Linfield College head football coach Joseph Smith announced the first group of prospective student-athletes who intend to play football for the Wildcats Tuesday. All prospective students have paid their matriculation fee to the college and are expected to enroll for classes in August. The staff expects to later announce a second group of student-athletes intending to attend Linfield who missed this initial release. 

“Our football staff is very pleased with this incoming group of young Wildcats. Together, they have the potential to rival the class of 2010 which is presently our junior class.  We tried to comb the West Coast for young men that were looking for a strenuous education and a football program that would push and develop them. We were looking for young men of character, who love football, and are talented enough to help us win a national championship. We feel we were able to bring a large group in to Linfield that epitomizes those qualities. This group of 33 young men are very good students, as evidenced by their combined 3.38 GPA. It is a geographically diverse group, as these young men are from six different states: Fourteen are from California, 11 from Oregon, five from Washington, two from Hawaii, one from Arizona, and one from Alaska."

In alphabetical order, the Class of 2016 includes:

Mike Arkans, Fr. DB
La Costa Canyon High School, Carlsbad, Calif.
Mike was a two-year starter at La Costa Canyon High School. His junior and senior year he earned all-league honors as well as played in the California state all-star game. Mike was also named to the North Coast Times All-Academic team his junior and senior year.

Tyler Bergeron, Fr., DB
Battle Ground High School, Battle Ground, Wash.
Earned Greater St. Helen’s League second team Class 4A all-league honors as well as second team all-level (4A, 3A, 2A) awards as a senior.  A well-rounded athlete who also took snaps at running back and wide receiver for his team. Three-year letterman was voted Defensive Player of the Year and Best Teammate by his teammates.  Two-year team captain who was selected to play in the 3A-4A All-Star game.

Eli Biondine (Soph., Mililani, Hawaii), Fr. LB
Saint Louis High School, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Eli was a first team all-ILH linebacker as a senior in 2011. As a  junior, he helped lead his team to a HHSAA football state championshi. His junior and senior year, he was team captain. He is also senior class president as well as a member of the speech and debate team.

Adam Bullard (Soph., Tehachapi, Calif.), Fr., LB
Tehachapi High School, Tehachapi, Calif.
Adam lettered three times in football at Tehachapi High School.  Earnded first team all-league recognition as well as defensive MVP award his junior and senior years. In his junior year, Adam helped his team to the Division II section championship, earning the honors of the leading tackler on the Valley championship team.  Being one of Tehachapi’s most versatile players, Bullard averaged 10.7 tackles per game his senior year. 

Josh Cole (Soph., Roseburg, Ore.), Fr., DB
Roseburg High School, Roseburg, Ore.
Josh lettered in football, basketball and track at Roseburg High School.  Received honorable mention all-conference defensive back in the Southern Oregon Conference.  Awarded the Bob Hibbs award for toughness, Josh also excels in the classroom, receiving the Feather Award all four years for academic/athletic achievement in high school.  As the salutatorian at Roseburg High School, Josh was granted the Champs Sports National Scholarship for academic excellence. 

Thaddeus Cox (Soph., Rocklin, Calif.), Fr. OG
Whitney High School, Rocklin, Calif.
Thaddeus is a 6-3, 265-pound offensive guard from Whitney High School. He earned first team all-league Capital Athletic League honors in 2010 and 2011. He was voted lineman of the year as a senior and was inducted into the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame in 2012 for his athletic, scholastic and community achievements. Thaddeus also helps coach junior football programs and is a senior mentor at Whitney.

Zach Curliano, Fr., OT
Piedmont High School, Piedmont, Calif.
Zach is a scholar-athlete from Piedmont High School. As a two-year varsity starter, he was voted most valuable lineman and earned first team all-league honors. At 6-3 and 250 pounds, he was also involved in varsity rugby at Piedmont.

Morgunn Ewing, Fr., DE/TE
Bothell High School, Bothell, Wash.
A 6-2, 230-pound defensive end from Bothell High School, Morgunn was named to the Class 4A all-KingCo team as tight end and defensive end. He also lettered in track and field throwing the javelin and shot put.

