GAME 9
CHARLOTTE 49ERS (4-4; C-USA 2-2)
vs. RICE (3-5; C-USA: 2-2)
Homecoming Game presented by Atrium Health
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Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021 - 3:30 pm ETÂ
Jerry Richardson Stadium
Charlotte, N.C.
TV: ESPN+
Play by play: Â Â Â Bobby Rosinski
Analyst: Â Â Â Reginald Walker Jr.
Radio: LEARFIELD / ESPN Charlotte
Play by play: Â Â Â Matt Swierad
Analyst: Â Â Â Al Wallace
Series Record: 49ers trail, 0-2 (Healy, 0-0)
   Nov. 12, 2016   L, 21-22   Charlotte, N.C.
   Nov. 28, 2015   L, 7-27   Houston, Texas
All-Time (Season 9; FBS Season 7):
Game number: Â Â Â 98
All-time record: Â Â Â 35-62
49ers at home:Â Â Â 22-26
49ers in November: Â Â Â 9-17
Charlotte Head Coach:
Will Healy (Richmond, 2008)
   at CLT:   13-14 (3rd year)
   Overall:   26-35 (6th year)
OF NOTE:
Charlotte is 7-5 all-time vs. C-USA West Division foes, including a 4-0 mark in 2 years under Healy
Charlotte is playing in its fifth home game but just its second of the season on a Saturday
Charlotte ranks 2nd in C-USA and 9th in the NCAA in time of possession (33:40)
Charlotte, which ranks 19th in the nation in redzone defense, has forced 5 redzone turnovers
WR
Victor Tucker notched his school-record tying 13th career 100-yd. rec. game, this year, nine of which have come against C-USA opponents
WRs
Grant DuBose (561 yds) and
Victor Tucker (553 yds) could become the 49ers first duo to surpass 600 receiving yards in a season
HEADLINES
Charlotte Owns 3-1 Home Record; 9-3 All-Time at Home under Healy
Charlotte Looks to Snap Two-Game Skid
NCAA Top 20 in Time of Possession (9th; 33:40); Red Zone Defense (19th; .750)
     Red Zone Defense (Scores: .750; 21-of-28; TDs: .571; 16-of-28)
Byrd Tops C-USA in Kick Return Yardage (413 yds; 25.8/gm)
Charlotte Goes 1-1 vs. Power 5 Opponents; Topples Duke for First Power 5 Win
Former Walk-On
Chris Reynolds Becomes All-Time Leader in Passing Yards; Passing TDs
Will Play 100th Game in Program History vs. Marshall, Nov. 20
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HOME SWEET HOME
Charlotte, which has played just one home game since Sept. 24, is 3-1 at home and averages 30.0 points. Charlotte is 9-3 at home in its three years under head coach
Will Healy.
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SPECIAL TEAMS
Charlotte leads C-USA:
     Kick Return average (25.48/ret.)              Punt Return defense (4.50/ret.)
Key specialists:
     KR
Shadrick Byrd leads C-USA in KR yds (413); 2nd in KR avg. (25.8)
               on pace to break 49ers single-season record: 22.9/ret.
     K
Jonathan Cruz 56-yard FG at WKU (Ties school record; matches longest in FBS, 2021)
               5-of-6 (.833) in career from 50 or more yards
     P
Bailey Rice season-best 65-yard punt at WKU; 41.6 season avg.
               Punt of 50+ in each of last two games
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BEST START
At 4-4, Charlotte has matched the best start in school history (2013; 2018)
     Charlotte has never started a season 5-4
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OFFENSIVE OUTBURST
Charlotte is averaging 39.0 points in its four wins with an 11.5 avg margin of victory
13 different 49ers have scored Charlotte's 25 TDs (8 rush; 16 passing; 1 defense)
8 different receivers have caught the 49ers 16 passing TDs
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REYNOLDS RECOGNIZED
RS Senior QB
Chris Reynolds, who began his career as a walk-on and now stands as the 49ers all-time leader in career passing yards and passing TDs, was named to the Davey O'Brien Award 40-member QB Class of 2021 and was a mid-season addition to the Manning Award Watch List. Reynolds has twice been named C-USA Player of the Week.
