Nov. 26, 2002
Duquesne University senior wide receiver Jeremy Conley (Pittsburgh, PA / Allderdice) and senior defensive back Leigh Bodden (Hyattsville, MD / Northwestern) have been selected as the 2002 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, and headline the 2002 All-MAAC Football League Team, as chosen by the league's head coaches.
In addition, freshman linebacker Harry Carter (Lanham, MD / Eleanor Roosevelt) was named MAACFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Head Coach Greg Gattuso was honored for the fifth time as the league's Coach of the Year. The 2002 MAAC champions, who were honored with four of the five league awards, placed eight players on the All-League first team and 10 on the second team.
Conley (above), who was also selected as one of the All-MAAC First Team wide receivers, caught 72 passes for a MAAC-best 1,215 yards and 14 touchdowns en route to leading the Dukes' to a 11-1 record, a perfect 8-0 MAAC Mark and the 2002 MAAC Football League Title, Duquesne's fourth straight and sixth in the last eight years. Conley averaged 16.9 yards per catch and 6.0 receptions per game for the Dukes.
Bodden (right), who tied for first in the MAAC in fumbles recovered with four, also contributed eight breakups and seven interceptions in 12 games this season. The first team selection was in on 23 total tackles, including 21 solo stops, for the Dukes.
The 2002 MAAC Football League Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year are Saint Peter's Matthew Ward (Spring Valley, NY) and Duquesne's Harry Carter (Lanham, MD), respectively.
Ward, a freshman running back, turned in an impressive rookie campaign in his first season wearing a Saint Peter's uniform. Clayton made 111 carries for 689 yards, averaging 62.6 yards per run. Additionally, Clayton found the end zone seven times. He was named MAAC Rookie of the Week three times this season.
Carter (left), a freshman linebacker, anchored a staunch Duke defense all season long. He was credited with 88 tackles, including 46 solo stops. He added six tackles for a loss, three pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, one interception and one forced fumble. Carter was named MAAC Rookie of the Week twice this season.
The Spalding/MAAC Coach of the Year award is awarded to Duquesne head coach Greg Gattuso. Gattuso earns his fifth award after leading the Dukes to an 11-1 overall mark and a perfect 8-0 MAAC record. He previously won this award in 1995, 1996, 1999 and 2000.
A total of 19 players are repeat choices from a year ago. Those players include five from Duquesne: Conley, Bodden, Niel Loebig (McDonald, PA), Trent Wissner (Beaver Falls, PA) and Yardon Brantley (Reading, PA); Fairfield's Andrew Turf (Winnetka, IL), Matt Giugliano (Cold Spring, NY), Nick Totaro (Rodeland, NJ) and Mike Cerchio (Red Bank, NJ); Marist's Juwan Jackson (Madison, NJ), Mike Loniewski (Wayne, NJ), Ike Ibeh (Bloomfield, NJ) and Brett Biggs (Bethlehem, PA); Saint Peter's Derek Clayton (Philadelphia, PA), James Galea (Hammonton, NJ), Jon Wasielewski (Bayonne, NJ), Jon Ambrose (Tioga, LA) and Justin Diomede (Keansburg, NJ); and Siena's Dan Smacchia (Thornwood, NY).
2002 ALL-MAAC FOOTBALL LEAGUE TEAM - First Team
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE Pos. Name, School Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School QB Niel Loebig, Duquesne+ So. 6-3 215 McDonald, PA/South Lafayette
RB Chris Price, Marist Sr. 6-0 190 Danbury, CT/Danbury Derek Clayton, Saint Peter's<+ so.="" 5-8="" 170="" philadelphia,="" pa/roman="" catholic="">
WR Jeremy Conley, Duquesne+ Sr. 6-2 215 Pittsburgh, PA/Allderice Andrew Turf, Fairfield+ Sr. 6-0 175 Winnetka, IL/Bridgeton
TE Matt Giugliano, Fairfield+ Sr. 6-4 225 Cold Spring, NY/Cold Spring
OL Tom Perkovich, Canisius Sr. 6-6 294 Tonawanda, NY/Tonawanda Rich Greer, Duquesne! Sr. 6-4 265 Pittsburgh, PA/Shady Side Academy Juwan Jackson, Marist+ Sr. 6-3 285 Madison, NJ/Madison Mike Loniewski, Marist #+ Sr. 6-4 290 Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley Joe Isa, Saint Peter's Jr. 6-3 300 Guttenberg, NJ/North Bergen
