University of Massachusets Athletics

1997 Player Bios I

1997 Player Bios I




| All-America Candidate and Tri-captain Khari Samuel | Tri-captain Mike Dawson | Tri-captain Geoff Thomas

Joe Abasciano

#59

Junior - DE - 6-1 - 230

Worcester, Mass. (Bridgton Academy)

Enters preseason as the backup to Mike Dawson at defensive end ... Coming off a strong spring practice, highlighted by making five tackles and one fumble recovery in the spring scrimmage ... Very intense player who gives everything he has on every snap ... Strong special teams performer ... 1996: Saw action in all 11 games at defensive end and on special teams ... Recorded 15 total tackles (six solo), including three tackles for loss, one quarterback sack and one pass breakup ... Had his finest effort of the season in the 43-12 win over Boston University (Oct. 12), posting four tackles (one solo) with two tackles for loss, one quarterback sack and one pass breakup ... Registered four tackles (two solo) with one tackle for loss in the 41-20 victory over Buffalo (Oct. 19) ... Had two tackles (one solo) with one tackle for loss in the loss at Villanova (Sept. 7) ... Posted two tackles (both assisted) in the loss at New Hampshire (Oct. 26) ... 1995: Did not see any game action ... High School: Played one year of prep ball for Nick Marcella at Bridgton Academy ... Ranked second on the team in tackles (70) and sacks (five) ... Served as team captain ... Earned his team's Most Outstanding Player award ... Four-year letterwinner who played outside linebacker, defensive tackle, offensive tackle and tight end for Tony Wood at St. John's High School ... Led his team in tackles and sacks as a senior ... Boston Globe Central Mass. All-Star choice in his senior year ... Middlesex News Metro West All-Star pick at offensive tackle as a senior ... Two-time All-Conference selection ... Team captain during his senior season ... Personal: Full name is Joseph Mauro Abasciano ... Son of Mauro Abasciano and Pauline Willam ... Grandfather, Frank Abasciano, played football at the University of Alabama ... Born October 7, 1976 in Worcester, Mass. ... Majoring in Sociology.

Jeron Alston

#84

Senior - DE - 6-1 - 240

Elizabeth, N.J. (Elizabeth)

Returns for his second straight season as a starter at defensive end ... Has played in all 33 games of his career, making 22 starts ... Excels against the run ... Redshirted in 1993 ... 1996: Started all 11 games at defensive end ... Made 50 tackles (28 solo), including 14 tackles for loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks ... Had two fumble recoveries on the season ... Ranked second among defensive linemen in total tackles ... Had five tackles (four solo) with one tackle for loss in the 23-17 overtime win at Richmond (Sept. 21) ... Recorded five tackles (four solo) with four tackles for loss and one sack in the 21-14 win vs. Northeastern (Sept. 28) ... Had six tackles (five solo) with four tackles for loss and one sack in 41-20 win over Buffalo (Oct. 19) ... Posted eight tackles (four solo) in the loss at New Hampshire (Oct. 26) ... Recorded a career-high nine tackles (four solo) with three tackles for loss in the loss to Maine (Nov. 2) ... Had at least five tackles on six occasions (Richmond, Northeastern, Buffalo, New Hampshire, Maine, and William & Mary) ... 1995: Started all 11 games at defensive end ... Made 35 tackles (25 solo), including one tackle for loss and two quarterback sacks ... Ranked third among defensive linemen in total tackles ... Had two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and one pass breakup ... Recorded six tackles (three solo) in the 28-23 win at Boston University (Nov. 11) ... 1994: Played in all 11 games ... Made 26 tackles on the season ... Recorded five tackles against both Delaware and Youngstown State ... Played behind Yankee Conference Defensive Player of the Year Brian Corcoran at defensive end ... High School: Played for Jerry Moore at Elizabeth ... Lettered in football and track ... All-County selection during his senior year ... High school team was also nicknamed the Minutemen ... Attended the same high school as current UMass basketball player Winston Smith ... Personal: Full name is Jeron Lenel Alston ... Son of Lonnie Perry and Veronica Alston ... Born June 29, 1975 in Durham, N.C. ... Majoring in Accounting.