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NOTES OF INTEREST
Calvin Camp and
Chris Reynolds lead the 49ers with 3 rushing TDs
Eight different receivers have caught TD passes for the 49ers
     Leaders:
Grant DuBose 5,
Elijah Spencer 3,
Victor Tucker 2,
Shadrick Byrd 2
     Six of of those eight caught their first career TD pass as a 49er, this year
               (DuBose, Spencer, Byrd,
Ryan Carriere,
Jairus Mack,
Jake Clemons)
     Four different receivers caught TD passes in the win at FIU, including three tight ends
WR Grant Dubose (64th, 70.1/g) &
Victor Tucker (66th; 69.1/g) rank in nation's top 70
DE
Markees Watts is 5th in C-USA and ranks 54th in the nation with 0.62 sacks/gm
     Watts had a season-best 2.0 sacks at FIU
LB
Justin Whisenhunt had 3.0 TFL at FIU, the most by a 49er this year
K
Jonathan Cruz (56-yd FG at WKU) owns school record for FGM of 40+ yds (15-22; .682)
     Cruz is 5-of-6 (.833) all-time from 50+ (included in the 40+ numbers)
KR
Shadrick Byrd leads C-USA and ranks 17th in the NCAA with 413 kick return yds (25.8/g)
     had a pair of returns of over 55 yards at FIU. Both returns set up scores
     Career-best 60-yard return; 57-yd return (2 returns; 117 yds; 58.5 avg.)
     First 49er with 2 50+ returns in one game
     Matches
Aaron McAllister (App State, 2020) for most return yds (117) on 2 returns
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REYNOLDS RANKS
QB
Chris Reynolds rank:
     Category                        Stat                      NCAA           C-USA
     Points Resp.                   16.3 pts               16th             2nd
     TD passes                       16 TDs                 22nd            2nd
     Completion %                .661 pct.             32nd            4th
     Pass Efficiency              155.7 effic.         27th             4th
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REYNOLDS THE RECORD-BREAKER
QB
Chris Reynolds, a former walk-on, has been attacking the record books this season:
     Career records: 6,579 passing yards; 52 passing TDs; 5 300+ passing games
     School-Record 12 straight games played with a passing TD
     School C-USA record 4 passing TDs, twice (vs. Middle Tennessee and at FIU)
     Top performances:Â
               vs. Duke (CBSSN): 324 passing yds; 3 pass TD; 1 rush TD (C-USA POTW)
               vs. Middle Tennessee (CBSSN): 339 pass yds; 4 pass TD; 1 rush TD (C-USA POTW)
               at FIU (CBSSN): 203 pass yds; 4 pass TD (4 diff. receivers); 0 INT
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FIRST THINGS FIRST
Charlotte scored its first-ever win over a power conference opponent (W, 31-28 vs. Duke, Sept. 3, 2021) and the 49ers received votes in the USA Today National Coaches poll for the first time in school history.
         At 4-4, Charlotte matched its best start (2013; 2018)
         Third-year head coach
Will Healy, who introduced the 49ers to Club Lit, famously, took Charlotte to its first bowl game (2019 Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl) in season one. Healy owns a 13-14 record in his first three years, including a 9-3 mark at home.
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DEUX BOSE
WR
Grant DuBose has doubled up twice this year, scoring a pair of touchdowns in a pair of wins: the season-opener over Duke and the C-USA opener over Middle Tennessee. DuBose leads the 49ers and ranks 50th in the nation with 4 rec. TDs.
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NEW LOOK NINERS
A slew of newcomers are making immediate impacts:
         WR
Grant DuBose (transfer from Miles College):
               37 rec.; 561 yds; team-high 5 TDs; 70.1 receiving avg.
