After his sophomore year, in which he was named to the 2001 WCHA Second All-Star and NCAA West First All-American Teams, Heatley chose to forgo his final two years of college eligibility to turn pro with the Thrashers.

He left after his sophomore year to enter the NFL and was drafted first overall by the Atlanta Falcons in the 2001 NFL Draft.

Patrick Dennehy was a junior forward who transferred to Baylor University from the University of New Mexico following his sophomore season in 2001 – 2002.

He was a first-team All-Big East selection in 2000 and 2001, and was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American as a sophomore in 2000.

After his sophomore season, Salyer left Maryland, choosing to play for reserve team of Bundesliga club Werder Bremen, with whom he signed January 17, 2001.

He played two seasons, 2001 and 2002, and was named an NSCAA second team All-American his sophomore year.

He started 22 games as a rookie, and 25 as a sophomore, helping the Fusion to win the 2001 MLS Supporters ' Shield.

He was a consensus First-Team All-Big Ten performer after his sophomore season in 2001, helping lead the Fighting Illini to a 10-2 record and a BCS berth in the Sugar Bowl.

Brown holds some other school records as well, including the most touchdowns in a game when he ran in six against Nebraska in 2001 during his sophomore season.

Grossman passed for over 300 yards in nine consecutive games during his sophomore season in 2001.

Upon graduating, he matriculated to UCLA, where he played college soccer in 2000 and 2001, where he started in 41 games and was named a third team All-American as a sophomore.

Back at Duke that fall, Williams started all 39 games as a sophomore and led the Devils to the 2001 NCAA National Championship, earning NABC Player of the Year honors.

He was a first-team All-SEC selection in 2000 and 2001 and a first-team All-American in 2000, and was recognized as a unanimous first-team All-American following his 2001 sophomore season.

He was a first-team All-American as a sophomore in 2000, and a first-team All-Southeastern Conference ( SEC ) selection in 2000 and 2001.

The band continued to change line-ups with the release of the back-to-basics sophomore record " Slaughtercult " in 2001.

As a sophomore, Banta-Cain recorded 35 tackles and 5. 5 sacks, and as a junior in 2001, he started every game at defensive end and tallied eight sacks and 33 tackles.

He was an All-Big Ten selection as a first baseman as a sophomore in 2001, after hitting. 322 with 56 RBI and a league-leading 15 home runs.

( 2002 – 03 ) Best collegiate season scoring performance, 13. 6 ppg, along with averaging 5. 7 rpg and 5. 9 apg … All-Conference USA First Team … Team Captain ( 2001 – 02 ) All-Conference USA Third Team … Named UC ’ s Most Outstanding Player and earned the team ’ s Ball of Courage and Insane Chain awards … Had 205 assists, breaking her own school record of 170 set as a sophomore … Played 1, 214 minutes, breaking her own school record of 1, 207 … Earned a spot on the Bearcat Invitational All-Tournament team after averaging 11. 5 ppg and 6. 0 apg in the two games … ( 2000 – 01 ) Named UC ’ s most outstanding player, averaging 8. 3 ppg, 3. 6 rpg, team-best of 5. 3 apg and 1. 5 spg … Named to the Conference USA all-tournament team after averaging 11. 8 ppg and 6. 8 apg during the four contests … ( 1999-00 ) Finished fifth on the team in scoring, averaging 5. 6 points a game

During his sophomore year ( 2001 – 02 ) at Wabash Valley College in Mount Carmel, Illinois, he led his team to 32 – 6 overall record and fourth place at the NJCAA championships.

Kendall came back in 2001 to compete her sophomore year earning All-American honors on vault at the NCAA Gymnastics Championships.

After redshirting his 2001 freshman year at the University of Notre Dame, Tuck played sparingly in his sophomore season.

Foot was an All-Big Ten Conference first-team choice by the league's coaches as a junior in 2001, earned second-team honors from the media, he played in every game during his freshman and sophomore season.

He was redshirted his freshman season in 2001, and missed his sophomore season in 2002 with a knee injury.