Ty Farber (Fr., Wasilla, Alaska), Fr. DE
Colony High School, Colony, Alaska
Ty has been a three-year varsity starter on both offense and defense.  As a sophomore and junior, he started at at both center and defensive tackle. His senior year he played offensive line, defensive line, linebacker, and fullback. He was second team all-conference defensive line as a junior and was first team all-conference and all-state linebacker as a senior. Ty was voted team captain, team defensive MVP and played in the Alaska Shriners all-star game. In addition to football, Ty has had an outstanding wrestling career, including a state championship as a senior in the 220-pound weight class. Ty is looking forward to joining his brother Trey at Linfield. 

Conner Floan (Soph., Woodinville, Wash.), Fr., TE/DE
Redmond High School, Redmond, Wash.
A three-year varsity starter for football as well as basketball at Redmond High School, Conner earned second team all-KingCo Conference honors for tight end and defensive end his senior year as well as an invitation to play in the East/West all-star game this spring. He was voted team MVP and was a team captain for both football and basketball. Standing 6-foot-6, he lead the KingCo in field goal percentage, was second in blocked shots, and third in rebounds.

Diego Garza, Fr. LB
Los Osos High School, Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Diego was a three-year letterwinner and a two-year starter at linebacker for Los Osos High School. He led his team in tackles his senior year, recording 103 stops. Diego was also team captain and was voted a second team all-Baseline League linebacker. 

Hunter Hanson, Fr., OL
Newberg High School, Newberg, Ore.
Hunter is four-year football letterman from Newberg High School and will play on the offensive line at Linfield. He earned program awards for leadership in baseball 2010-2012. Plans to major in exercise science after maintaining a 3.63 cumulative GPA and making the Honor Roll each of his four years. Received awards for self-motivation, service to others, and leadership. An all-academic selection.

Bobby Heatherington (Soph., Granite Bay, Calif.), Fr., QB
Del Oro High School, Sacramento, Calif.
Bobby was voted a first team all-league quarterback as a senior after leading Del Oro to its second straight league championship. He was voted team captain and Del Oro’s Offensive Player of the Year. As a junior and senior, Bobby brought the Golden Eagles to their seventh and eighth SJS Section Championships. He also competed in baseball and track.

Alex Hoff (Soph., Lebanon, Ore.), Fr., DE
Lebanon High School, Lebanon, Ore.
Alex is an explosive player who helped lead his team to an 8-4 season and the Class 5A state playoffs.  He is versatile, having played both defensive end and linebacker.  In 2010, Alex was voted second team all-conference defensive end.  As a senior, Alex received first team all-conference linebacker, second team all-conference tight end and second team all-state linebacker recognition.  He will play in the Les Schwab Bowl this June.  Alex is looking forward to playing at Linfield with his brother, Tyler Steele (Sr., Salem, Ore.). 

Stephen Hordes, Fr. DT
Sunset High School, Beaverton, Ore.
Stephen was a three-sport athlete at Sunset High School. He lettered in football, wrestling and track. Stephen was honored as a first team all-Metro league offensive lineman, and second team defensive lineman. He was also selected as a participant in the Northwest Tanoa Bowl.

Spencer Kelley, Fr., TE/DE
Gresham High School, Gresham, Ore.
Spencer lettered eleven times at Gresham High School in football, basketball, and track. He is a two-time first team all-Mt. Hood Conference tight end, standing 6-5 and 230 pounds. An Army Reserve scholar-athlete, Spencer is also involved in band and choir at Gresham High School. 

Tom Knecht (Soph., Lake Oswego, Ore.), Fr., QB
Lakeridge High School, Lake Oswego, Ore.
A three-year starting quarterback at Lakeridge High School, Tom received second team all-state recognition, was named the Three Rivers League Offensive Player of the Year, and a first team all-Three Rivers League pick his senior year. Thomas also participates in basketball and golf at Lakeridge.

