This is the third in the series of articles profiling the five top male and female senior athletes at Northeastern, culminating in the Huntington News male and female’ Senior Athletes of the Year.

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During the last five years football tight end Brian Mandeville has withstood more than his fair share of hits, both on and off the field. Head coach Rocky Hager said, Mandeville has never been one to let a setback keep him down.
‘The one thing you need to know about Brian is that he is not easily shaken,’ Hager said. ‘He is a well-grounded young man and a tough young man who has always fought through difficult situations. I am privileged for having been able to coach him.’
The senior captain from Walpole seemed destined to enjoy a career in the NFL. At 6’7 and 253 pounds, Mandeville is an ideal size for his position and has great hands that have allowed him to make difficult catches in traffic.
Following a week of performance at the 2009 East-West Shrine Game in January, professional football scouts rated Mandeville as a high-level prospect, impressed by his ability to block on the inside and on the perimeter against defenses. He spent the next two months training for the NFL Combine where potential NFL players are tested and evaluated.
It was at the combine that Mandeville received startling news. During a routine physical, doctors discovered abnormalities with his heart valve centered on his aorta. Although the condition is not life-threatening, doctors advised him to retire because the rigors of professional football put his health in too great a risk.
Hager said that despite initial disappointment, Mandeville did not allow the news to devastate him.
‘I sent him a text message when I noticed he wasn’t participating in drills at the combine, and that is when he told me about the condition the doctors discovered,’ Hager said. ‘He met with his family and with other doctors and overall I thought he handled the situation exceptionally well.’
Mandeville could not be reached for comment.
This was not the first time Mandeville’s football career was in jeopardy. After playing for three years and earning All-State accolades at Walpole High School,he entered Northeastern in 2004. Primarily a defensive end his first season, he prepared to switch to tight end the next season when the discovery of a brain tumor put his career on hold. He redshirted in 2005 while the brain tumor was removed and returned to play in 2006.
‘ For the remainder of his tenure he became a go-to player for the Huskies. A huge target at the tight end position, Mandeville caught 63 passes for 863 yards and seven touchdowns in his career. Twice he was named a second-team All-CAA selection and was also a two-time member of the All-New England team.
He enjoyed his best performances against the top competition. In four games against Division 1 FBS opponents, Mandeville hauled in 14 receptions for a total of 205 yards. His breakout game was at Syracuse last September when he had 83 receiving yards on five catches, many in double coverage.
‘ As a senior in 2008 he was named a team captain and gained recognition as a preseason All-American by The Sports Network. In the fourth game of the season, however, Mandeville sustained a knee injury to his MCL that forced him to miss four games. Despite the injury Mandeville was still second on the team in receiving yards per game.
Following the 2008 season, Mandeville ventured to the Velocity Sports Performance Center in California to train in hopes of improving his draft stock. After his participation in the Shrine Game he received the invitation to the combine.
Mandeville was not enrolled in classes while preparing for the combine but will return to campus in the fall to finish up his degree in sociology.
The Huskies’ offense now must transition following the departure of its most consistent target. While Hager mentioned the wisdom Mandeville imparted on his understudies, he acknowledged there is no way to substitute the loss of his captain.
‘Brian contributed so much on the field, but I really feel like he also did a lot to help some of the younger players improve and prepare for their future as well,’ Hager said. ‘You can never really replace a player, and certainly there is no replacing Brian Mandeville.’