University of Delaware Athletics
Blue Hens Name 2022 Captains
8/26/2022 11:29:00 AM | Football
NEWARK, Del. – The University of Delaware football team has selected its captains for the upcoming 2022 season. The Blue Hens will be led by a veteran group of student-athletes that has played a combined 182 games for the Blue & Gold. Nolan Henderson and Kedrick Whitehead will serve as captains for the third-straight season, while Thyrick Pitts, Johnny Buchanan and Liam Trainer were all selected for the first time. The five captains were chosen by a vote of their teammates and coaches.
"I am very excited with the group of captains that have been selected by their peers to lead our program this season," said Head Coach Ryan Carty. "These five young men have already proven themselves to be excellent leaders on and off the field, and have been exemplary representatives of both the football program and the University throughout their careers."
Henderson returns to the Blue & Gold with 24 career games under his belt. The Smyrna, Del. native was an All-CAA First-Team selection during the 2020-21 season when UD advanced to the FCS Semifinals. Last fall, Henderson was 47-of-80 passing through four games before suffering a season-ending injury. He had thrown for 646 yards and four touchdowns. This season, he was named All-CAA Preseason Honorable Mention.
Whitehead has earned three preseason All-American selections ahead of the 2022 season and was named to the Buck Buchanan Award Watch List, given to the best defensive player in FCS. The Middletown, Del. native is coming off his third-consecutive All-CAA selection in 2021 after he ranked second on the defense with 76 total tackles and was a force in the UD secondary, breaking up eight passes and creating a turnover at Rhode Island.
Buchanan received All-CAA Second Team honors in 2021 after leading the Blue Hens, and ranking 11th in the CAA with 81 tackles. The Brick, N.J. native was also third on the team with 5.5 TFL and had three games with at least 10 tackles, all coming against ranked conference opponents including a career-high 13 tackles against James Madison.
Pitts, a two-time All-CAA selection, is coming off of his third-straight season of leading the Delaware wide receivers in receptions and receiving yards. He finished the 2021 campaign with team highs of 43 receptions for 669 yards and ranked fourth in the CAA with seven touchdown receptions. The Manassas, Va. native was fifth in the conference with 66.9 receiving yards per game and had three games against CAA opponents with at least 100 receiving yards.
Trainer has appeared in all 31 of Delaware's games over the past three seasons. In 11 games last fall, including five starts, he had a team-leading 6.5 TFL and ranked third on the team with 61 tackles. The Glenside, Pa. native had a season-high 12 tackles and 2.0 TFL in a 24-3 victory over William & Mary and had his first career interception in the home opener against Saint Francis (Pa.).
The Blue Hens will open the 2022 season and the Ryan Carty era on Saturday, September 3 at Navy. UD will play the first of six home games the following weekend when they host Delaware State to renew the Route 1 Rivalry on September 10. Kickoff at Delaware Stadium is set for 6 p.m.
Single-game tickets, as well as partial plans and individual game parking, for all six of Delaware's home games are currently on sale.
Individual Game Tickets | Season Ticket Membership I Partial Plans I Football Ticket Information
For the latest on the Delaware football program, follow the Blue Hens on Twitter @DelawareFB and Instagram @DelawareFootball, and like "Delaware Football" on Facebook. Follow Ryan Carty on Twitter @RyanCarty10.
