Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern Welcomes Nine Non-Scholarship Players to 2005 Squad
7/27/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
July 27, 2005
EVANSTON, Ill. - Northwestern head football coach Randy Walker announced the addition of nine walk-on student-athletes to the Wildcats' 2005 roster.
Over the last 10 years, scholarship reductions have increased the importance of attracting quality walk-ons to a football program. Walker, who greatly values the contributions of every player on his roster, has awarded 18 full scholarships to walk-ons in his first six seasons at Northwestern.
"Our walk-ons invest greatly in our program and we try to reward as many as possible," said Walker. "With 85 scholarships, identifying quality student-athletes is extremely important to the success of our football team."
Three of the nine walk-ons hail from Chicagoland: Kevin Frymire (Nazareth Academy), Kevin Mitchell (Notre Dame HS) and Mark Woodsum (Buffalo Grove HS).
The following is a complete list of NU's nine walk-on student-athletes and their biographies:
No. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Elig. Hometown/High School 85 Michael Awadalla PK 6-1 210 Fr. Villa Hills, Ky./Covington Catholic 28 Tim DeMay RB 5-10 165 Fr. Montoursville, Pa./Montoursville 44 Todd Dockery SAF/LB 5-11 190 Fr. Atlanta, Ga./Riverwood 81 Kevin Frymire WR 6-1 170 Fr. Burr Ridge, Ill./Nazareth Academy 71 Tanner Highlen DL 6-2 275 Fr. Peoria, Ariz./Centennial 88 Colin Kennedy TE 6-4 225 Fr. Gig Harbor, Wash./Bellarmine Prep 80 Kevin Mitchell WR 6-2 220 Fr. Skokie, Ill./Notre Dame 94 Tim Smisek DL 6-4 255 Fr. Northfield, Minn./Northfield 35 Mark Woodsum FB 6-0 225 Fr. Arlington Heights, Ill./Buffalo Grove
Michael Awadalla
6-1 • 210
Villa Hills, Ky. • Covington Catholic
Projected Position: Place-kicker
High School: Two-time (2003-04) Northern Kentucky Coaches' Association All-Star place-kicker ... Converted 21-of-30 field goal attempts (70.0 percent) in two seasons, with a career-long 48-yarder coming in 2004 ... Successful on 21-of-26 field goal attempts inside 50 yards in last two seasons ... Nailed 61-of-61 career PAT attempts ... Led the Colonels in scoring in 2004 (65 points) ... Led Northern Kentucky in kicking points (59) in 2003 ... Holds three school records: most field goals in a game (three, tie), field goals in a season (11) and career field goals (25) ... Three-time 2004 player of the game (vs. LaSalle, Beechwood and Lexington Catholic) ... Hit a 36-yard FG with six seconds left to beat Beechwood ... Helped the Colonels finish as regional runners-up in 2004 ... Nominated for Wendy's High School Heisman honor ... "That's My Boy" student-athlete and finalist in Northern Kentucky ... Three-year academic all-state selection ... Class salutatorian ... 2004 Kentucky Governor's Scholar, National Merit Finalist, NHS treasurer ... Coached by Lynn Ray.
Personal: Born Michael Sabry Awadalla on 11/28/86 ... Son of Sherif Awadalla and Betsy Awadalla ... Chose NU over Purdue, Notre Dame and USC ... Interested in an engineering career.
Tim DeMay
5-10 • 165
Montoursville, Pa. • Montoursville
Projected Position: Running Back
High School: Tabbed the PIAA District 4 Outstanding Male Athlete ... 2004 first-team all-district and first-team Sun-Gazette running back ... Two-time All-Central Susquehanna Conference running back (first-team in 2004) ... 2004 second-team all-conference safety ... Offensive MVP for North All-Stars ... Warriors' Outstanding Back ... Army National Scholar-Athlete Award recipient ... Rushed for 2,338 career yards (7.2 ypc) and 16 TD's ... Also had 15 receptions for 408 yards (27.2 ypr) and five TD's ... Notched eight interceptions for career as a safety ... Ran for 1,209 yards his senior season as the Warriors went 7-4 ... Rambled for a career-high 206 yards in one game ... Registered 162 yards and two TD's vs. Milton (35-7 win), 154 yards and two TD's vs. Loyalsock (41-25 win) and 129 yards and two TD's vs. Wyalusing (36-21 win) ... Warriors fell in first-round 2004 playoff game ... Also letter in basketball (two years) and baseball (four years) ... Who's Who and National Honor Society ... Ray Kroc Youth Achievement Award ... Graduated from same high school that produced Mike Mussina and former Penn State basketball star Kelly Mazzante ... Coached by Jim Bergen.