Mike Batelli

#90

Senior - DT - 6-3 - 248

Ramsey, N.J. (Ramsey)

Returns for his third season as a starter at defensive tackle ... Has played in 32 career games, making 21 starts ... Aggressive, enthusiastic player ... Redshirted in 1993 ... 1996: Started 10 games at defensive tackle (all but Boston University) ... Made 43 tackles (29 solo), including 14 tackles for loss, 1.5 quarterback sacks, four pass breakups and one forced fumble ... Recorded six tackles (all solo) including two pass breakups and one forced fumble in the overtime win at Richmond (Sept. 21) ... Had six tackles (three solo), including four tackles for loss and one pass breakup in the 21-14 win vs. Northeastern (Sept. 28) ... Made six tackles (four solo), including four tackles for loss and one sack in the 41-20 win over Buffalo (Oct. 19) ... Had five tackles (three solo), including three for loss in the loss to Maine (Nov. 2) ... Posted at least five tackles on six occasions (Richmond, Northeastern, Rhode Island, Buffalo, Maine, and William & Mary) ... 1995: Started all 11 games at defensive tackle ... Led all defensive linemen on the team with 50 tackles (28 solo) ... Had three quarterback sacks and one forced fumble ... Recorded six tackles (four solo), a forced fumble and one quarterback sack at Rhode Island (Sept. 30) ... Made seven tackles (six solo) in the loss to New Hampshire (Oct. 7) ... Had five tackles (three solo) and a quarterback sack in the win over Lehigh (Oct. 28) ... Made seven tackles (three solo) and one quarterback sack in the win at BU (Nov. 11) ... 1994: Played in 10 of 11 games ... Registered 18 tackles ... Had three sacks and three tackles for loss ... Recorded a season-high four stops in the season-opener at Richmond ...Made three tackles against Boston University and Rhode Island ... High School: Played both center and nose guard for Steve Hyman at Ramsey ... Played in the New Jersey North-South All-Star Game ... All-State, All-League, All-County and All-Suburban selection as a senior ... All-Region choice by Blue Chip Magazine ... Personal: Full name is Michael R. Batelli ... Son of Nancy and Ralph Batelli ... Born August 24, 1975 in Hackensack, N.J. ... Majoring in Resource Economics.

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Cliff Bolden

#78

Sophomore - OL - 6-4 - 285

Shirley, Mass. (Lunenburg)

Favorite to start at left tackle ... Had a strong offseason during spring practice and in the weight room ... Made the transition from defensive tackle to the offensive line prior to the 1996 season ... Redshirted in 1995 ... 1996: Did not see any game action ... High School: Four-year letterwinner who played both offensive and defensive tackle for Dale Diamandtopolous at Lunenburg ... Posted 38 solo tackles, six quarterback sacks and two fumble recoveries during his senior year ... Played in the Shriner's All-Star game at offensive tackle following his senior season ... Central Massachusetts Division C All-Star selection at defensive tackle during his senior year ... Worcester Telegram & Gazette Mid-Wachuset Division C All-Star team and Super Team member as a senior ... Fitchburg Sentinel All-Star selection during his senior campaign ... Also a three-year letterwinner in track & field and earned one letter in basketball ... Personal: Full name is Clifford Lamarr Bolden ... Son of Kelly Bolden ... Born May 9, 1977 in Concord, Mass. ... Majoring in Family and Consumer Studies.



Anthony Catterton

#7

Senior - QB - 6-0 - 190

Orlando, Fla. (Boone)

