Sleight receives 2005 Pete Schmidt Scholar-Athlete Award

Eight Olivet College student-athletes have been named to the 2005 All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) football teams. Seniors Kyle Lackscheide (Vermontville/Maple Valley), Mike Pfiester (Bellevue), Travis Sleight (Battle Creek/Lakeview) and Andy Storey (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) earned first-team All-MIAA honors. Junior Ryan Adams (Middleville/Thornapple Kellogg), senior Justin Hunwick (Sterling Heights/Stevenson), junior Cliff Sims (Reed City) and sophomore DeRan Thomas (Detroit/H.W. Notre Dame) earned second-team All-MIAA honors.

In addition, Sleight is the recipient of the 2005 Pete Schmidt Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award. Since 2001, the award has been presented to a senior football player, who has excelled on both the football field and in the classroom.

Lackscheide and Pfiester helped block for the MIAA leader in rushing offense at 260.9 yards per game. Sleight led the Comets and was second in the MIAA in rushing with 184 carries for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns. He also caught 14 passes for 220 yards and two touchdowns. Storey finished the year with 29 tackles, including 20 solo stops and five quarterback sacks. All four of these players also earned 2004 first-team All-MIAA honors.

The trio of Adams, Sims and Thomas are members of the Olivet defense. Adams, a lineman, ended his season with 29 tackles and was first in the MIAA with 10 quarterback sacks. Sims, a cornerback, recorded 41 tackles to go along with a team-high five interceptions and six pass break-ups. Thomas, a linebacker, ranked second on the team with 88 tackles, including 62 solo stops, and was third in the conference with 13 tackles for loss. Hunwick handled the kicking duties for the Comets. He was eight-of-10 on field goals and 29-of-31 on PAT kicks. In MIAA play, Hunwick was a perfect 22-of-22 on PAT kicks.

In addition, senior punter Ken Lackscheide (Vermontville/Maple Valley) and sophomore wide receiver Chris Smith (Dimondale/Holt) earned coaches' honorable mention honors.

Under the direction of Head Coach Dominic Livedoti, Olivet ended its 2005 season with a 5-5 overall record and tied for fourth in the MIAA with a 4-3 mark.