UT adds linebacker to '13 recruiting class

Two hometown football players signed with the University of Toledo in the 2012, 2011, and the 2010 recruiting classes.

The 2013 haul has attracted its first prospect of that kind. Well, sort of. Ja'Wuan Woodley moved away from Toledo four years ago but is planning to return, this after he committed verbally to the Rockets on Monday.

Woodley, a junior at Bishop Hartley in Columbus, excels on both sides of the ball but was told by UT coaches he will play middle linebacker. He is the fourth commitment in the first full recruiting class under first-year coach Matt Campbell. Campbell cannot comment on unsigned recruits, per NCAA rules.

Woodley, who so far is unranked by major recruiting services, has generated scholarship offers from Mid-American Conference programs Bowling Green, Ball State, Eastern Michigan, and Akron.

"I was real comfortable with the coaches," Woodley said of his decision to pick UT. "I liked their personalities and seeing how they teach players when I came up for a visit earlier in the spring."

In helping Bishop Hartley reach the Division IV regional final, Woodley totaled 70 tackles -- including 43 solo -- two sacks, and one forced fumble. On offense, he accumulated 1,546 rushing yards as a running back and scored 19 touchdowns.

Woodley (5-foot-11, 230 pounds) moved with his family to Columbus following his seventh grade year at Horizon Science Academy in downtown Toledo. He competed in a Toledo all-star league and probably would have attended Scott High, he said.

"I'm familiar with the area. I have a lot of family up there, and it's easy for my parents to travel up there and get to games," he said.

ACADEMIC SUCCESS: UT announced Tuesday that its student athletes earned a record grade-point average of 3.266 in the 2012 spring semester, shattering the previous high mark of 3.167 set in the fall of 2011.

It is the fourth time in the last five semesters that UT athletes have broken the GPA record. The 3.266 GPA also marked the seventh consecutive semester that they earned a combined GPA of 3.1 or higher, and the 12th time in the last 14 semesters above a 3.0. Additionally, 14 of UT's 15 sport programs had team GPAs of 3.0 or above. The football team had a team GPA of 2.9. It is the first time in school history that 14 varsity sports registered a team GPA of 3.0 or higher.

Individually, 26 student-athletes earned perfect 4.0 GPAs, while nearly 41 percent (133 of 327) earned a spot on the dean's list by garnering at least a 3.50 GPA. Additionally, a record 70.9 percent of UT student-athletes achieved a 3.0 GPA or better for the semester.

Contact Ryan Autullo at: rautullo@theblade.com, 419-724-6160 or on Twitter @RyanAutullo.