Enters preseason as the number two quarterback, behind Jeff Smith ... Solid option quarterback who is a strong runner ... Has played in 21 career games, making 11 starts ... Also serves as the holder on field goals and extra points ... 1996: Played in nine games and started the first four of the season before falling to the number two slot for the remainder of the year ... Completed 36-of-99 passes (.364) for 592 yards with five TDs and five INTs ... Went 9-of-17 for 118 yards with two INTs in the season-opening loss at Villanova (Sept. 7) ... Completed 9-of-18 passes for a career-best 224 yards and three TDs in the win at Holy Cross (Sept. 14) ... Also rushed for 36 yards and one TD on 10 carries vs. Holy Cross ... The 224 yards passing and three TD passes were the most by a UMass quarterback since 1990, when Dave McGovern threw for 249 yards and three TDs in a 36-18 loss at New Hampshire ... Rushed for 41 yards on 10 carries in the win over Northeastern (Sept. 28) ... Went 6-of-18 for 87 yards with one INT in a reserve role against Maine (Nov. 2) ... Did not play in the final two games of the season (William & Mary, UConn) ... 1995: Played in nine games, making seven starts ... Assumed the starting quarterback duties in the New Hampshire game (Oct. 7) after Vito Campanile was sidelined with an injury ... For the season, completed 23-of-72 passes (.319) for 235 yards with one touchdown and four interceptions ... Ran the ball for 125 yards and four touchdowns ... Ranked fifth on the team in rushing ... Season best game came in his first collegiate start vs. New Hampshire, going 6-for-18 for 89 yards with one touchdown and one interception ... Tossed his first collegiate touchdown, a 9-yard strike to Kerry Taylor, in the New Hampshire game ... In a reserve role against Holy Cross (Sept. 16), he rushed five times for 50 yards ... Had a 35-yard scamper vs. Holy Cross for his first collegiate rushing touchdown ... Rushed for 34 yards and a career-high two touchdowns in the 44-36 win over Lehigh (Oct. 28) ... Connected with Darryl Thomas for a career-long 58-yard pass in the New Hampshire loss ... 1994: Played in three games ... Completed 11-of-22 passes (.500) for 125 yards and two interceptions on the season ... Made his collegiate debut against Rhode Island ... Went 9-of-17 for 99 yards against eventual Division I-AA national champion Youngstown State ... Accounted for 134 yards of total offense in the Youngstown State game ... High School: Played for Phil Ziglar at Boone ... Passed for 4,521 yards and 33 TDs, and rushed for 1,507 yards and 19 TDs in his career ... Threw for 1,946 yards and a school single season record 14 TDs, and rushed for 504 yards and seven TDs as a senior ... Was the only quarterback in Central Florida in 1993 to throw for over 300 yards in back-to-back games ... Honorable mention All-State selection as a senior ... Named to the Orlando Sentinel All-Central Florida and All-District first team ... Team tri-captain during his senior year ... High school teammate of current UMass backup center Scott Shearer ... Also lettered in baseball and track ... Personal: Full name is Anthony Glen Catterton ... Son of Glen and Lynn Catterton ... Born February 18, 1976 in Columbus, Ga. ... Majoring in Sport Management.



Doug Clark

#11

Junior - WR - 6-2 - 198

Springfield, Mass. (Central)

All-Atlantic 10 Conference candidate ... Returns for his second season as a starter at wide receiver ... Excellent speed ... Hands are improving ... Has played in 18 career games, starting 10 ... Came to UMass as a quarterback ... Handles the long snapping duties for punts ... Also the starting centerfielder for the UMass baseball team ... Selected by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 20th round of the 1997 Amateur Draft, but decided to return to school ... Redshirted in 1994 ... 1996: Started 10 games at wide receiver (all but season opener at Villanova) and also saw time on special teams ... Tied for the team lead in receptions with 20 and led the team in yards receiving with 379 (19.0 avg.) while scoring three TDs ... His 19.0 yards per catch ranks fifth all-time on the UMass single season list ... Also rushed five times (on reverses) for 65 yards (13.0 avg.) ... For the season, he averaged 17.8 yards every time he touched the ball (25 touches, 444 yards) ... Scored his first collegiate touchdown on a 44-yard reception in the loss at Villanova (Sept. 7) ... Had three receptions for 48 yards while also rushing twice for 57 yards in the loss at Rhode Island (Oct. 5) ... Recorded 67 yards on only two receptions and scored a touchdown in the 43-12 win over Boston University (Oct. 12) ... Had a career-high 71 yards on three catches vs. Maine (Nov. 2) ... Caught six passes for 58 yards and one touchdown in the season-ending win over Connecticut (Nov. 16) ... Had six plays of 30 yards or more on the season, including three of more than 40 yards (44- yard TD catch at Villanova, 44-yard catch at Holy Cross, 41-yard run at Rhode Island, 34-yard catch vs. BU, 33-yard catch vs. BU, 33-yard catch vs. Maine) ... Had an outstanding baseball campaign in the spring, leading UMass to a 35-12 record and its fourth straight Atlantic 10 title ... Batted .415 with 11 homers and 60 RBIs ... Third team All-America choice by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association ... First team All-Northeast Region, first team All-Atlantic 10 and first team All-New England selection ... His .415 batting average ranked first on the team, second in the A-10 and 40th nationally ... Also belted a school record three grand slams ... Named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll with a GPA over 3.0 for the fall semester ... 1995: Saw action in eight games ... Caught one pass for 14 yards in the 51-0 win over Holy Cross (Sept. 16) ... Also saw time on special teams ... Starter for the UMass baseball team which posted a 40-13 record, won the Atlantic 10 Tournament title and advanced to the NCAA East Regional Championship game ... Played in all 53 games, making 52 starts as an outfielder/designated hitter despite never playing high school baseball (played legion ball during his high school summers) ... Batted .318 with two homers and 40 RBIs ... Earned second team All-Atlantic 10 Conference honors as a designated hitter ... Also named to the NCAA East Regional All-Tournament team as an outfielder ... High School: Played for Dan McLaughlin at Central ... Ran for 467 yards and 16 TDs and also threw for eight TDs during his senior year ... All-Western Massachusetts selection by the Springfield Union-News ... Received the Angelo Bertelli Award as a senior, presented annually to the most outstanding high school football player in Western Mass. ... Also lettered in basketball and tennis ... Personal: Full name is Douglas Dwyer Clark ... Son of William and Margaret Clark ... Brother, Gavin, is a redshirt freshman outfielder on the UMass baseball team ... Born March 5, 1976 in Springfield, Mass. ... Majoring in Biology.