Personal: Born Timothy Joseph DeMay on 12/27/86 ... Son of Joseph and Tami DeMay ... Was a first alternate for ABC's reality TV show, "The Scholar" ... Plans to major in physics and philosophy.
Todd Dockery
5-11 • 190
Atlanta, Ga. • Riverwood
Projected Position: Safety/Linebacker
High School: Earned honorable mention all-area honors from the North Fulton Touchdown Club ... Tabbed the Raiders' outstanding senior ... Led team in total tackles in 2004 ... Totaled a career-high 22 tackles vs. Druid Hills ... North Fulton Touchdown Club Academic All-Area team ... 790 "In the Zone" Leadership Award recipient ... Lettered two years at linebacker ... National Achievement Commended Scholar and Dean's List ... Coached by Harris Rainbow.
Personal: Born Todd Benjamin Dockery on 11/25/86 ... Son of Keith and Marian Dockery ... Interested in majoring in economics.
Kevin Frymire
6-1 • 170
Burr Ridge, Ill. • Nazareth Academy
Projected Position: Wide Receiver
High School: Three-year starter and three-time all-area receiver at Nazareth Academy ... Concluded career with 142 receptions, including 60 his senior year-both marks are school records ... Two-time all-East Suburban Catholic Conference selection ... Named to Illinois' 2004 all-state academic football team ... Averaged 5.4 receptions per game during career ... Four-year "A" Honor Roll ... Illinois State Scholar ... Also lettered two years (guard) in basketball ... Coached by Dennis Moran.
Personal: Born Kevin Jack Frymire on 1/16/87 ... Son of Jack and Kelle
Tanner Highlen
6-2 • 275
Peoria, Ariz. • Centennial
Projected Position: Defensive Line
High School: Tabbed a 2004 first-team all-state defensive lineman by the Arizona Football Coaches Association ... Two-time first-team all-region selection (2003 and 2004) ... Named to 2004 All-Arizona first team by the Arizona Republic ... 2005 National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete ... 2004 all-region scholar-athlete ... Totaled 240 career tackles, 24 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks and 11 fumble recoveries as a three-year letterwinner ... Registered 111 tackles, nine TFL's and six fumble recoveries his senior year ... Played guard, defensive tackle and end for the Coyotes ... Had a career-best 16 tackles in one game ... Team captain ... Who's Who Among High School Students in Sports selection ... Helped lead the Coyotes to region championships in 2003 and 2004 ... Also lettered in basketball (power forward) and track (shot/discus) at Centennial ... Coached by Richard Taylor.
Personal: Born Tanner James Wade Highlen on 8/28/86 ... Son of Steve and Melody Highlen ... Chose NU over Columbia and San Diego ... Interested in majoring in political science.
Colin Kennedy
6-4 • 225
Gig Harbor, Wash. • Bellarmine Prep
Projected Position: Tight End
High School: A three-year letterwinner at Tacoma's Bellarmine Prep ... Ranked 33rd in state of Washington by Rivals.com following senior season ... One of state's top tight end prospects ... A preseason all-state selection by the Seattle Times ... First-team All-Narrows Conference honoree ... School's Wendy's High School Heisman finalist ... Channel 5 "Sports Blitz" Dairy Queen Player of the Week (Sept. 11, 2004) ... Two-time team Offensive Player of the Game ... All-Narrows Academic honoree ... Invited to play in the "Down Under Bowl" All-Star game in 2005 ... Recipient of the Lions' Varsity Football Scholar-Athlete award ... Recipient of The President's Award for Academic Excellence and the Washington State Honor award ... Tabbed an Arco AM/PM "Best of the West" student scholar-athletes by Student Sports Magazine ... Helped the Lions to a conference championship and state playoff appearance in 2002 ... Bellarmine went 20-10 during his three-year tenure (2002-04) ... Coached by Tom Larsen.