However, since 2001, more emphasis has been placed on Defense-Independent Pitching Statistics, including Defense-Independent ERA ( dERA ), in an attempt to evaluate a pitcher's performance regardless of the strength of the defensive players behind him.

After Seifert was fired following the disastrous 2001 season, the Panthers hired New York Giants defensive coordinator John Fox as the team's third head coach.

During this period in their history, standout players included defensive end Michael Strahan, who set the NFL single season record in sacks in 2001, and running back Tiki Barber, who set a team record for rushing yards in a season in 2005.

After signing several new defensive players in the offseason, and hiring new defensive coordinator Lovie Smith, the Rams finished the 2001 season with the NFL's best regular season record at 14 – 2.

* Phil Hansen, retired American football player for the National Football League, Buffalo Bills defensive end 1991 – 2001, 3-time Super Bowl participant, currently resides in Detroit Lakes

Tackle Harry Ostapowicz led both the offensive and defensive lines for the WPIAL Champion Dragons. Judge Reggie B. Walton, United States District Judge for the District of Columbia appointed in 2001, after being nominated to the position by President George W. Bush, is a Donora native.

Then, after signing veteran Pro Bowl wide receiver Jerry Rice and defensive tackle Trace Armstrong, the team repeated as AFC West champions in 2001.

During a game on January 2, 2001, Theodore became the sixth goaltender to directly score a goal when he attempted to clear the puck from the defensive zone against the New York Islanders and scored into the empty net, which was vacated by John Vanbiesbrouck for the extra attacker.

Madden was regarded during his career as one of the league's best defensive forwards ; he was awarded the Frank J. Selke Trophy in 2001, and finished second in voting 2003, 2004 and 2008.

He made his major league debut on September 18, 2001 for the Royals against the Cleveland Indians as a defensive replacement and went 0 – 1 in his debut.

This same condition, which began to affect him in 2001, turned the former Gold Glove winner into a defensive liability at first base, forcing him to " push " the ball instead of throwing it.

He played in the All-Star Game in and has reached the postseason twice and won the Gold Glove Award in 2001, 2003, and 2006 for his defensive play in the outfield.

The junior college football team, in particular, was a big money loser for the school, but achieved great on-field success and actually produced a number of NFL players, including Jamal Williams, long-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle for the San Diego Chargers, and future Green Bay Packers Torrance Marshall, the MVP of the 2001 Orange Bowl for the National Champion Oklahoma Sooners.

Chatfield's football team in 2001, led by Coach Dave Logan, defensive tackle Robbie McEwen, QB Ryan Bucher and running back LenDale White, won the state championship.

The defensive weapon of AD 2001 is the laser turret, which both shoots at ground forces and automatically overheats and self-destructs to shoot down a nuke.

Peppers attended the University of North Carolina, where he played defensive end for the North Carolina Tar Heels football team from 1999 to 2001.

After the 2001 season, he was named defensive coordinator of the Carolina Panthers and in his first season, in 2002, he led them to the second best defense in the league.

Reed received an athletic scholarship to attend the University of Miami, where he was a standout defensive back for coach Butch Davis and coach Larry Coker's Miami Hurricanes football teams from 1998 to 2001.

In 2001 he was voted defensive co-captain by his teammates, part of his season performance was when he tied a season-high with a team-high 10 tackles vs. New Orleans Saints and also recorded his first interception of the season and the 18th of his career when he snagged an Aaron Brooks pass in the end zone.

The newly-relocated Baltimore Ravens ( formerly the Cleveland Browns ), hired Lewis as their defensive coordinator in 1996, a position that he held for six seasons ( 1996 – 2001 ).

He played in 13 games in his 2001 rookie season, starting 10 of them, amassing three sacks mainly as a 4-3 defensive tackle.

LaRue was known throughout his career to be a defensive specialist, in 2001 he led the major leagues with a 61 % Caught stealing percentage, and has a career 39 %.

He played four seasons with the Fusion, becoming a regular starter in his second year with the team in either central defense or defensive midfield, and was named to the MLS Best XI in 2001.

* Most defensive rebounds ( 214 ) in 2001