June 5, 2002

PITTSBURGH - Six home games and three challenging non-conference clashes highlight the 2002 Duquesne University football schedule released today.

The Dukes, who have won five of the last seven Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League championships - including the last three in a row, return 17 starters from last year's 8-3, ECAC Bowl squad. DU finished last season ranked No. 4 nationally in The Sports Network Mid-Major Poll.

Duquesne opens the season at home on Saturday, Sept. 7 at 1:00 p.m. vs. Patriot League opponent Bucknell in the first game to be played on the new AstroPlay artificial surface currently being installed at Rooney Field.

The Dukes begin defense of their league title on Sept. 14 at Siena, and play their first league home game the following week vs. Marist.

A trip to Dayton on Sept. 28 begins a set of back-to-back non-conference games that concludes with a homecoming match-up with Lafayette on Oct. 5. Dayton, which finished the season ranked No. 2 in the nation in the TSN Poll, has won seven titles in the nine-year history of the Pioneer Football League.

Lafayette, a member of the Patriot League, returns to the schedule after facing DU in a home-and-home series that was completed in 2000.

On October 12, Duquesne heads to Jersey City, N.J. to face Saint Peter's in a match-up of preseason MAAC title favorites. Saint Peter's finished last season ranked No. 3 by TSN with a 10-1 record.

Other home opponents include St. John's, which is returning to the MAAC after a three-year hiatus, on Oct. 19, Iona on Nov. 2 and a season-ending tilt with Fairfield on Nov. 16.

Leading the way for the 2002 Dukes' are returning senior All-Americans cornerback Leigh Bodden (Hyattsville, Md./Northwestern) and receiver Jeremy Conley (Pittsburgh, Pa./Allderdice).

Bodden, who tied his Duquesne school record with nine interceptions last season, enters the 2002 campaign needing seven picks to tie the NCAA Division I-AA career record of 28 set by Holy Cross' Dave Murphy (1986-89). Bodden, who was named to the American Football Coaches Association, Sports Network and Don Hansen All-America teams, spent the off-season as a member of the DU track team where he won the Atlantic 10 outdoor long jump title in May with a leap of 23 feet.

Conley, who kept himself busy as a member of Duquesne's basketball and track teams this winter and spring, returns with 71 career catches for 1,480 yards and 17 TDs.

Quarterback Niel Loebig (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette), joins Bodden and Conley as a returning first team All-MAAC pick. Loebig, who threw for 2,112 yards and 22 TDs last season, was the only freshman to earn first team all-league honors last season.

Defensively, senior linebacker Trent Wissner (Beaver Falls, Pa./Blackhawk) returns to anchor a unit that ranked No. 8 nationally in total defense last season. Wissner, a second-team All-MAAC performer in '01, will be joined by seven other returning starters on the defensive side of the ball.

Tenth-year Duquesne head football coach Greg Gattuso (71-25-0) will open preseason camp on Thursday, August 15 at Rooney Field.

* - Indicates MAAC Football League games
Home games in bold type

Home games in are played at Arthur J. Rooney Athletic Field on the Duquesne University campus

Tickets may be ordered by calling 232-DUKE (3853)