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November 16, 2004
Contact: Jim Miller 570-372-4119 |
Six Crusaders Earn All-MAC Honors in Football
SELINSGROVE, Pa. – Susquehanna University has placed six players on the All-Middle Atlantic Conference football team, as voted upon by the league's 11 head coaches and released Tuesday. Senior fullback Jason Eck and senior guard Mark Hamilton were first-team selections while senior split end Josh Kleha , senior guard Tom Goodwin , junior placekicker Dwight Swaney and junior free safety Ben Gibboney were second-team choices. The Crusaders finished 4-6 overall and 3-6 in the MAC under 15th -year head coach Steve Briggs . Eck (Williamsport, PA/Loyalsock) finished the regular season ranked seventh in the MAC in rushing with a career-high 661 yards on 137 carries (4.8 average) and 13 touchdowns. He is Susquehanna's career leader in rushing touchdowns with 45 and ranks second in program history with 2,290 rushing yards. Hamilton (West Chester, PA/Downingtown) earned first-team All-Conference honors for the second straight season after helping the Crusaders rank second in the MAC in scoring offense (30.6 points per game), fourth in rushing offense (181.2 yards per game) and fourth in passing offense (197.5 yards per game). A three-year starter on the offensive line, Hamilton has played right guard for the past two years after starting at left tackle in 2002 following his transfer from Rhode Island. Kleha (Shamokin, PA/Mount Carmel) made 56 catches for 852 yards and 10 touchdowns to rank second in the MAC in touchdowns, fifth in yards and sixth in receptions. He finished his career ranked third in program history with 129 receptions for 1,805 yards along with 14 touchdowns. Goodwin (Glen Rock, NJ/Glen Rock) also earned second-team All-MAC honors in 2002 and is a three-year starter at left guard. The Crusaders ranked sixth in the MAC in total offense with 3,787 yards and allowed just 16 sacks to rank fourth in the conference. Swaney (Mifflinburg, PA/Mifflinburg) set a program single-season record with 37 extra points (in 41 attempts) and ranked fifth in the league in PAT percentage at 90.2 percent. He converted 21 straight extra points at one stretch during the season and was also 3-for-4 on field goals. While recognized as All-Conference for his placekicking, Swaney also had a strong season as the Crusader punter as he finished fourth in the MAC with an average of 36.4 yards per punt. Gibboney (Huntingdon, PA/Huntingdon Area) finished tied for second on the team with a career-high 71 tackles, and led the Crusaders with four interceptions. He also recovered three fumbles and recorded a team-high nine pass breakups. In three seasons, Gibboney has accumulated 180 tackles and 10 interceptions while forcing seven fumbles and recovering five.
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Jim Miller, James W. Garrett Sports Complex ©1999 Susquehanna University, Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Phone: 570-372-4119 Fax:570-372-4048 |