         RB
Shadrick Byrd (transfer from Iowa):
               Team-high 91 rushes with 372 yds; 46.5 rushing avg.; 12 rec.; 169 yds; 2 TDs
         WR
Elijah Spencer (true freshman): 12 rec.; 166 yds; 3 TD
         WR
Jairus Mack (true freshman): 4 rec.; 40 yds; 1 TD
         S
Jon Alexander (transfer from Kansas State): 41 tackles (5.9/gm); 2 INT; FF (7 starts)
         LB
Justin Whisenhunt (transfer from Troy): 27 tkls (3.4/gm) ; INT; QBh; FF (7 starts)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â
     DE
Kofi Wardlow (transfer from Notre Dame): 15 tackles; 2.5 TFL; 1.5 sack
         CB
Geo Howard (transfer from Purdue): 19 tackles (3.2/gm)
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REYNOLDS' HEROICS CARRY COMEBACK OVER DUKE
R-Sr. QB
Chris Reynolds, the C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, threw for 324 yards and three TDs and ran for a fourth in the 49ers win over Duke. Reynolds was 9-of-10 for 161 yards and two TDs as Charlotte scored twice in the final three minutes to notch the historic win. Reynolds hit WR
Grant DuBose for a 9-yard pass with 2:59 to play and tossed an 11-yard screen pass to RB
Shadrick Byrd for the game-winner with 33 seconds remaining. Dubose finished with 118 receiving yards and two TDs while
Victor Tucker had 133 receiving yards, including 101 on the final two drives.
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NINERS NOTCH FIRST-EVER WIN OVER POWER 5 FOE
The season-opening, 31-28, win over Duke was the 49ers' first-ever over a Power 5 opponent. The game was also Charlotte's first home game against a Power 5 team. Charlotte scored a pair of TD's in the final three minutes to card the victory.
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ANOTHER REYNOLDS WRAP
QB
Chris Reynolds threw for two TDs in the final three minutes to carry Charlotte to the 31-28 victory in a seesaw battle with Duke. Trailing 21-17, he capped an eight-play, 92-yd drive with a 9-yd TD pass to
Grant DuBose to put Charlotte ahead 24-21 with 2:59 to play. After Duke retook the lead, he had 1:44 left for a game-winning drive. He was 4-of-5 for 73 yards on the final drive, ending it with an 11-yard pass to
Shadrick Byrd for the TD with 33 seconds left. In the two decisive drives, Reynolds was 9-of-10 for 161 yards and two TDs.
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This was Reynolds' second game-winning TD drive in the final minute of a game and his fourth fourth-quarter game-winning TD drive.
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ON THE OFFENSIVE
Game 1 vs. Duke (W, 31-28)
         324 passing yards; 3 Passing TD
         QB
Chris Reynolds: 324 passing yards; three TDs
         3rd time in sch. history w/ 2 100-yd rcvrs:
Victor Tucker (133),
Grant DuBose (118)
Game 2 vs. Gardner-Webb (W, 38-10)
         306 rushing yards; 4 rushing TD
         300+ rush yds 1st time since 9-14-19 (338 vs. UMass)
         Rushing TDs by four rushers: Reynolds, Byrd, Camp, McEachern)
         McEachern leads rushing attack with 74 rushing yards.
Game 4 vs. Middle Tennessee (W, 42-39)
         339 passing yards; 6 TDs (4 pass; 2 rush)
         3 players with 100+ performances (DuBose, 114 rec; Tucker, 108 rec; Camp 101 rush)
         Reynolds 4 passing TD; 1 rush TD
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C-USA OPENER: W, 42-39 VS. MT
Charlotte put up 559 yards of offense in its win over Middle Tennessee
     Three players had 100-yard performances
               WR
Grant DuBose (114 rec); WR
Victor Tucker (108 rec); RB
Calvin Camp (100 rush)
     QB
Chris Reynolds threw for 339 yards and 4 TDs; rushed for a TDÂ Â Â
               Broke 49ers career record with 45 passing TDs
               Tied career-high w/4 passing TDs; Broke record for passing TDs in a C-USA game
     Five 49ers score TDs (DuBose 2, Camp, Spencer, Byrd, Reynolds)
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DEFENSE STEPS UP vs. GWU
Charlotte allowed just 10 points and 214 yards of total offense to the Runnin' Bulldogs - the fewest allowed in both categories under third-year head coach
Will Healy. Charlotte held GWU scoreless in the second half, limited the Bulldogs to 50 passing yards and held GWU to four plays or less on 9 of their 13 drives.
