season ... Associated Press First Team All-State ... Indiana Football Coaches Association (IFCA) Top 50 All-State Team ... IFCA Region 3 MVP ... Two-time all-conference pick ... National High School Football All-Star ... Selected to play in the Indiana North-South All-Star Game ... Caught 83 balls for 1,416 yards and 14 touchdowns in his high school career ... Named junior all-state his junior and sophomore seasons ... Lettered eight times as a prep (4-football, 4-basketball) ... Named all-conference in basketball after his junior season ... Academic all-state ... Named to honor roll 10 times, high honors four times ... Sterling Sentinel Award Nominee for Athletics ... High school coach was Sherwood Haydock.
PERSONAL: Son of Donald and Kimberly Essex ... Born 12/5/82 ... Chose NU over Miami (FL) and Notre Dame.
Jonathan Fields
5-8 * 170 * Sweeny, Texas * Sweeny
PROJECTED POSITION: Cornerback
HIGH SCHOOL: Two-time all-district cornerback ... Named all-county ... Recorded 51 tackles (33 solo), broke up eight passes and had two interceptions his senior season ... All-state in track ... Runs a 10.39 100 meters ... Lettered six times as a prep (2-football, 3-track, 1-basketball) ... Honor roll ... Football coach was Mike Treybig.
PERSONAL: Son of Walter and Carolyn Fields ... Born 2/8/83 ... Chose NU over Baylor and Georgia Tech.
Herschel Henderson
6-3 * 190 * Houston, Texas * Clear Lake
PROJECTED POSITION: Safety
HIGH SCHOOL: Ranked by Lone Star Recruiting as one of the top 10 defensive backs in the state ... First team all-district ... Recorded four interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, his senior year ... Averaged 28.0 yards per interception return ... Lettered nine times as a prep (3-football, 4-track, 2-basketball) ... Won the district high jump championship ... Finished fifth in the state in the high jump ... Averaged 11 points and eight boards for district champion basketball team ... Honor roll ... High school coach was Troy Adudell.
PERSONAL: Son of Hosea and Pauline Henderson ... 12/21/82 ... Played with current Wildcat Roger Jordan in high school ... Chose NU over TCU, Clemson, Arizona, Arkansas and Oklahoma State.
Braden Jones
6-2 * 220 * Harrisburg, Ill. * Harrisburg
PROJECTED POSITION: Linebacker
HIGH SCHOOL: SuperPrep All-Midwest Region ... Named all-state by the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and Illinois Football Coaches Association ... Southern Illinois Player of the Year ... First team all-conference ... Team captain ... Team MVP ... Scored 21 touchdowns his senior season ... Rushed for 488 yards, scored on a punt return and a kickoff return ... High school went 14-0 and won the Illinois Class 3A state title ... Played running back, wide receiver, tight end and safety in high school ... Lettered 11 times as a prep (3-football, 4-track, 3-basketball, 1-baseball) ... Member of state championship track team as a junior ... Finished second in the state as a junior in the long jump with a leap of 22-10 ... Member of National Honor Society and Math Honor Society ... Student Body Vice President ... High school coach was Al Way.
PERSONAL: Son of Dr. Larry and Janet Jones ... Born 4/20/83 ... Chose NU over Notre Dame and Stanford.
Taylor Jones
6-3 * 230 * Gladstone, Mo. * Winnetonka
PROJECTED POSITION: Linebacker
HIGH SCHOOL: Named all-conference at three different positions his senior season: tight end, linebacker and kicker ... Also named all-conference as a junior ... All-Northland as a senior ... Recorded 94 tackles (52 solo), 11.5 sacks, recovered two fumbles and forced two others, and broke up eight passes as a senior ... Also caught 31 balls for 471 receiving yards and six touchdowns as a senior ... Team captain senior year ... Lettered six times as a prep (2-football, 3-basketball, 1-baseball) ... Fox 41 Athlete of the Week ... Tim Painter Most Inspirational Player Award ... Honor roll all four years ... Student Council ... Class Treasurer ... High school coach was Roger Bell.
PERSONAL: Son of Larry and Nancy Jones ... Born 4/22/83 ... Chose NU over Missouri and Kansas.
