#11
Matt Marcorelle
Senior
Linebacker
6-2 • 245
Fort Pierce, Fla./John Caroll HS

High School: Played at John Carroll High School under coach Lenny Jankowski...played defensive end, linebacker, tight end, and wide receiver...two-time Treasure Coast All-Star on both offense and defense...earned all-area honors...caught winning touchdown in team’s 7-0 upset overtime win over eventual state champion Fort Meade High School...led team to district playoffs in 2003 and 2004...teammate of former Blue Hen defensive lineman Stephen Purkey at John Carroll...outstanding basketball player who was recruited by several NCAA Division I schools...captain of both teams...two-year All-State pick in basketball as a forward in 2004 and 2005 for head coach Steve Ripley...three-year starter...averaged 22.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in 2004-05 in leading squad to its best season (23 wins and sectional title) in over 25 years...scored 32 points and was game Most Valuable Player in the Treasure Coast All-Star game...named area Player of the Year in 2005.

At Delaware: First three-year captain in Delaware football history...All-American and Buck Buchanan Award candidate...strong pro prospect...will continue to be one of the most feared defensive players in the Colonial Athletic Association but will do so from a different vantage point this fall...made full-time move to outside linebacker in spring drills and will man the left side after playing defensive end the previous four seasons...fifth-year senior who is hoping to finally play an injury-free season...will be looking to become first five-time letterwinner in school history...named to the pre-season All-CAA first team as a down lineman...will anchor what is expected to be one of the top defensive units in the CAA once again...elite athlete who possesses outstanding speed and strength and is an outstanding pass rusher....has been clocked at 4.4 in the 40-yard dash despite adding 40 lbs. to his frame since high school...Delaware's active career leader in games played (tied with Mark Duncan with 36), starts (36), tackles for loss (29.5 for 165 yards), and sacks (15 for 108 yards), and No. 2 behind Charles Graves for tackles (156)...needs 44 stops to become just the 39th player in UD history to reach the 200-tackle mark for a career...ranks No. 13 all-time at Delaware in tackles for loss (four shy of No. 10) and No. 15 in sacks (two shy of No. 10)...seven career forced fumbles is tied for No. 1 on the active NCAA FCS list for that category and is one shy of the UD career mark of eight set by Kenny Bailey (1993-96) and Mondoe Davis (2001-04)....ranks No. 4 among active NCAA leaders in tackle for loss yardage and in the Top 10 among active career leaders in sacks...has started all 36 games in his career (school record is 51)...has missed 13 career games due to injuries...took part in spring drills but did not play in spring game due to injury.

2008 Season: Earned second team All-Colonial Athletic Association honors as a defensive lineman despite missing three games with injuries...once again proved to be one of the top defensive players in the league and spearheaded a defensive unit that ranked No. 2 in the CAA in scoring defense (20.8 ppg) and No. 1 in red-zone defense (.722)...was once again limited by injuries as he missed games vs. Albany (shoulder), Richmond, and Villanova with injuries...did not play in final two games of the season (Richmond and Villanova) after dislocating his elbow vs. Towson...started all nine games in which he played, including eight at left end and his first career start at middle linebacker (vs. William & Mary)...moved to linebacker due to injury to Erik Johnson but moved back to defensive end the following week vs. Hofstra...collected 32 tackles on the season, including 15 solo stops...also had 4.5 tackles for loss, three sacks for 18 yards, three pass breakups, one fumble recovery, and one blocked kick...had five or more tackles three times with season-high eight while at linebacker vs. William & Mary...also had seven tackles vs. No. 1 James Madison, five vs. Hofstra, and four vs. Maryland...recorded two sacks in shutout win over Hofstra and combined for sacks vs. Furman and Towson...named Blue Hen Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Week vs. Hofstra...recovered a fumble vs. Maine...blocked a punt vs. West Chester and returned it 43 yards to set up a first quarter Delaware touchdown...team went 4-8.

2007 Season: Posted yet another outstanding season and was among the top defensive linemen in the CAA...led team to 11-4 record and a berth in the FCS national championship game....earned honorable mention All-American honors by The Sports Network...third team All-CAA selection...served as co-captain, becoming first sophomore in UD history to hold that post...earned a host of honors for his performance in an early season win over Towson, earning CAA Defensive Player of the Week, Blue Hen Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Week, and SME Network Weekly Honor Roll honors...played and started in 14 games, missing only the Monmouth game with a shoulder injury...led the team in tackles for loss (14 for 94 yards), quarterback sacks (8 for 68 yards), forced fumbles (school-record five), and fumble recoveries (two) and ranked fifth in tackles with 64, including 42 solo stops...led the CAA in forced fumbles (14th in NCAA), was third in sacks (35th in NCAA), and third in tackles for loss (15th in NCAA)...collected career-high 10 tackles vs. New Hampshire, seven in NCAA quarterfinal win over Northern Iowa, six vs. William & Mary, Villanova, and Towson, and five against Northeastern, Delaware State, and Southern Illinois...recovered a fumble vs. James Madison and returned it 28 yards inside James Madison territory to set up a first-half touchdown...collected three tackles for loss vs. Towson and had two each vs. Rhode Island, New Hampshire, and Northern Iowa...career-high three sacks vs. Towson was most by a UD player since 1992...had sacks in three of the four NCAA playoff games...did not see action in spring due to an injury.

2006 Season: After an outstanding freshman campaign in 2005, was looking to post a breakout year but had it cut short in the second week of the season when he suffered a shoulder injury vs. Albany...had successful surgery during the fall but remained active with the team at practices and meetings while doing rehabilitation...started first two games of the season vs. West Chester and Albany and recorded nine tackles, including two for loss, on the season...had five tackles, including two for loss, vs. West Chester and four stops before injury vs. Albany...injury had a big effect on UD defense, which struggled most of the season, especially in its pass rush...team went 5-6...led all players with five tackles in spring game.

2005 Season: Although recruited to play linebacker, earned a starting spot at defensive end in pre-season drills as a true freshman and enjoyed an outstanding rookie campaign...one of eight true freshmen to see action for the Blue Hens and was the only one to start all 11 games...made history when he started season opener vs. Lehigh, becoming the first UD true freshman to start the opener since defensive tackle Ed Braceland in 1978 and the first first-semester player to start the opener since quarterback Don Miller in 1951...started all 11 games at right end and ranked No. 7 on the team with 51 tackles, including 29 solo stops...led all down linemen in tackles...tied for team lead with nine tackles for losses of 45 yards and tied a Delaware freshman single season record with four quarterback sacks for 22 yards..also had a pass breakup...Blue Hen Touchdown Club Defensive Player of the Week vs. Richmond...recorded five or more tackles five times with career and season-high eight stops vs. Massachusetts...also had seven tackles vs. Richmond and six each vs. West Chester, Holy Cross, and Maine...had 2.5 tackles for losses of 17 yards vs. William & Mary and had two tackles for loss vs. Holy Cross and Towson in consecutive games...recorded sacks vs. Towson, James Madison, William & Mary, and Villanova...forced a fumble vs. Villanova...team went 6-5.

Personal: Matthew Stanley “Matt” Marcorelle (“marca-rell”)...son of Michele Marcorelle...fitness management major with a minor in strength and conditioning at Delaware...mother is a nurse...has a younger brother and sister...enjoys boating in his spare time...has worked on staff of Delaware'e Bob Carpenter Center (athletic complex) during the summer and off-season.

CAREER DEFENSIVE STATISTICS

Career-High Tackles: 10 vs. New Hampshire, 2007
Career-High Sacks: 3 vs. Towson, 2007