UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - Richmond head football coach Danny Rocco announced that three players - QB Michael Rocco, WR Shane Savage and TE Sean Fitzpatrick have signed an athletics grant-in-aid and will transfer to the University of Richmond. All three players will begin classes next week.

"We are all very excited about these additions to our program," head coach Danny Rocco remarked. "All three student-athletes have outstanding resumes as well as transferring in from competitive academic institutions. Our ability to continue to build depth and to create an element of heightened competition will increase our probability for continued success."

QB Michael Rocco comes to Richmond from the University of Virginia, where he was a three-year contributor, starting eight of the Cavaliers' 11 games in 2012. The nephew of head coach Danny Rocco, Michael played in 30 games at Virginia, starting 21 times. He appeared in six games as a true freshman in 2010, started all 13 games in 2011.

Rocco threw for 4,731 yards and passed for 27 touchdowns and had 24 interceptions during his time at Virginia. Rocco's 2,671 passing yards in 2011 ranked as the fourth-best single-season total in Virginia history. Rocco left Charlottesville ranked eighth on the all-time passing list with 4,731 yards.

Per NCAA rules, Rocco must serve a year in residency, however, Richmond will seek a waiver to permit Rocco to be eligible to compete beginning in the 2013 season.

WR Shane Savage comes to Richmond from Cornell, where he had a terrific career, placing fourth all-time in receptions (154) and fifth in career receiving yards (2,013). Savage, who graduated from Cornell this January, will begin play with the Spiders in 2013 and will have one season of eligibility left.

Savage's best season with the Big Red came in 2011, when he earned All-American honors. Savage totaled 65 receptions for 1,080 yards and 12 touchdowns - all Cornell single-season records.

A highly-touted prep prospect out of New York, TE Sean Fitzpatrick will transfer from the University of North Carolina to Richmond with two seasons of eligibility remaining. After redshirting in 2010, Fitzpatrick appeared in 12 games for the Tar Heels in 2011, including the Independence Bowl.

Hailing from Pittsford Mendon High School in Pittsford, N.Y., Fitzpatrick was rated as the No. 33 tight end in the country by Scout.com and the fourth-best player in the state of New York by Rivals.com.

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