Logan Lamb (Soph., Loomis, Calif.), Fr., OG
Del Oro High School, Sacramento, Calif.
Logan was an all-league selection at offensive guard for Del Oro High School. As a senior, Logan led his team to the CIF title and an appearance in the State Bowl Championship. He was also a member of the Del Oro rugby team and threw the shot put for the track team. With a 3.7 GPA, Logan excelled in the classroom as well while also working on his family’s sheep ranch.

Austin Lee, Fr., DB
Sammamish High School,  Bellevue, Wash.
Austin lettered seven times in both football and track at Sammamish High School.  Austin earned all-KingCo honorable mention honors as a safety in both 2009 and 2010 and was an honorable mention quarterback in 2011. He was team MVP in both 2010 and 2011. His senior year, he was team offensive player of the year, and a team captain. Austin will also participate in the 3A East/West all-star game this summer. 

Franklin Lime (Soph., Ashland, Ore.)-Ma, Fr. DE/TE
Ashland High School, Ashland, Ore.
As a senior, Franklin earned honors as a first team all-conference at tight end, defensive end and punter. He also earned second team all-state honors at defensive end and honorable mention all-state at tight end. In 2011, he led his team in receiving with 467 yards and an average of 17.5 per catch. Franklin had nine sacks and blocked four field goal. In June, Franklin will be playing in the Les Schwab Bowl. He also lettered in basketball and track at Ashland High School.

Kyle Morgan, Fr., DE
Peninsula High School, Gig Harbor, Wash.
Kyle was a two-way starter his senior year, playing both offensive and defensive line at Peninsula High School. He helped lead his team to an 8-2 season and the Washington Class 3A state playoffs. 

Nick O’Sullivan, Fr., RB
Del Oro High School, Sacramento, Calif.
As a senior, Nick rushed 1,367 yards for 23 touchdowns for the CIF Section Champs. He helped lead his team to a CIF title game as well as a berth in the State Bowl Championship. Nick was an all-Metro Sacramento selection as well as a first team all-league pick.

Jake Peterson, Fr. WR/DB
Peninsula High School, Gig Harbor, Wash.
Jake played both running back and slot receiver for Peninsula High School.  He helped the team to an 8-2 season and the Washington Class 3A state playoffs. 

Eric Pitassi (Soph., West Linn, Ore.), So.-Transfer DT
University of Montana/West Linn High School, West Linn, Ore.
At 6-foot-1 and 285 pounds, Eric is a defensive tackle transferring from the University of Montana. In high school, Eric was a three-year varsity starter at offensive guard and defensive tackle as well as a team captain his senior year. His junior and senior year, he earned first team all-league honors on both sides of the ball. In 2010, he started in the annual Les Schwab all-star game. Eric also lettered in lacrosse where he earned first team all-conference and second team all-state honors.

Conner Purnell (Soph., Modesto, Calif.), Fr. WR
Thomas Downey High School, Modesto, Calif.
At 6-3 and 190 pounds, Conner received first team all-conference recognition his senior season after making 63 catches for 15 touchdowns and over 1,100 yards. He was also voted as WR/DB of the Year within his conference as well as an all-academic selection. Conner also earned letters in basketball, baseball and track at Downey High School.

Marq Randall, Fr. DT
Roseburg High School, Roseburg, Ore.
Marq is a six-time letterman, competing in football and wrestling at Roseburg High School. As a sophomore, he was second team all-conference defensive line, and first team all-conference defensive line as a junior and senior. As a senior, he was second team all-state defensive line.  He was voted most inspirational player as a junior and most valuable player as a senior by his teammates. He was a captain of the football team as a senior. Marq will be competing in the Les Schwab Bowl all-star game in June.  In addition to football, Marq has had an outstanding wrestling career. He was a state champion wrestler in the 285-pound class and an All-American wrestler as a senior. He will be representing Oregon in the Oregon Wrestling Cultural Exchange program in South Africa this summer.

Samuel Robinson, Fr., WR/RB
Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
In 2011, Sam was named a first team all-Serra League performer as well as an all-CIF academic team honoree. He led the team in receptions, receiving yards and was second in all-purpose and rushing yardage. Sam was voted Notre Dames’ Best Offensive and Most Valuable Player. Additionally, he participated in varsity track and field for three years, winning the CIF Championship in 2011 and running the 100-, 200-, 400-, 4x100- and 4x400-meter relays.  Sam played in the Daily News all-star game and was invited to play in The City-Section versus Southern Section and the Literacy All-Star Games. He is a member of the 2012 honor roll and will graduate Maxima Cum Laude. 