Greg Lutzen (LUHT-sen)
6-5 * 250 * Pewaukee, Wis. * Pewaukee
PROJECTED POSITION: Defensive End
HIGH SCHOOL: Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Year in 2000 ... Wisconsin Football Coaches Association Parkland Conference Player of the Year ... First team all-state and All-Milwaukee Area at defensive end ... First team all-region, All-Waukesha County, and all-conference at defensive end and tight end ...Two-year team captain ... Will compete in the 2001 All-Star Shrine Game ... As a senior, he recorded 81 tackles (59 solo), eight sacks, 22 tackles for loss, 25 knockdowns and one blocked kick ... For his varsity career, he had 223 tackles, 145 solo stops, 37 sacks, 57 TFLs, 12 forced fumbles, seven fumble recoveries and 11 blocked kicks ... Honorable mention all-state as a junior ... First team all-region, All-Waukesha County, and all-conference his junior year ... Second-team All-Milwaukee Area as a junior ... First team all-conference and second team All-Waukesha County as a sophomore ... Honorable mention All-Milwaukee Area as a sophomore ... Lettered 10 times as a prep (4-football, 4-basketball, 2-track) ... Honor roll student ... Parkland Conference Scholar Athlete ... High school coach was Mike Ryback.
PERSONAL: Son of William and Sharon Lutzen ... Born 1/7/83 ... Chose NU over Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois and Colorado.
John Pickens
6-2 * 215 * Franklin Lakes, N.J. * Ramapo
PROJECTED POSITION: Linebacker
HIGH SCHOOL: SuperPrep All-Northeast Region ... Super 100 All-New Jersey Team ... Rated the fifth-best linebacker in the state by the McCarthy Report ... Second team all-state ... First team all-league and all-county ... High School Heisman Award winner ... Twice named Franklin Lakes Journal Athlete of the Week ... Team captain ... Recorded 72 tackles, three sacks and three interceptions his senior season ... Had 160 tackles, five sacks and six interceptions in high school career ... Lettered five times as a prep (3-football, 2-wrestling) ... Team captain in wrestling ... High school coach was Mike Miello.
PERSONAL: Son of Eugene and Jewell Pickens ... Born 2/13/83 ... Played against fellow NU recruit Luis Castillo in high school ... Chose NU over Virginia and Purdue.
Dominique Price
6-0 * 205 * Jeffersontown, Ky. * DuPont
PROJECTED POSITION: Safety
HIGH SCHOOL: Honorable mention all-state selection ... First team all-district on both offense and defense ... All-county on defense ... Recorded 64 tackles and one fumble recovery his senior year ... Also rushed for 623 yards and eight touchdowns his senior season ... Lettered eight times as a prep (4-football, 4-track) ... Academic all-state ... Member of Beta Club and honor roll ... High school coach was Jerry Mayes.
PERSONAL: Son of Darryl and Renita Price ... Born 12/16/82 ... Attended the same high school as Cleveland Browns running back Travis Prentice, who played at Miami (OH) under Coach Walker.
Zach Strief (streef)
6-7 * 305 * Milford, Ohio * Milford
PROJECTED POSITION: Offensive Tackle
HIGH SCHOOL: SuperPrep All-American ... Ranked the 11th-best lineman in the Midwest by SuperPrep ... PrepStar All-Midwest Region ... Rated the 73rd-best offensive lineman in the country by Rivals100 ... Cincinnati Enquirer First Team All-City ... Named first team all-conference, all-city and All-Southwestern Ohio his senior season ... First team all-state by Kurelic Recruiting ... Second team Associated Press All-State ... Selected to play in the Big 33 Game and North-South All-Ohio Game ... Team captain ... All-conference his sophomore and junior years ... Gave up no sacks as a senior and only one as a junior ... First player in school history to be named all-conference three consecutive years ... 50 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two sacks on defense his senior season ... Lettered seven times as a prep (3-football, 2-basketball, 2-track) ... Member of the honor roll all four years ... High school coach was Bob Smith.
PERSONAL: Son of Douglas and Cathy Strief ... Born 9/22/83 ... Chose NU over Maryland, Georgia Tech, Michigan State, Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Frederic Tarver (FED-er-eek)
6-2 * 195 * Palmyra, Va. * Fluvanna County
PROJECTED POSITION: Wide Receiver
HIGH SCHOOL: First team all-district his junior and senior seasons ... Had 21 receptions for 373 yards and nine touchdowns his senior season ... Also rushed for 341 yards on 33 carries ... Caught 24 balls and eight touchdowns his junior year, also rushed for 500 yards ... Averaging 16 points per game in basketball ... Was the district, regional and state champion in the outdoor 110 high hurdles and the 300 intermediate hurdles ... Set a school record in the 110 high hurdles with a time of 14.2 seconds ... Was the district champion in the 55-meter indoor high hurdles ... Lettered nine times as a prep (3-football, 3-track, 3-basketball) ... Member of the National Beta Club ... Honor roll for three years ... Member of student council and student government ... High school football coach was Tap Pace.
PERSONAL: Son of Tyrone and Simone Tarver ... Born 7/7/83.
David Thompson
6-3 * 245 * Rockledge, Fla. * Rockledge
PROJECTED POSITION: Defensive End
HIGH SCHOOL: SuperPrep All-Dixie Region ... Named all-state, all-district and all-conference his senior year ... Team captain ... Selected to play in the Central Florida All-Star Game ... Recorded 87 solo tackles, seven sacks and six pass breakups his senior year ... Lettered seven times as a prep (3-football, 3-track, 1-baseball) ... Member of the honor roll ... High school coach was Chuck Wood.
