Hart, Sellers, Blackwell, Stapley Named Captains

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Head Coach Bob Davie has announced his 2019 Lobo Football captains, and the quartet includes just the third three-time captain in school history.  Alex Hart was named a captain for the third straight year, joining Dakota Cox and Lamar Jordan as the only three-time captains in school history.
 
Along with Hart, three others will be captains for the first time.  Seniors Aaron Blackwell and Trent Sellers, who both play on the defensive line, were elected captains in a vote of the team, along with junior offensive lineman Kyle Stapley.  UNM will have four captains after having just two permanent captains last year in Hart and Aaron Jenkins.  Last year Blackwell was the only junior on the Lobo Leadership Council.
 
The captains are voted upon by the entire team, with Coach Davie waiting a little longer than usual due to the number of newcomers in the program.
 
Along with the four captains, Davie announced the 2019 Lobo Leadership Council.  Seniors named to the council were Anu Somoye (receiver), De’John Rogers (cornerback) and Alexander “Moana” Vainikolo (linebacker).  Four juniors were named to the council in Tyson Dyer (punter), Kameron Miller (safety), Marcus Williams (tight end) and Teton Saltes (offensive line).  The lone sophomore was Tevaka Tuioti (quarterback). 
 
The leadership council represents the interest of the team and serves as a liaison to the coaching staff.  While the council handles things including helping to select uniform combinations each week, it also meets regularly with Coach Davie on a variety of topics from student-athlete welfare to the type of music played before events.
 
Hart missed most of last season after getting injured in week three against New Mexico State.  Despite that injury, Hart continued to travel with the team and helped coach his teammates, even wearing a headset at times.  Sellers missed all of last year with an ACL injury but just line Stapley and Blackwell, he has led by example in how he approached his rehab from injury in getting back on the field.