Personal: Born Colin Daniel Kennedy on 3/13/87 ... Son of Kevin and Jane Kennedy ... Sister, Caitlin, was a rower at UCLA and grandfather, Robert Kennedy, played end for Michigan State ... Chose NU over Air Force, Army, Navy and Tulane ... Interested in a medicine career.
Kevin Mitchell
6-2 • 220
Skokie, Ill. • Notre Dame
Projected Position: Wide Receiver
High School: Lettered in three sports (football, basketball and baseball) at Niles' Notre Dame High for Boys ... Team captain for football and baseball ... Earned three letters as a quarterback ... Named team's Offensive Back of the Year ... Completed 156-of-216 passes (72 percent) for 1,132 yards and 11 TD's in 2004 ... Also ran for 549 yards and three TD's in 2004 ... IHSA Scholar-Athlete ... Helped lead the Dons to the state playoffs in football ... An all-East Suburban Catholic Conference and all-region (Pioneer Press) baseball selection ... Team won the Class AA state baseball title in 2004 and won the East Suburban Catholic Conference crown in 2005 ... Played against fellow NU freshmen Chris Jeske and Kevin Frymire ... Illinois State Scholar, National Achievement Scholar, National Honor Society, Rev. Theodore Hesburgh Scholar ... Summa cum laude all eight semesters ... Recipient of Notre Dame's Presidential Award for Academic Excellence ... Coached by Mike Hennessey.
Personal: Born Kevin Leon Mitchell on 9/2/87 ... Son of Leon and Susan Mitchell ... Father, Leon, is a member of UW-Green Bay's Basketball Hall of Fame ... Interested in majoring in communications.
Tim Smisek
6-4 • 255
Northfield, Minn. • Northfield
Projected Position: Defensive Line
High School: An all-conference, all-metro and all-state defensive end ... Totaled 120 tackles and 16 sacks for the Raiders ... Three-year starter ... All-American weightlifter ... Helped Northfield to a No. 1 regular-season ranking ... Team went 12-1, winning conference championship and section championship in 2004 ... Raiders advanced to the state semifinals ... Also an all-conference honoree in wrestling and track and field ... Placed third at wrestling section championships and went 27-9 in 2004-05 ... Owns one of state's top shot put throws-56' 11 1/2" ... Top-ranked shot putter at state meet ... Academic Honor student ... Graduated with Highest Honors ... Coached by Bubba Sullivan.
Personal: Born Timothy Albert Smisek on 9/26/86 ... Son of Dan and Cecilia Smisek ... Has written and composed over 25 pieces of music (singing and guitar) ... Chose NU over Stanford, Iowa, Harvard and California ... Interested in a medicine career.
Mark Woodsum
6-0 • 225
Arlington Heights, Ill. • Buffalo Grove
Projected Position: Fullback
High School: An honorable mention all-state fullback ... Also earned all-conference and Daily Herald all-area honors in 2004 ... Buffalo Grove's team MVP ... 2004 Academic all-state selection ... Rushed for 1,225 yards (4.6 ypc) and 15 TD's in 2004 ... Added 21 receptions for 247 yards, as well as 35 tackles and two sacks at linebacker ... Finished seventh on the Bison career rushing list and 11th on the all-time scoring list ... As a sophomore in 2002, started on a team that went 11-1, won a conference championship and advanced to the state quarterfinal round ... Prep teammate with Tom Zbikowski (Notre Dame) and Eric Andino (Michigan State) ... Team's Decleator Award recipient in 2003 and Gatorade Rookie of the Year award in 2002 ... Also lettered three years in track and field (shot put/discus) ... Senior Honor Roll all eight semesters and NHS member ... Coached by Rich Roberts.
Personal: Born Mark Alan Woodsum on 5/20/87 ... Son of Gregory and Melody Woodsum ... Plans to major in secondary education.
