Football | February 05, 2020

KALAMAZOO, Mich. – The Western Michigan football program added four preferred walk-ons to its 2020 roster with Dylan Calabrese, James DeWald, Hayden Mikesell and Grant Smith. The Broncos had bulked up their roster for the fall in December by signing 20 student-athletes to national letters of intent.

Calabrese, a long snapper and linebacker from Sugar Grove, Ill., earned three letters at Kaneland High School. A three-time academic all-conference honoree, Calabrese totaled a team-high 76 tackles as a senior to go along with 7.0 tackles for lost yardage and an interception. He was chosen as the team's defensive MVP and earned honorable mention all-conference accolades in 2019. Calabrese went the final three years of his career with a perfect long snap percentage. Calabrese's cousin, Todd Hanley, graduated from Western Michigan in 1997 and earned letters as a member of the football program in 1995 and 1996.

DeWald, a linebacker from Birmingham, Mich., helped Seaholm High School to the Michigan High School Athletic Association Division 2 state semifinals as a senior. The Maples finished with a 9-4 record and appeared in the state semifinals for the first time since 1997. DeWald played for his father, Jim, all four years at Seaholm. Jim lettered on the Western Michigan football team in 1995-96-97 and was a graduate assistant with the Broncos in 1999 and 2000. DeWald's mother, Erin, graduated from WMU in 1998.

Mikesell, a quarterback out of Orland Park, Ill., played in 17 games for Marist High School. As a senior, he completed 85-of-157 passes for 1,132 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 583 rushing yards and seven ground scores. Mikesell also served as the team's captain and punter, recording 43 boots for 1,473 yards in the fall. He guided the RedHawks to an 8-5 mark in 2019, including a trip to the Illinois High School Association Class 8A state semifinals with a 41-27 victory against Loyola Academy in the quarterfinals. The squad advanced to the state semifinals during Mikesell's junior year. Mikesell's father, Mark, was a four-year letterman (1990-91-92-93) with the Vanderbilt football program.

Smith, an offensive lineman from Commerce Township, Mich., received four letters at Walled Lake Northern High School. A three-year starter and three-time honorable mention All-Lakes Valley Conference selection, Smith is a high school teammate of WMU December signee Kyle Arnoldi. Smith's uncle Andy Smith, played collegiate football at Albion College while his uncle Erick Smith and aunt Ann-Marie Wittbrodt Drass are Western Michigan University graduates.

Western Michigan finished the 2019 campaign with a 7-6 overall record and a trip to the SERVPRO First Responder Bowl. The bowl game appearance marked the Broncos' sixth in the last nine seasons.
 
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