Uconn Lands Two St. Joe's Defenders

By Jay Nagle, FOR THE INQUIRER

Posted: February 02, 1999

Kenny Wilson and Warren Spivey, two key defensive players on a St. Joseph's Prep team that reached the Catholic League semifinals this season, have given oral commitments to attend the University of Connecticut.

Wilson, 6-foot-3 and 226 pounds, is expected to play middle linebacker for the Huskies, who are in the process of jumping from Division I-AA to Division I-A. The 6-2, 265-pound Spivey will play defensive tackle.

The selection of Connecticut was a solid choice for both players, said St. Joseph's coach Gil Brooks. The two returned Sunday from the Storrs, Conn., campus, where they met with new coach Randy Edsall and his staff.

Edsall, former defensive coordinator at Georgia Tech, took over after last season when Skip Holtz left to join the staff at South Carolina, where his father, Lou, is coach.

Connecticut will play a full Atlantic Ten Conference schedule next season, but will also mix in Division I-A games at Kentucky on Sept. 11 and at home against Buffalo on Sept. 18 as the first step toward the eventual move to I-A. Connecticut already has submitted its application to the Big East.

``Connecticut is a program that's moving up, and I think these are two players that really can help them,'' said Brooks, who guided St. Joseph's to the 1997 Catholic League title.

Wilson played freshman football before switching to basketball for his sophomore and junior years.

After what he called some ``gentle nagging'' from Brooks, he rejoined the football team last fall.

``I still love basketball,'' said Wilson, who will major in education. ``But I love football, too. So I'm happy with the way things have worked out. Connecticut seemed like the right place for me.''

Wilson said he chose UConn over Delaware, Delaware State, Villanova and West Chester.

Spivey said he also had considered Hofstra, Millersville, Kutztown, La Salle and Delaware State.