CHENEY, Wash. — The Eastern Washington University football team announced on Thursday its captains for the 2023 season. Five players were selected by their coaches: WR Efton Chism III, OL Luke Dahlgren, DB Darrien Sampson, DE Brock Harrison and P Nick Kokich.
Chism III, a junior wideout from Monroe, Wash., boasts 142 career receptions for a total of 1,609 yards and 16 touchdowns. He piled up 62 catches last season, good for 3rd in the conference and 16th nationally (FCS). A two-time All-Big Sky honoree, he was recently named to the 2023 Big Sky Preseason All-Conference team.
Dahlgren is a redshirt senior stalwart on the offensive line and the team's returning starting center. The Forks, Wash. native has 25 games of experience during his Eagle career (13 starts) and has three times been named to the Big Sky All-Academic Team.
Sampson joined Chism III as the Eagle representatives at the recent 2023 Big Sky Football Kickoff Weekend. A redshirt senior out of Rainier Beach High School in Seattle, Sampson has 38 career games under his belt, including 27 starts, despite only playing four games last year due to injury. He has recorded 72 tackles (50 solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, 3 interceptions and 12 pass deflections.
Harrison, a 35-game veteran redshirt senior out of Ridgefield, Wash., has 16 starts under his belt. He tied for second on the team last year with 5.5 tackles for loss (2 sacks). As an Eagle, he has secured 79 total tackles (41 solo), 13.5 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles and one interception. He has recorded 30+ tackles and 5.5+ tackles for loss in back-to-back seasons. He is also a three-time conference all-academic selection.
Kokich returns as one of the best punters in the conference, earning Second Team All-Big Sky honors last season after ranking second in the conference and 7th nationally in punting average (43.8 yards). Originally from Tacoma, Wash. (Bellarmine Prep), the senior pinned 14 of 55 punts inside the 20-yard-line in 2022 and joined Chism III (and two other Eagles) on the Big Sky Preseason All-Conference Team.
The Eagles start fall camp on Aug. 3 before opening their regular season schedule at North Dakota State (at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis) on Sept. 2. Their first home game is Sept. 16 vs. Southeastern Louisiana.
Join the Eagle Athletic Fund for as low as $50 per year! Support Eagle student-athletes on and off the field while enjoying exclusive EAF perks such as season ticket and tailgating priority, invitations to special events, exclusive access and more. Visit goeags.com/eaf for more information.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
FOLLOW THE EAGLES
SOCIAL: Twitter | Facebook | YouTube | Instagram
