On Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, Upper Dublin seniors Stacey Gardner, Isaiah Henrich, Ryan Stover and Henry Winebrake were recognized for committing to play football at the collegiate level. To view photos of the signing event, please visit the Photo Gallery.
Stacey Gardner – Ursinus College (Football)
Major: Electrical Engineering
Final list of colleges: Ursinus, Shippensburg, Bloomsburg
Reasons for choosing Ursinus: “I felt like it would be a better fit for me as a player – just going in there and playing where I wanted to play (at running back). I’ll play earlier and have a chance to get a lot of playing time. Also, I felt like I could get more out of going to Ursinus than Shippensburg or Bloomsburg.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “I always liked playing football, and when I started getting older, I would see it on TV, and I was like, ‘I would like to be there someday.’ As I was getting better, I realized I had a good shot at this, so I took it and ran with it.”
Coach Bret Stover says: “I was talking to Pete Gallagher, the head coach at Ursinus, and I said – he’s going to be a program player. He’s going to be an impact player, he’s going to be one of the leaders of that program. I don’t want to put pressure on him, but I anticipate him being a captain of that program. That’s the kind of kid he is. He’s an incredible player, but he’s a better person.”
About Stacey:
Favorite food: Steak or Pizza
Favorite movie: Friday Night Lights
Favorite music: Hip Hop
Isaiah Henrich – East Stroudsburg University (Football)
Major: Criminal Justice
Final list of colleges: East Stroudsburg, Kutztown, Stony Brook, VMI
Reasons for choosing East Stroudsburg: “They have a great coaching staff, and it was a good fit. Coach (Dennis) Douds has been there a long time. It’s a winning program, and I feel as though I could fit in well.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “Ever since I started playing football, I’ve always been a bigger kid with size, and I was always thinking I could play in college somewhere. I didn’t know what level. This year I started looking at D1AA schools – I didn’t even know what those were when I was in middle school. I thought it would be a good fit for me, and some of the D1AA schools were talking to me. Some of the D-II schools came around, and when I visited, I liked the class sizes of the D-II schools, and I think I’ll have a chance to play earlier. That’s pretty much what it came down to. I just want to play football.”
Coach Bret Stover: “Isaiah is going to East Stroudsburg, and they project him as a defensive end. He’s got a chance to come in and compete right away as a freshman, which I think is really what was attractive to him. Isaiah’s not a guy who has ever sat on the bench, so to go and sit for one, two or three years, in talking to him, it’s something that didn’t appeal to him. Coach Douds has been there for almost 40 years, and Isaiah is in great hands up there. His strength is the way he gets off the ball, and he plays nasty and plays with an attitude.”
About Isaiah:
Favorite food: Macaroni and Cheese
Favorite movie: A Few Good Men
Favorite music: Country
Ryan Stover – Towson University (Football)
Major: Business
Reasons for choosing Towson: “From the beginning, they were the leading school. They were the only 
D1AA to actually offer me. A lot of the local state schools – the PSAC – and a couple of schools tried to hop in later. Towson is a good fit. I like the distance – I’m not too close, I’m not too far. They have a really good business school, and their football team is pretty good. They’re looking to be on the up and up in the coming years.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “I wanted to play a sport in college, but I wasn’t sure which one. I played lacrosse, and the coach was telling me I could possibly play that, but I didn’t really like it as much. In basketball, coach (Josh) Adelman was telling me I was getting some lower end looks from local schools, but when I was on the field in football, nothing really compared to how much I loved it.”
Coach Bret Stover says: “Ryan is going to be at Towson, and he’s going to have an opportunity to compete. I think the CAA (Colonial Athletic Conference) fits him perfectly. It’s going to give him a chance to showcase his abilities, and it’s going to challenge him also because it’s good football. I’m excited for him and to watch him grow.”
About Ryan:
Favorite food: Baked Ziti
Favorite movie: Shawshank Redemption
Favorite music: Indie/Alternative
Henry Winebrake – University of Chicago (Football)
Major: Undecided but possibly Economics
Final list of colleges: Chicago, Amherst, Middlebury, Carnegie Melon
Reasons for choosing Chicago: “I visited the school, and I really liked the coaches and the campus. It’s also a real good school. When they told me I could get in, it was hard to say I’m not going to go there.”
What was the progression that led you to competing in football at the collegiate level? “At the end of my sophomore, I decided I was going to play. I just like football, and I think it would (be hard) not to play.”
Coach Bret Stover says: “The University of Chicago is a good academic school, but it’s also good football. Henry was our first commit for football. He was our middle linebacker, and he was our leading tackler the last three seasons. He’s a student of the game, and he had the ability to dissect plays and get to where he needed to get to make the tackle. He has four varsity letters, and out of this whole class, he was our only four-year varsity letter winner, so we’re excited to watch Henry develop as a linebacker in the Midwestern part of the country and put Upper Dublin’s name out there, which is going to be awesome.”
About Henry:
Favorite food: Chicken Parmesan
Favorite movie: Step Brothers
Favorite music: Rock
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