Nov. 28, 2005

Duquesne University senior middle linebacker Harry Carter (Lanham, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt), redshirt freshman cornerback Aaron Strader (Pittsburgh, Pa./Westinghouse) & redshirt freshman quarterback Scott Knapp (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry Traditional Academy) along with head coach Jerry Schmitt earned individual honors and a total of 22 Dukes were named First or Second Team All-MAAC in a vote of league coaches released just prior to Thanksgiving.

Carter, who led Duquesne's top-ranked I-AA defense with 87 tackles, was named the MAAC Defensive Player of the Year, while Strader, who started the last four games of the year and Knapp, a four-time league Rookie of the Week, were named Defensive and Offensive Rookie of the Year respectively. Schmitt, who guided the Dukes to a 7-3 record, including a 4-0 mark in MAAC play in his first season as coach of the Dukes was named the league's Anaconda Sports/MAAC Coach of the Year.

Defensive tackle Josh Antinopoulos (Monaca, Pa./Monaca) and defensive end Antoine Bullock (Houston, Texas/Sugar Land Kempner), who finished tied with each other for second on the team with 73 tackles each, headlined a group of 14 players named to the All-MAAC First Team.

Joining Antinopoulos, Bullock and Carter on the first team are defensive linemen Ryan Esdale (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury) and Lou Levine (Export, Pa./Franklin Regional), defensive backs Michael Hill (Largo, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) and Todd Mills (South Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) and punter David Kovalcik (Chantilly, Va./Chantilly).

On the offensive side of the ball, linemen Matt Bovich (Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha), Matt Hoffman (Rockville, Md./Good Counsel) and Zach Wolfe (Ford City, Pa./Ford City) along with tight end Calvin Gitter (Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks East), receiver Alex Roberson (Waynesboro, Ga./Curtis Baptist Upper School) and running back Jeremy McCullough (Bethlehem, Pa./Wyoming Seminary) were honored.

Eight players were to the All-MAAC Second Team including Knapp at quarterback, running back Greg Hough (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland), offensive linemen Josh Martin (Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny) & Brad Salvatore (Stamford, Conn./Trinity Catholic), placekicker Mark Troyan (Ford City, Pa./Ford City), linebacker John Simmons (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) and defensive backs Michael Ford (Clinton, Md./Oxon Hill) and Kyle Postell (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt).

Duquesne (7-3) went 4-0-0 in winning its seventh consecutive MAAC title in 2005. In the process the Dukes, who have won nine of the last 11 league crowns, extended their nation's-longest conference win streak to 37 games.

