Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Reveals 1990s All-Decade Football Team
8/8/2019 12:12:00 PM | Football
EMU continues its celebration of Rynearson Stadium's 50th season
Full Roster and Bios: 1990s
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - In celebration of the 150th-year of college football and the 50th season Eastern Michigan University's football team has called Rynearson Stadium home, the EMU department of athletics is unveiling the best to don the Green and White decade-by-decade over a five-week span. Below is the 25-man team comprised of the best players from the 1990s.
The 1990s All-Decade team includes Charlie Batch, Walter Church, Stephen Whitfield, Jermaine Sheffield, Steve Clay, Brandon Campbell, Ontario Pryor, L.J. Shelton, Frank Rocca, Bobby Pandelidis, Barry Stokes, Ashley Travis, Walter Campbell, Lional Dalton, Kevin Kwiatkowski, Reese McCaskill, Richard Palmer, Donald McCall, Lincoln Dupree, Werner Blakely, Vashone Adams, Ron Rice, Nick Avondet, Justin Ventura, and Craig Thompson.
An era defined largely by great play under center, two of the best quarterbacks to even don the Green and White called EMU home during the 1990s. So good was their play, in fact, that both Batch and Church highlight the 1990's All-Decade team offense as co-quarterbacks.
One of the best quarterbacks in school history, Batch was a prototypical "gunslinger." A First Team All-MAC selection in 1995, Batch undoubtedly made his mark in the EMU record books, where he still ranks third in total yards (7,715), second in touchdowns (53), fourth in completions (579), and third in passing yards (7,592). Batch holds the all-time record for single-season passing yards with 3,280, and his 3,390 total yards in 1997 rank third in school history for a single season. Batch was drafted in the second round, 60th overall, by the Detroit Lions in the 1998 NFL draft and went on to become a two-time Super Bowl champion as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Like Batch, Church was one of the most statistically successful quarterbacks in Eastern Michigan history. The Ypsilanti native holds numerous all-time records at EMU, ranking first in total offensive plays (1,657), pass completions (807), pass attempts (1,441), and passing yards (9,142). He threw for 43 touchdowns in his career, good for third-most in school history. Church also threw for over 400 yards in a game twice in his career, and threw for 2,000 yards or more in each of his four years as the Eagles' starter. Church was also the first EMU player to eclipse 8,000 career yards of total offense, a club that would not be joined until Brogan Roback eclipsed 8,000 career yards in 2017.
Defensively, Lional Dalton highlights a star-studded cast of EMU greats. Dalton, a three-time letterwinner from 1995-97, was a multi-year starter for the Eagles and served as team captain during the 1997 campaign. Nicknamed "Jelly Roll," Dalton was a First Team All-MAC selection in 1996 and 1997. The Detroit native totaled 116 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles during his career. In 1997, Dalton was selected as the winner of the John E. Borowiec Award, given to EMU's most valuable defensive player at the end of each season. He would go on to play nine NFL seasons with five different teams, earning a Super Bowl Ring as a member of the 2001 Baltimore Ravens. Dalton finished his NFL career with 110 tackles, nine sacks, 30 tackles-for-loss and three forced fumbles.
Credited with 10,618 career punting yards, Nick Avondet gets the nod as the 1990s All-Decade punter. A Second-Team All-MAC selection in 2000, Avondet finished his career with a 40.5 yard-per-punt average, good for fourth all-time at EMU. Avondet also tallied the best single-game punting performance in school history, accumulating 642 punting yards in a single game against Michigan State University in 1999.
The team selections were made through a list of criteria including: all-americans, all-conference student-athletes, Hall of Fame recipients, and statistical leaders from the decade.
Full bios for each of the 25 players named to the 1990s All-Decade Team can be found via the link at the top of the story. The 2000s All-Decade team will be announced Thursday, Aug. 15. As always, visit EMUEagles.com or follow @EMUAthletics on Twitter for the latest news about Eastern Michigan Athletics.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - In celebration of the 150th-year of college football and the 50th season Eastern Michigan University's football team has called Rynearson Stadium home, the EMU department of athletics is unveiling the best to don the Green and White decade-by-decade over a five-week span. Below is the 25-man team comprised of the best players from the 1990s.
The 1990s All-Decade team includes Charlie Batch, Walter Church, Stephen Whitfield, Jermaine Sheffield, Steve Clay, Brandon Campbell, Ontario Pryor, L.J. Shelton, Frank Rocca, Bobby Pandelidis, Barry Stokes, Ashley Travis, Walter Campbell, Lional Dalton, Kevin Kwiatkowski, Reese McCaskill, Richard Palmer, Donald McCall, Lincoln Dupree, Werner Blakely, Vashone Adams, Ron Rice, Nick Avondet, Justin Ventura, and Craig Thompson.
An era defined largely by great play under center, two of the best quarterbacks to even don the Green and White called EMU home during the 1990s. So good was their play, in fact, that both Batch and Church highlight the 1990's All-Decade team offense as co-quarterbacks.
One of the best quarterbacks in school history, Batch was a prototypical "gunslinger." A First Team All-MAC selection in 1995, Batch undoubtedly made his mark in the EMU record books, where he still ranks third in total yards (7,715), second in touchdowns (53), fourth in completions (579), and third in passing yards (7,592). Batch holds the all-time record for single-season passing yards with 3,280, and his 3,390 total yards in 1997 rank third in school history for a single season. Batch was drafted in the second round, 60th overall, by the Detroit Lions in the 1998 NFL draft and went on to become a two-time Super Bowl champion as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Like Batch, Church was one of the most statistically successful quarterbacks in Eastern Michigan history. The Ypsilanti native holds numerous all-time records at EMU, ranking first in total offensive plays (1,657), pass completions (807), pass attempts (1,441), and passing yards (9,142). He threw for 43 touchdowns in his career, good for third-most in school history. Church also threw for over 400 yards in a game twice in his career, and threw for 2,000 yards or more in each of his four years as the Eagles' starter. Church was also the first EMU player to eclipse 8,000 career yards of total offense, a club that would not be joined until Brogan Roback eclipsed 8,000 career yards in 2017.
Defensively, Lional Dalton highlights a star-studded cast of EMU greats. Dalton, a three-time letterwinner from 1995-97, was a multi-year starter for the Eagles and served as team captain during the 1997 campaign. Nicknamed "Jelly Roll," Dalton was a First Team All-MAC selection in 1996 and 1997. The Detroit native totaled 116 tackles, four sacks and two forced fumbles during his career. In 1997, Dalton was selected as the winner of the John E. Borowiec Award, given to EMU's most valuable defensive player at the end of each season. He would go on to play nine NFL seasons with five different teams, earning a Super Bowl Ring as a member of the 2001 Baltimore Ravens. Dalton finished his NFL career with 110 tackles, nine sacks, 30 tackles-for-loss and three forced fumbles.
Credited with 10,618 career punting yards, Nick Avondet gets the nod as the 1990s All-Decade punter. A Second-Team All-MAC selection in 2000, Avondet finished his career with a 40.5 yard-per-punt average, good for fourth all-time at EMU. Avondet also tallied the best single-game punting performance in school history, accumulating 642 punting yards in a single game against Michigan State University in 1999.
The team selections were made through a list of criteria including: all-americans, all-conference student-athletes, Hall of Fame recipients, and statistical leaders from the decade.
Full bios for each of the 25 players named to the 1990s All-Decade Team can be found via the link at the top of the story. The 2000s All-Decade team will be announced Thursday, Aug. 15. As always, visit EMUEagles.com or follow @EMUAthletics on Twitter for the latest news about Eastern Michigan Athletics.
Players Mentioned
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