Matt Dawson

#59

Junior - DE - 6-1 - 230

Worcester, Mass. (Bridgton Academy)

Earned the starting job at one outside linebacker spot during spring practice ... Excellent athlete who is a solid run-stopper and quick enough to cover opposing running backs in the flat ... Had a solid spring scrimmage, posting three tackles, two pass breakups and one forced fumble ... Impressive special teams performer ... 1996: Played in all 11 games ... Made strong contributions to the punt and kickoff coverage teams ... Recorded nine tackles (six solo) ... Led the team with three fumble recoveries ... Recovered a fumble deep in Richmond territory to set up a UMass touchdown in the 23-17 overtime win (Sept. 21) ... Had two tackles (one solo) and two fumble recoveries in the 21-14 win vs. Northeastern (Sept. 28) ... Registered a career-high four tackles (three solo) in the 43-12 win over Boston University (Oct. 12) ... High School: Played for Sandy Ruggles at North Middlesex ... Posted 166 tackles during his senior season ... Also rushed for 1,024 yards and 13 TDs as a senior ... Fitchburg Sentinel Player of the Year during his senior campaign ... Two-time Fitchburg Sentinel All-Star choice ... Member of the Lowell Sun, Worcester Telegram & Gazette and Nashua Telegram All-Star teams as a senior ... Mid-Wachusett All-League selection ... Played in the Shriner's All-Star game following his senior year ... Also an excellent hockey player who set the school's scoring record with 100 career goals ... Personal: Full name is Matthew William Dawson ... Son of John and Denise Dawson ... Younger brother of UMass senior defensive end Mike Dawson ... Born August 23, 1977 in Nashua, N.H. ... A Sport Management major.



Mike Dawson



Kevin Fidalgo

#33

Redshirt Freshman - RB - 5-9 - 186

Roxbury, Mass. (Boston Latin)

Enters preseason practice as the number three tailback behind Matt Jordan and Jim Pizano ... Hard-nosed runner with good speed ... 1996: Did not see any game action and was redshirted ... High School: Four-year letterwinner for Paul Costello at Boston Latin ... Ran for 1,450 yards and 25 touchdowns during his senior season ... Posted over 2,000 all-purpose yards as a senior ... Named the Most Valuable Player of the Dual County League and a Boston Globe All-Scholastic choice during his senior year ... Team captain as a senior ... Played in the Shriner's All-Star game after his senior season ... Ran for 2,390 yards and 37 touchdowns in his four years at Boston Latin ... Personal: Son of Magarida Fidalgo ... Born June 23, 1978 in Boston, Mass. ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.



Joe Frawley

#89

Redshirt Freshman - TE - 6-4 - 235

Waltham, Mass. (Matignon)

Will battle Bobby Kondrat for the backup spot to Kerry Taylor at tight end ... Had a great offseason in the weight room, adding 16 pounds to his frame ... Saw lots of repetitions in spring drills with Taylor's absence (rehabilitation from shoulder surgery) ... 1996: Did not see any game action and was redshirted ... High School: Four-year letterwinner who played tight end and defensive end for Jack Radcliffe at Matignon ... Had 28 receptions for 300 yards in his senior season ... Also made 71 tackles, including 14 sacks as a senior ... Boston Globe Division 4 All-Star selection in his senior year ... Two-time All-Catholic League choice ... Team captain during his senior year ... Played in the Shriner's All-Star game after his senior season ... His high school team won the Division 4 Super Bowl as a junior and was runner-up in his senior year ... Also earned three letters in basketball and one in baseball at Matignon ... Served as president of the school's History Club ... Personal: Full name is Joseph Francis Frawley ... Son of Joseph and Mary Frawley ... Born February 28, 1978 in Brighton, Mass. ... Enrolled in the College of Arts and Sciences.