Owls Add Three to 2023 Recruiting Class
2/1/2023 4:27:00 PM | Football
Signing Day 2023
Dunlevie Family Head Football Coach Mike Bloomgren announced on Wednesday the addition of offensive lineman Lavel Dumont, kicker Reese Keeney and long snapper Wyatt Freeman to the Owls roster for the 2023 season.
Dumont, who is a grad transfer from Toledo, and Freeman, who transferred to Rice after attending the Naval Academy Prep School last fall, enrolled at Rice in January and will participate in spring drills. Keeney will join the Owls for the summer session.
"All three of these players are great additions who have the ability to make an immediate impact," Bloomgren said. "Lavel and Wyatt are already enrolled and will go through spring drills. We have seen over and over how beneficial those extra practices have been for our transfers and both will have a chance to make their mark right away. Reese will join us with the rest of the incoming recruits in the summer and jump into the mix."
Bloomgren and the Owls will open spring practice on March 6.
2023 RICE OWLS FOOTBALL ADDITIONS
Lavel Dumont OL 6-4 321 Tampa, Florida (Toledo)
Made 10 career starts on the offensive line at Toledo, including a pair in 2022 (Ohio State and San Diego State) and also saw action against Massachusetts, Central Michigan and Northern Illinois… Played in a career-high seven games (all starts) in 2021 before suffering an injury… He was Toledo's nominee for the 2021 AFCA All-State Good Works Team… Only began playing football in 2016 and the following fall was ranked as a three-star prospect by Scout.com and 247Sports and was named of the top 50 players in the Tampa Bay area.
Reese Kenney K/P 5-11 175 Knoxville, Tennessee (Farragut)
First team All-Prepxtra selection by the Knoxville News Sentinel as a senior at Farragut HS for coach Eddie Courtney as the Admirals finished second in Region 2-6A… Converted all 45 extra points and was perfect on three field goal attempts with a long of 46 yards and averaged 42.6 yards on 21 punts…. Converted 121 of 124 PAT's in his career along with 97 touchbacks in 162 career kickoffs… Ranked as the 28th best punter by Kohl's…2021 Region 2-6A kicker/punter of the year… Member of DECA and the Key Club.
Wyatt Freeman DS 5-10 202 Bakersfield, California (Naval Academy Prep)
Joins the Owls after attending the US Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, Rhode Island last fall… Two-year starter at center and two-year team captain for coach Richard Starrett at Centennial High School in Bakersfield… The Golden Hawks finished 6-4 in his senior year and were the runners-up in the Southwest Yosemite League… MaxPreps Special Teams Player of the Game for his efforts vs. St. Joseph… One brother (Colby) played rugby at USC while another (Chance) competed in rodeo at Tarleton State.
Dumont, who is a grad transfer from Toledo, and Freeman, who transferred to Rice after attending the Naval Academy Prep School last fall, enrolled at Rice in January and will participate in spring drills. Keeney will join the Owls for the summer session.
"All three of these players are great additions who have the ability to make an immediate impact," Bloomgren said. "Lavel and Wyatt are already enrolled and will go through spring drills. We have seen over and over how beneficial those extra practices have been for our transfers and both will have a chance to make their mark right away. Reese will join us with the rest of the incoming recruits in the summer and jump into the mix."
Bloomgren and the Owls will open spring practice on March 6.
2023 RICE OWLS FOOTBALL ADDITIONS
Lavel Dumont OL 6-4 321 Tampa, Florida (Toledo)
Made 10 career starts on the offensive line at Toledo, including a pair in 2022 (Ohio State and San Diego State) and also saw action against Massachusetts, Central Michigan and Northern Illinois… Played in a career-high seven games (all starts) in 2021 before suffering an injury… He was Toledo's nominee for the 2021 AFCA All-State Good Works Team… Only began playing football in 2016 and the following fall was ranked as a three-star prospect by Scout.com and 247Sports and was named of the top 50 players in the Tampa Bay area.
Reese Kenney K/P 5-11 175 Knoxville, Tennessee (Farragut)
First team All-Prepxtra selection by the Knoxville News Sentinel as a senior at Farragut HS for coach Eddie Courtney as the Admirals finished second in Region 2-6A… Converted all 45 extra points and was perfect on three field goal attempts with a long of 46 yards and averaged 42.6 yards on 21 punts…. Converted 121 of 124 PAT's in his career along with 97 touchbacks in 162 career kickoffs… Ranked as the 28th best punter by Kohl's…2021 Region 2-6A kicker/punter of the year… Member of DECA and the Key Club.
Wyatt Freeman DS 5-10 202 Bakersfield, California (Naval Academy Prep)
Joins the Owls after attending the US Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, Rhode Island last fall… Two-year starter at center and two-year team captain for coach Richard Starrett at Centennial High School in Bakersfield… The Golden Hawks finished 6-4 in his senior year and were the runners-up in the Southwest Yosemite League… MaxPreps Special Teams Player of the Game for his efforts vs. St. Joseph… One brother (Colby) played rugby at USC while another (Chance) competed in rodeo at Tarleton State.
Players Mentioned
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