NORTH ANDOVER — Merrimack College junior wide receiver Donovan Wadley has been named to the FCS (Division 1-AA) Football Central Preseason All-American second team as a kick returner. Wadley was the statistical leader in yards per kick return last season with a 37.9 average. He also took three kickoffs for touchdowns during the 2023 season.
Wadley, who is primarily a receiver, caught 26 passes for 471 yards and five touchdowns. He also rushed the ball 34 times for 216 yards, scoring three touchdowns. The Jersey native ranked third the country in kick return yards last season with 645. In December, he was named FCS Central All-American for the 2023 season, again as a return specialist. The All-American team representing 13 conferences and 59 schools.
The Warriors open their season at the Air Force Academy on Aug. 31. The game will be televised on CBS Sports Network.
Volleyball honored
The Merrimack College women’s volleyball team earned the 2024 AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) Team Academic Award, sponsored by INTENT, as announced this week.
The award was given to the Warriors after earning a cumulative team grade point average of 3.579 during the 2023-2024 year.
Merrimack will begin the 2024 campaign in just over a month from now, in late August, with back-to-back invitational tournaments to kick it off. The Warriors will enter their first season in the MAAC with hopes of flourishing athletically while sustaining their academic success off the court.
Track teams earn honor
The Merrimack College men’s and women’s track and field teams have been recognized by the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association, qualifying for the All-Academic Team during the 2024 season.
The Warrior women finished with a 3.45 grade point average this past season. The Merrimack men posted an overall mark of a 3.29 grade point average this past spring.
In order to be considered, teams must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, including the most recent grading period.
Cross country sets schedule
The Merrimack College men’s and women’s cross country teams recently announced their schedules. The Warriors start a new era on the course, as they will play in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) after playing the last five seasons in the Northeast Conference.
Merrimack opens up its season heading down to Rhode Island for the Shawn Nessaney Invitational at Bryant. Both teams will then head to New York for the Jasper Falls Invitational which is hosted by Manhattan. On Sept. 21, the Warriors will go to UMass Dartmouth Invitational.
On Oct. 5, the Warriors head to Mountain Hawk country for the Paul Short Invitational. The New England Championships will take place on Oct. 12 in Hopkinton, N.H. A mini meet at Central Connecticut rounds out the regular season on Oct. 25.
The MAAC Championships will take place on Nov. 2 in Montgomery, N.Y. If student-athletes qualify the NCAA Division I Regional Championships will begin on Nov. 15 in Hopkinton, N.H.