"I am ECSTATIC with this recruiting class. This is a group of individuals who are totally committed to helping take Lake Forest College Football to help us take that next step. It has been 10 seasons since our last conference championship, and these individuals are excited about joining our returning players in our effort to reclaim the MWC Trophy. Our future has definitely improved by the decision these young men have made in becoming Foresters!"
- Coach Catanzaro
Recruiting Class Highlights:
The Class includes players from 14 states, with 20 players from Illinois, and four from both California and Missouri. 28 of the incoming players reside in a five hour radius from Lake Forest's Campus.
* Austin Van Meter- Captain of the IHSA 8A State Champions Bolingbrook Raiders, 2nd Team All-State (Chicago Tribune Tribune Article) Van Meter had 92 tackles on the year, including Six in the State Championship Game win over Loyola.
* Joey Valdivia- HM All-State, and Fox Valley All-Conference, Daily Herald 2011 All-Area Team. Ran for over 300yards in a single game on multiple occasions. Finished in the final four in wrestling, and took second place in the state indoor track meet in the shot put. Broke the Grayslake single season rushing record with 1,356 yards and 20 TD's.
* Pat Clark's Naperville Central Team lost in the state semi-finals to Van Meter's Bolinbrook team. Van Meter and Clark were Youth Football League teammates and visited a LFC Football game as 8th graders.
* Clark and Valdivia were named players of the week by the Daily Herald for Week 8 of the High School Football Season. In arguably their biggest rivalry games of the season, Clark had 10 Tackle, 2 INT, 1 FF, and a fumble recovery performance against Naperville North, while Valdivia received his award for his 381 rushing yards, 6 touchdown performance against Grayslake North. Daily Herald Article
* Jon Gurchak- a teammate of Valdivia's was an All Conference Selection in Football and Baseball for Grayslake.
* Sean Dickson- was a member of the Texas 5A State Champion Southlake Carroll High School Football Team (16-0).
* Capone and Vidas lead Taft High School to a Chicago Public (Big Shoulders) Conference Championship. Capone was named the Team MVP as well as All-City by the Chicago Public League Football Coaches Association (CPLFCA).
* Sean Chapman- was the team MVP for both Football and Basketball at Luther North High School. Chapman was named All-Conference in both sports in 2011-12, and won the coveted Golden Claw Hustle Award for the football program. Sean is the son of Laz Chapman a LFC Alum.
* Anthony Triffet is a 2x 1st Team All Conference Selection as a Defensive Back in the 1A North Metro Conference, and was also named an HM All-Conference WR. Triffet was also a member of the 2011 State Champion 4x100 track team in Colorado.
* Bryan Donahue and Michael Tashman both were multi-year starters at Offensive Tackle for their respective high schools and were four-year varsity lettermen.
* Clark Browning- a 2x Captain of his high school team, was selected for the 22nd Annual Order of the Eastern Football Game.
* Clyde "Anthoney" Prestly- Team MVP, The AZFCA honored him as an All Section 1st Team, Division V Section III.
* Ryan Flynn- is the younger brother of 2011 team captain Casey Flynn, lead his Morristown (NJ) team in sacks and recorded 2 INT's in 2011. Morristown Patch Announcement
* David Rafter- a 2-way starter for Palm Desert was a 2nd team All Desert Valley League selection.
* Dana Hall's Cougars went 11-2 in his senior season.
* Travis Lee- was named 1st team All-Conference (Eastern Missouri), 1st team All-Area (), and 1st Team All-District (MSSA East Central) on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Lee was the only unanimous choice at two positions. I High Link
* Kyle Sands is a team captain, who was a 3x ALL-Conference Selection in the Wisconsin BIG 8 Conference, as well as being named All-City in 2011 at the 73rd Annual All-City Football Banquet, sponsored by the Shrine Club.
* Mike Hilliard, who is 6'5 335lbs, was a member of both the wrestling and water polo teams at Rockwood Summit, while being honored as a 4-year winner of the Falcon Academic Award (TOP Athlete GPA)
* Jared Russ, was named a 1st Team All Section IV selection in 2011. Russ was also named a winner of the Ernie Davis Senior Class Award, and was selected to play in the Ernie Davis Classic.
* Joseph Gutman was a 2x Academic All Conference selection.
* Mike Rantis is a 2x All-State Track and Field Selection, and he helped lead his team to a Co-Divisional Championship in the Lake Division of the North Suburban League.
* John "Pearson" Dresser was an all Independent School League Selection as he helped pace the Governor's Academy to a 9-0 record and a win in the Jack Etter NESPAC Bowl Game against New Hampton.
