ITHACA, N.Y. -- Seniors Horatio Blackman and Chris Costello have been elected by their football teammates as the permanent installed captains for 2009. The duo were the game captains for the season-opening 33-9 win over Bucknell and are members of the team's Leadership Council.

"This is a great honor for both players. This will mean something to them their entire life," said head coach Jim Knowles '87. "it is an important leadership position in their class. The funny thing about this process is it is voted almost after the fact, so they have proven to be leaders without having a title. They went about it every day in practice and their teammates recognized their leadership."

Cornell had game captains for the first nine games of 2009 and decided to elect the team captains prior to the season finale to make sure the true leaders were recognized.

Blackman is one of the most respected members of the team as a standout on offense and special teams. He even has played some in the defensive backfield during the season. Though his numbers don't jump off the page with 19 catches for 212 yards and eight total tackles, his contributions go well beyond the statistics. As a gunner on the Big Red coverage teams, Cornell ranks among the national leaders in fewest punt and kickoff return yards per game. The fifth-year senior will be a rare four-year letter winner and enters his final collegiate contest with 60 receptions for 697 yards and two touchdowns and has 11 tackles and a blocked kick on special teams.

Costello was an honorable mention All-Ivy pick as a junior and will likely earn postseason honors again in 2009. The preseason honorable mention All-American and first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District pick, the middle linebacker ranks second in the Ivy League and 13th nationally with 10.6 tackles per game. Costello has tallied 95 stops with three sacks and 13 tackles for loss. He also has a pair of pass breakups, has three forced fumbles, intercepted a pass and blocked a kick, while starting all nine contests. He was named Ivy League Player of the Week on Sept. 21 after his effort in the Big Red's 33-9 win over Bucknell. Costello has piled up impressive career numbers in his two years as a starter and three years as a letter winner, registering 208 tackles, 23.0 tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, seven forced fumbles, five pass breakups, three blocked kicks and an interception.

Blackman and Costello will lead Cornell into its season finale against 2009 Ivy League champion Penn on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 1:00 p.m. at Franklin Field.