SELINSGROVE, Pa. - USAFootball.com has announced its 2000 Division III All-America teams, with four Susquehanna University players tabbed for various honors.
Senior defensive end Frank Hanlon was an honorable mention selection to USAFootball.com's sixth annual Division III All-American team, while defensive back Antonio Nash was a second-team choice and tight end John Smith an honorable mention pick to the second annual Sophomore All-America team. Representing the Crusaders on the second annual Freshman All-America team was split end Mark Bartosic.
The quartet helped Susquehanna record its 15th straight non-losing season in 2000 as the Crusaders finished at 7-3 overall (6-3 Middle Atlantic Conference, 2-3 Commonwealth League) under 11th-year head coach Steve Briggs.
The 6-4, 210-pound Hanlon (Mahanoy City, Pa./Mahanoy Area H.S.) was a Lutheran College second-team All-American, a Football Gazette second-team All-South selection and a MAC Commonwealth League first-team All-Star. He led the defensive line with 55 tackles (34 solo), ranked sixth in the MAC with 21 tackles for loss and finished eighth in the conference in sacks with eight. Hanlon, the Most Valuable Player of the 2000 Crusader football team, was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week after recording three sacks and forcing a fumble in the Crusaders' 36-29 victory over Juniata at Lopardo Stadium on October 7.
Hanlon is a history major and the son of Frank and Joan Hanlon.
The 5-9, 170-pound Nash (Washington, D.C./Springbrook, Md. H.S.), a two-time Lutheran College second-team All-American and a two-time MAC Commonwealth League first-team All-Star, was a Football Gazette second-team All-South selection this season. Nash shifted from cornerback to free safety following the season opener and finished the year second on the team in tackles with 74 (53 solo). He intercepted three passes to increase his career total to 13, and was named the MAC Defensive Player of the Week after making a career-high 13 tackles and intercepting a pass in the Crusaders' 26-23 win at King's on September 16.
Nash is an accounting major and the son of Sampson Nash, Jr.
The 6-4, 220-pound Smith (Orland Park, Ill./Providence Catholic H.S.), a MAC Commonwealth League second-team All-Star, hauled in 15 passes for 150 yards and one touchdown. He caught at least one pass in eight of the Crusaders' 10 games, including a career-high four receptions for 51 yards against Moravian on October 28.
Smith is a liberal arts major and the son of Craig and Cheryl Kovin.
The 6-1, 185-pound Bartosic (Northumberland, Pa./Shikellamy H.S.) was a second-team Lutheran College All-American and the MAC Commonwealth League Rookie of the Year after he made 51 catches for Susquehanna single-season records of 1,028 yards and 15 touchdowns during the 2000 season. He finished fifth in the MAC in receptions per game (5.1), third in receiving yards per game (102.8) and second in touchdown catches, and caught at least one touchdown pass in nine of Susquehanna's 10 games and broke the 100-yard mark on six occasions. His best game of the season came in Susquehanna's 52-33 loss to Moravian on October 28, when Bartosic caught nine passes for 208 yards and three touchdowns.
Bartosic is a computer science major and the son of Karen Bartosic.