Chase Russell, Fr., RB
Mountain Ridge High School, Glendale, Ariz.
Chase lettered three times in football at Mountain Ridge High School. His senior year, he was voted team captain and earned second team all-section honors as well as offensive MVP as a running back and team MVP for his role as RB, DB, and kick returner. He is an eight-time honor cord recipient with a 4.0 GPA.

Robert Strys, Fr., DB
Jesuit High School, Portland, Ore.
Robert earned three varsity letters in both football and baseball at Jesuit High School. He was a two-year starter and is a strong and fast safety out of one of the top programs in the state. Robert was a team captain for both sports, as well. Comes in with a college-ready body and should contribute very early in his career. Has some serious knock-down power and will help contribute to a secondary known for its physical play. Another multiple-sport athlete in the secondary who also player wide receiver on offense. Robert will compete in the annual Les Schwab Bowl this summer.

Derick Turner (Soph., Canoga Park, Calif.), Fr., LB
Notre Dame High School, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Derick started at both wide receiver and outside linebacker for the Notre Dame Knights. He was voted a second team all-Serra League linebacker in 2011, where he led his team with five sacks. He was football team co-captain in 2011. Derick also participated in varsity basketball where he played power forward. He competed in the high jump and hurdles during 2010 and 2011 for the Norte Dame track & field team. As a PrepStar 200 athlete, Derick played in the PrepStar California Classic All-Star Game in January. As a junior and senior, Derick earned all-CIF academic team honors. He is also a member of the 2012 Notre Dame Honor Roll.

Conner Williams (Soph., Molalla, Ore.), Fr., DT
Molalla High School, Molalla, Ore.
Conner lettered four times in football and twice in wrestling at Molalla High School. He received all-league honors at defensive tackle as a sophomore, junior and senior. His senior year he was first team all-league defensive tackle, second team all-league offensive line and the 2011 Tri-Valley League Lineman of the Year. Conner was also a voted to the All-State Academic Team from 2009 through 2011. In addition to his football accolades, Conner won the 2011 NUC Portland Strongest Man Award. 

Jeffery Wolfe, Fr. DB
Cosumnes Oaks High School, Elk Grove, Calif.
Jeffery helped lead Cosumnes Oaks to an 8-4 record this past season while reaching the second round of the playoffs. Wolfe had a total of 36 tackles and three pass deflections as a senior.

Keanu Yamamoto (Soph., Waikola, Hawaii), Fr., DB
Hawaii Preparatory Academy, Kamuela, Hawaii
Another well-rounded athlete who joins the defensive backfield with the incoming class of 2012.  Keanu played three sports (volleyball and track) in high school as well as multiple positions in football. Was a quarterback for his high school team as well. Should transition very well as a defensive back in a position group that has featured many former high school quarterbacks. Adds to the athleticism of this group.

Smith summarized his seventh recruiting class:
"These freshmen are well-rounded young men.  They are strong athletes and strong students. They chose Linfield because of the powerful academic-athletic combination and the program’s culture of excellence. I believe more is expected of these young men than most anywhere else in the country. However, they are more than up to task, and those high expectations and demands are why they chose Linfield.  This class has the potential to not only maintain that level of excellence, but also set the standard for classes to come.  They are coming here to be challenged and developed to their utmost.  As a staff, we will do our best to see that happen.

"I want to stress how grateful I am to our coaching staff for their persistence and effort in putting this class together.  Our staff truly outworks our competitors and I am very proud of them. I want to publically recognize our admission and financial aid offices for the crucial work they performed in bringing this class together. Our departments of Sports Information and Integrated Technology, our student hosts, our alumni, and Catdomealumni.com were also vital to our success. The entire Linfield Community worked hard to bring this class together, but more importantly, everyone worked well and efficiently together."