PERSONAL: Son of Joan Thompson ... Born 5/8/83 ... Chose NU over Georgia Tech, Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Syracuse.
David Wasielewski (wahz-a-LEW-ski)
5-10 * 220 * Odessa, Fla. * Tampa Jesuit
PROJECTED POSITION: Punter/Placekicker
UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA: Transferred to NU in the summer of 2000 ... Sat out 2000 season due to NCAA transfer rules ... Saw action in 13 regular-season games ... Also saw action in the 1999 Orange Bowl ... 54 career punts for 2,167 yards, a 40.1 yard average ... Career long was a 53-yarder vs. Auburn in 1998 ... Earned All-SEC Freshman Team honors following the 1998 season ... Ranked fifth in the SEC in punting his freshman year ... All-Academic SEC ... Has junior eligibility.
HIGH SCHOOL: Named one of the top three kicking specialist prospects in the country by National BlueChips Recruiting ... BlueChips All-American ... PrepStar All-American ... PrepStar ranked him one of the top two kicking specialists in the southeast ... Selected to the prestigious Florida Super Seniors Team as a placekicker ... Honorable mention All-America honors from USA Today ...First team all-state ... Ranked among the top three kickers in the southeast by the National Recruiting Advisor ... Connected on 7-of-9 field goals as a senior (only misses came from 55 and 62 yards) with a long of 53 and averaged 44 yards per punt ... Honor roll all four years ... National Hispanic Honor Society member ... High school coach was Dominick Ciao.
PERSONAL: Son of Thomas and Karen Wasielewski ... Born 11/14/79 ... Played with fellow Wildcat Vincent Cartaya in high school.
DeMaris Wilson (de-MAR-is)
6-4 * 245 * Harvest, Ala. * Sparkman
PROJECTED POSITION: Defensive End
HIGH SCHOOL: Named Super All-Metro his junior and senior years ... Only played in six games his senior year because of injury ... Still recorded 90 tackles and two interceptions his senior season ... Had seven tackles for loss in the season-opener against top-ranked Mt. Brook ... Team MVP his junior and senior seasons ... Two-year team captain ... Earned three letters in football ... Freshman Class President ... Three-year member of the National Honor Society ... National Venture's Scholar ... Four-year member of `A' Honor Roll ... High school coach was Keith Henderson.
PERSONAL: Son of Ronald and Brenda Wilson ... Born 2/2/83 ... Chose NU over Auburn, Tulane and Arkansas.
Jovan Witherspoon
6-3 * 210 * Fort Wayne, Ind. * Bishop Luers
PROJECTED POSITION: Wide Receiver
HIGH SCHOOL: Transferred to NU from Notre Dame in the fall of 2000 ... Sat out 2000 season due to NCAA transfer rules ... Ranked 25th on Chicago Sun-Times list of Top 100 prospects in 1999 ... Caught 69 passes for 1,140 yards and 11 touchdowns ... Finished fourth in Indiana Mr. Football balloting ... Best of Midwest honorable mention by Detroit News ... Made nine interceptions playing safety as a senior to lead the state in that category ... Returned six kicks for touchdowns, but had five called back by penalty ... Named to three different all-state teams ... Had four 100-yard receiving games in '99, including 108 yards and two TDs in state championship game ... Team captain ... Chosen for Indiana North-South All-Star Game ... Lettered eight times as a prep (3-football, 3-basketball, 1-baseball, 1-track) ... Captained the basketball team, earning all-league honors twice and all-state as a senior ... Won two letters in track, setting school records in 100, 200 and 400 meters ... Captain of track team as a senior ... High school football coach was Matt Lindsay.
PERSONAL: Son of Roosevelt Barnes Jr. and Anita Witherspoon ... Born 8/13/81 ... Father played football, basketball and baseball at Purdue and played five seasons with the Detroit Lions.
Joe Wohlscheid (WOOL-shyd)
6-7 * 245 * Grand Ledge, Mich. * Grand Ledge
PROJECTED POSITION: Tight End
HIGH SCHOOL: SuperPrep All-Midwest Region ... Named to the Detroit News Fab 50 Dream Team ... Named all-state, all-area and all-conference ... Recorded 26 catches for 260 yards and two touchdowns his senior season ... Also had 98 tackles, 12 sacks and five fumble recoveries in his high school career ... Team won the Division I Michigan State Championship ... Lettered six times as a prep (3-football, 3-basketball) ... High school coach was Pat O'Keefe.
PERSONAL: Son of Gerald and Ginger Wolscheid ... Born 8/2/82 ... Chose NU over Vanderbilt.
