Location: Norwich, Vt.
Nickname: Cadets

Colors: Maroon and Gold
Stadium: Sabine Field (3,000)

Head Coach: Shawn McIntyre (6th season)
Overall Record: 17-34

Sports Information Dir.: Christian Anderson
SID Email: canders1@norwich.edu
SID Phone: (802) 485-2160
Press Box Phone: (802) 485-2253

2009 Overall Record: 8-3
2009 ECFC Record/Finish: 6-0/1st ECFC Champions

Key Returners
Kris Sabourin (QB - Soph.)
Andrew Fulford (RB - Jr.)
Orwin Etkins (RB - Soph.)
Rocco DiMeco (LB - Sr.)
Joe Gumberwicz (LB - Jr.)

Top Newcomers
Long Ding (K - Jr.)
Cody Baker (DB - Fr.)
Mike Estiverne (DL - Fr.)

Having just completed its most successful season in over a decade, the Norwich University football team begins defense of its 2009 Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) title this fall. The Cadets ended last year by winning their final eight games to finish with an 8-3 overall record and its first conference championship in the long and storied history of the program. With 19 starters returning to the team this year, head coach Shawn McIntyre is optimistic that 2010 could be another special season.

The Cadets return nearly their entire offensive unit from last season’s championship squad, but they will have a couple of huge holes to fill on the defensive side of the ball with the graduation of all-conference standouts Reza Afsarmanesh and Donovan Brown. Afsarmanesh terrorized opposing teams’ offenses last year, piling up team highs in tackles-for-loss (16.5) and quarterback sacks (7.0) en route to being named the ECFC “Defensive Player of the Year.” Brown, who was one of the team’s co-captains and quarterbacked the Cadets’ defense from his strong safety position, topped the club with six interceptions. NU also lost starting cornerbacks E.J. Flannigan and Dan Wilde, but the defense should continue to be strong with a slew of linebackers and defensive linemen returning to the fold.

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