Nov. 22, 2005

Wayne State University senior defensive end Leo Wells (Detroit, Mich./Hamtramck) has been named to the D2Football.com Northwest Region Second Team.

Wells started all 10 games at defensive end and finished with 51 tackles (32 solo, 19 assisted). He had a tackle for loss in every game and finished with a team best 15.5 (13 solo, 5 assisted) tackles for loss for minus 56 yards. He had a team-high eight (7 solo, 2 assisted) sacks for minus 38 yards. Wells also contributed two pass break-ups, a forced fumble and two quarterback hurries. In addition, he had the longest interception return by a WSU player since 1981 when he went 91 yards against Findlay.

Wells was named to the 2005 All-GLIAC First team after being an All-GLIAC Second Team for three consecutive years (2002-03-04). He started 41 of WSU's 42 games in his career (being a team player he let a senior back-up start the season finale in 2002). He is the first three-time captain in school history. Wells concluded his career 0.5 tackles for loss from the school record with 52.5. A consistent performer, he had double-digit tackle for loss totals all four years and finished his career with 192 tackles (106 solo, 86 assisted), 29 sacks and five forced fumbles.

WSU went 3-8 in his first two years and then had a coaching change. After a 1-9 mark in 2004, he led the squad to a 3-7 record this year and near upsets of Northwood (WSU was leading at halftime) and Grand Valley (WSU was leading in the third quarter). Wayne State went from 140th nationally in scoring defense in 2004 (40.3 points per game) to 57th. WSU's 2005 defense only allowed 30 or more points once (36 at #1-ranked Grand Valley).