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SCHOLARSHIP SURPRISE
Head coach
Will Healy awarded a scholarship to walk-on offensive lineman
Dejan Rasuo prior to the 2021 season. Former 49ers' all-American Alex Highsmith, a current Pittsburgh Steeler and former walk-on himself, presented Rasuo with the award following practice Fri., Aug. 27. Highsmith, who was a teammate of Rasuo's for two years, was in town for the Steelers NFL preseason game vs. the hometown Carolina Panthers. After Highsmith's announcement, the team mobbed the popular Rasuo who was surprised to realize his family was present, as well.
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DUBOSE DELIGHTFUL DEBUT
So. WR
Grant DuBose, a transfer from DII Miles College (Alabama), caught four passes for 118 yards and two TDs in his debut with the 49ers in the win over Duke. His first collegiate target was a 56-yard catch-and-run TD.
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NEW FACES
Head coach
Will Healy added four new coaches to the 2021 staff:
         Special Teams Coordinator             Â
Tyler Hancock (Kentucky Wesleyan, 2012)
         Offensive Line                                   Â
Pete Rossomando (Boston Univ., 1995)
         Receivers                                           Â
Perry Parks (Coastal Carolina, 2007)
         Tight Ends                                           Â
Joe Cox (Georgia, 2009)
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DEBUTS
Fourteen players made their first start for the 49ers in the 49ers' first two games, including eight first-year 49ers.
         LB
Prince Bemah, returnee (Duke)
         DT
Dez Morgan, returnee (Duke)
         OL
Jaxon Hughes, returnee (Duke)
         CB
Trey Creamer, returnee (Duke)
         RB
Calvin Camp, returnee (GWU)
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DT Isaac Hampton, returnee (GWU)
         RB
Shadrick Byrd (Iowa transfer) (Duke)
         WR
Grant DuBose (Miles College transfer) (Duke)
         OL
TJ Moore (Florida transfer) (Duke)
         S
Jon Alexander (Kansas State transfer) (Duke)
         S Tank Robinson (East Carolina transfer) (Duke)
         CB
Geo Howard (Purdue transfer) (Duke)
         DE
Kofi Wardlow (Notre Dame transfer) (Duke)
         LB
Justin Whisenhunt (Troy transfer) (GWU)
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TOP RETURNEES:
** Charlotte returns 13 starters (8 offense; 5 defense).
         On offense, Charlotte returns its starting QB (
Chris Reynolds), three starting receivers (WR:
Victor Tucker; TEs:
Taylor Thompson;
Ryan Carriere) and three offensive linemen (
D'Mitri Emmanuel,
Hunter Kelly, and
Ashton Gist). In addition, wideout Cam Dollar, who started 14 games over the last two seasons, is back.
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         On defense, Charlotte returns two starting linebackers (
Tyler Murray,
Luke Martin), two defensive backs (S
Antone Williams, CB
Lance McMillan) and DT
Bryan Wallace. In addition, DE
Markees Watts, who started all 13 games in 2019 but was hampered by injury in 2020, returns.
