Oct. 28, 2003

Duquesne University defensive tackle Philip Polony (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) was one of 42 college seniors added to the rosters of the inaugural I-AA All-Star Classic it was announced today. The roster additions bring the total number of those invited to play to 89 in the game scheduled for Dec. 30 at Fort Lauderdale, Fla. The game, to be staged and televised by TFN, The Football Network, will be broadcast to more than 28 million homes in the US through TFN's own carriage, and agreements with six major Fox Sports regional cable stations.

Polony joins center Rob Bowser (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West) who was named to the original roster in late August. Polony and Bowser, who helped Duquesne clinch its fifth consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League championship on October 18, are two of the four invited thus far from I-AA Mid-Major conferences. The others are Monmouth linebacker Joe Sentipal (Northeast Conference) and San Diego quarterback Eric Rasmussen (Pioneer Football League).

The selected players were chosen by a committee of coaches, administrators and media from the conferences. Previous selections can be viewed at www.footballnetwork.com (click About TFN, press releases, August 29). Participating conferences include the Atlantic 10, the Big Sky Conference, the Big South Conference, the Gateway Football Conference, The Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC), the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), the Northeast Conference, the Ohio Valley Conference, the Patriot League, the Pioneer Football League, the Southern Conference, the Southland Conference, and the Southwestern Athletic Conference.

An additional 11 players will be added to complete the rosters in November.