PK James Galea, St. Peter's!So. 5-10 175 Hammonton, NJ/Hammonton
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE Pos. Name, School Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School DL Bill Arbogast, Duquesne Sr. 6-1 225 Beaver Falls, PA/Blackhawk Phil Polony, Duquesne Jr. 6-3 260 Whitehall, PA/Whitehall John Rodgers, Duquesne Sr. 6-1 260 Moon Township, PA/Moon Kevin Fales, Iona Jr. 6-3 250 Croton, NY/Croton-Harmon Adam Ercoli, Marist Sr. 6-4 255 Carmel, NY/Carmel Shawn Poling, Saint Peter's> So. 6-1 235 Union Beach, NJ/Keyport
LB Trent Wissner, Duquesne! Sr. 5-11 225 Beaver Falls, PA/Blackhawk Jon Wasielewski, Saint Peter's #%+ Jr. 6-0 230 Bayonne, NJ/Hudson Catholic Dan Smacchia, Siena+ Jr. 6-1 230 Thornwood, NY/Westlake
DB Leigh Bodden, Duquesne *+ Sr. 6-1 210 Hyattsville, MD/Eleanor Roosevelt Nick Totaro, Fairfield! Jr. 6-0 190 Roseland, NJ/West Essex Tom Lagomarsino, Iona Sr. 6-2 215 Paramus, NJ/Paramus Catholic Jon Ambrose, Saint Peter's *@=+ Sr. 5-10 180 Tioga, LA/Tioga
P Jeff Gomulinski, Fairfield So. 6-0 180 Naugatuck, CT/Holy Cross
2002 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year: Jeremy Conley, Duquesne 2002 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year: Leigh Bodden, Duquesne 2002 MAAC Offensive Rookie of the Year: Matthew Ward, Saint Peter's 2002 MAAC Defensive Rookie of the Year: Harry Carter, Duquesne 2002 Spalding/MAAC Coach of the Year: Greg Gattuso, Duquesne
2002 ALL-MAAC FOOTBALL LEAGUE TEAM - Second Team
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE Pos. Name, School Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School QB Mike Cerchio, Fairfield #! Sr. 6-4 200 Red Bank, NJ/Middletown South
RB Mike Hillard, Duquesne Jr. 5-11 195 Homer Center, PA/Homer Center Alfredo Riullano, Marist Sr. 5-10 225 Callicoon, NY/Delaware Valley
WR Yardon Brantley, Duquesne $! Jr. 6-1 180 Reading, PA/Reading Central Catholic Matt May, St. John's Sr. 6-1 170 Medford, NY/Patchogue-Medford
TE Matt Mrdjenovich, Duquesne Sr. 6-3 220 Harrison City, PA/Penn-Trafford Brian Mulroy, Iona Sr. 6-5 245 Bronx, NY/Iona Prep
OL Lee Barlow, Duquesne Jr. 6-1 280 Farrell, PA/Farrell Rob Bowser, Duquesne Jr. 6-2 270 Chalfont, PA/Central Bucks West Mike Mertz, Fairfield Jr. 6-4 290 Wilmington, DE/Salesian Steve Evans, Marist Sr. 6-1 250 Yonkers, NY/Iona Prep Chris Cassaro, Saint Peter's Sr. 5-7 245 Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic
PK Earl Bellisario, Duquesne Jr. 6-0 180 Oakmont, PA/Riverview Brett Biggs, Marist #+ Sr. 5-9 185 Bethlehem, PA/Bethlehem
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE Pos. Name, School Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School DL Malcolm Vincent, Iona Sr. 6-0 255 Brooklyn, NY/South Shore Charles Fowler, Marist Sr. 6-0 255 Shelton, CT/Shelton Kevin Akimbyi, Saint Peter's So. 6-2 210 Miami, FL/Chaminade-Madonna Ed Pietrowski, Siena Jr. 6-2 230 Beacon, NY/Beacon
LB Mitchell Zobb, Duquesne Sr. 6-3 230 Pittsburgh, PA/North Hills Mark Baumer, Fairfield Jr. 6-0 220 Medford, NJ/Shawnee Bobby Rosenberg, St. John's Jr. 5-10 215 Sarasota, FL/Cardinal Mooney Justin Diomede, Saint Peter's! Jr. 6-0 215 Keansburg, NJ/Mater Dei
DB Tim Pichette, Duquesne Jr. 6-0 200 Boardman, OH/Cardinal Mooney Armar Watson, Duquesne So. 6-3 250 New Castle, PA/Laurel Aubrey Bennett, Marist Jr. 5-9 180 E. Syracuse, NY/E. Syracuse Minoa Ike Ibeh, Marist! Sr. 5-11 185 Bloomfield, NJ/Bloomfield
P Joe Maker, Duquesne Jr. 6-1 220 Butler, PA/Butler
+ = 2001 First Team All-MAAC Selection ! = 2001 Second Team All-MAAC Selection < =="" 2001="" maac="" offensive="" rookie="" of="" the="" year=""> = 2001 MAAC Defensive Rookie of the Year * = 2000 First Team All-MAAC Selection # = 2000 Second Team All-MAAC Selection % = 2000 MAAC Co-Defensive Rookie of the Year $ = 2000 MAAC Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year ^ = 1999 First Team All-MAAC Selection @ = 1999 Second Team All-MAAC Selection = = 1999 MAAC Defensive Rookie of the Year & = 1999 MAAC Offensive Rookie of the Year