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DID YOU KNOW:
Charlotte is 9-4 over its last 13 C-USA games, dating to 2019 (5-0 to end 2019; 2-2 in 2020; 2-2 in 2021)
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Charlotte is 9-3 at home under Healy during his three years
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Charlotte was picked to finish 4th in the C-USA East Division in the league's 2021 preseason poll
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Charlotte's 2021 recruiting class includes 12 transfers from four-year schools:
         2021 Incoming Four-Year Transfers
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Jon Alexander                           S        Gr.             Kansas State
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Justin Whisenhunt                    LB     Gr.             Troy
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Kofi Wardlow                             DE     Gr.             Notre Dame
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Davondre Robinson                  S        Gr.             East Carolina
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Joshua Bailey                             DT     R-Sr.          Iowa State
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Geo Howard                               CB     R-Jr.           Purdue
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James Foster                              QB    R-So.          Texas A&M
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Shadrick Byrd                            RB     R-So.          Iowa
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Keith Pearson                            RB     Gr.             Presbyterian
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Chibueze Nwanna                     OL     R-Sr.          Arkansas
         T.J. Moore                                  OL     R-Sr.          Florida
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RECORD BOOK
   Pos  Name                    All-Time Stat                       On the List                                    Shy
   QB  Â
Chris Reynolds          #1       6,579 pass yds     First 49er w/ 6,000
   QB  Â
Chris Reynolds          #1       52 pass TDs          First 49er w/ 50
   QB  Â
Chris Reynolds          #6       961 rush yds        39 shy of 1,000
   WR Â
Victor Tucker            #2       2574 rec.yds        #1 Austin Duke (3,437)              863
   WR Â
Victor Tucker            #2       13 rec. TDs           #1 Austin Duke (24)                      11
   DE   Â
Markees Watts         #2       16.5 sacks            #1 Alex Highsmith (20.0)            3.5
   DE   Â
Markees Watts         #5       21.0 TFL                #4 Daquan Lucas (22.5)              1.5
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All-C-USA Returners
Charlotte returns three players that earned
2020 all-Conference USA honors and two who were named to the C-USA all-Freshman team:
         WR      Â
Victor Tucker               2nd team all-Conference USA
         QB       Â
Chris Reynolds             Honorable Mention all-Conference USA
         LB        Â
Tyler Murray                Honorable Mention all-Conference USA
         TE        Â
Taylor Thompson        C-USA all-Freshman Team
         LS        Â
Colby Garfield              C-USA all-Freshman Team
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BOWL BOUND
In Healy's first season, the 49ers used a school-record five-game win streak to end the regular-season and advance to its first-ever bowl game (Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl).
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Charlotte won each of its last five regular-season games to become bowl eligible and set school records for wins (7), C-USA wins (5), home wins (5), passing TDs (24), rushing yards (2639), sacks (36) and TFL (86).
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GRADUATES!
Nineteen 49ers have already earned a college degree. (Degree awarded by UNC Charlotte unless otherwise noted):
         Student-Athlete                   Degree                                                       Pursuing
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Peter Agabe                           Geography                                                 MS in Construction and Facilities Management
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Ryan Carriere                        Computer Science                                   MS in Data Science and Business Analytics
         Cam Dollar                             Communication Studies                          Masters in Business Administration
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Luke Martin                            Finance                                                       Masters of Business Administration
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Chris Reynolds                       Bus. Admin/Management                       Masters in Real Estate Finance and Development
         BJ Turner                                Mathematics                                              MS in Data Science and Business Analytics
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Jon Alexander                       Social Sciences (Kansas State)                BA in Social Work
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Joshua Bailey                         Criminal Justice (Iowa State)                  BA in Pre-Special Education
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Mikel Horton                         Economics (Wofford)                              BA in Africana Studies
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Jon Jacobs                              BA in General Studies (Arizona)             BA in Political Science
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Cameron Lyons                     (Akron)                                                       Masters of Liberal Studies
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TJ Moore                                BA in General Studies (Florida)              BA in Sociology
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Chibueze Nwanna                 Criminology (Arkansas)                           BA in Sociology
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Keith Pearson                        Sociology (Presbyterian)                         BS in Business Analytics
         Josiah S'ao                              Sociology (Vanderbilt)                             Masters of Liberal Studies
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Ethan Torres                          (Bucknell)                                                   Masters of Business Administration
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Kofi Wardlow                         (Notre Dame)                                            Masters of Urban Design
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Justin Whisenhunt                (Troy)                                                          Masters of Liberal Studies
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Antone Williams  (Duke)   Masters of Liberal Studies
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