2005 ALL-MAAC FOOTBALL LEAGUE FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Pos. Name, School                    Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High SchoolQB  Michael Jump, La Salle          So. 6-3 200 Toms River, N.J./Toms River South
RB   Jeremy McCullough, Duquesne~    Jr. 5-9 190 Bethlehem, Pa./Wyoming Seminary    Sean Mayers, Saint Peter's*+    Sr. 5-10    198 Marlton, N.J./Cherokee
WR   Alex Roberson, Duquesne         So. 6-2 180 Waynesboro, Ga./Curtis Baptist Upper School    Brandon Edmonds, Saint Peter's  Sr. 6-2 210 Valley Cottage, N.Y./Spring Valley
TE   Calvin Gitter, Duquesne~    So. 6-2 220 Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks West
OL   Matt Bovich, Duquesne+            Sr. 6-1 270 Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic    Matt Hoffman, Duquesne           So. 6-6 320 Rockville, Md./Good Counsel    Zach Wolfe, Duquesne            So. 6-4 230 Ford City, Pa./Ford City    Joe Cifelli, La Salle#~         Sr. 6-3 285 West Essex, N.J./West Essex    Steve Mair, La Salle            Sr. 6-3 265 Feasterville, Pa./St. Joseph's Prep
PK   Chris LoFrese, Iona         Jr. 6-0 160 Middletown, N.Y./Middletown    Brad Rowe, Marist~          So. 5-11    165 Stratham, N.H./Exeter
DEFENSE
Pos. Name, School                    Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High SchoolDL  Josh Antinopolous, Duquesne#+   Sr. 6-2 265 Monaca, Pa./Monaca    Antoine Bullock, Duquesne#+   Sr. 6-1 220 Houtson,, Texas/Sugar Land Kempner    Ryan Esdale, Duquesne         Jr. 6-2 240 Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury    Lou Levine, Duquesne           So. 6-2 250 Export, Pa./Franklin Regional
LB   Harry Carter, Duquesne&*+    Sr. 6-1 235 Lanham, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt    Adam Lipski, Iona           Jr. 6-0 220 Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place    John Robinson, Saint Peter's    Sr. 5-11    210 Valencia, Calif./Valencia
DB   Michael Hill, Duquesne           Jr. 5-11    205 Largo, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt    Todd Mills, Duquesne+          Jr. 5-10    200 South Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom    Brett Sohns, Iona           Sr. 6-1 185 Delhi, N.Y./Delhi    Mark Moraca, La Salle           Jr. 5-9 180 Mantua, N.J./Clearview    Huck Correia, Marist%           Jr. 5-10    170 Pittsfield, Mass./Taconic
P    David Kovalcik, Duquesne+  So. 5-10    185 Chantilly, Va./Chantilly
2005 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year:   Michael Jump, La Salle2005 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year:  Harry Carter, Duquesne2005 MAAC Offensive Rookie of the Year:  Scott Knapp, Duquesne2005 MAAC Defensive Rookie of the Year:  Aaron Strader, Duquesne2004 Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year:  Jerry Schmitt, Duquesne


2005 ALL-MAAC FOOTBALL LEAGUE SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Pos. Name, School                    Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High SchoolQB  Scott Knapp, Duquesne         Fr. 6-3 230 Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry Traditional Academy
RB   Greg Hough, Duquesne           Fr. 6-1 190 Gibsonia, Pa./Pine Richland    Obozua Ehikioya, Marist>~   So. 5-11    220 West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead
WR   Dennis Calacione, Iona*~    Sr. 6-3 215 New Milford, N.J./New Milford    John Zabel, La Salle+           Sr. 6-2 185 Ellicott City, Md./Mt. Hebron
TE   Mike Marshall, Marist~          Sr. 6-3 210 Middletown, N.J./Mater Dei
OL   Josh Martin, Duquesne+        Sr. 6-4 305 Imperial, Pa./West Allegheny    Brad Salvatore, Duquesne+      Sr. 6-5 280 Stamford, Conn./Trinity Catholic    Greg Latter, Iona~      Sr. 5-11    275 Westwood, Mass./Xaverian    Chris Flosi, Iona       Sr. 5-10    255 Cranston, R.I./Bishop Hendricken    Steve Van Soest, Marist+    Sr. 6-0 275 Franklin Lakes, N.J./Indian Hills    Mike Walsh, Marist~         Jr. 6-2 260 Bellerose, N.Y./Chaminade    Paul Noel, Saint Peter's    Jr. 5-11    275 East Orange, N.J./Immaculate Conception
PK   Mark Troyan, Duquesne         Fr. 6-0 175 Ford City, Pa./Ford City
DEFENSE
Pos. Name, School                    Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last SchoolDL  Brent Maddox, Iona          Sr. 6-1 280 Thorntown, Ind./ Mt. San Jacinto JC    James McDonald, Iona            So. 6-4 250 Bayport, N.Y./Sacred Heart    Robert Merhk, La Salle          Sr. 6-1 260 Egg Harbor Township, N.J./Holy Spirit    Nate Moss, La Salle         Sr. 6-4 280 Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle College HS    Will Mitchell, Saint Peter's    Jr. 5-10    265 Trenton, N.J./Trenton Central
LB   John Simmons, Duquesne           So. 6-1 215 Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum    Mike Giummo, Marist         Sr. 5-11    190 Lincroft, N.J./Mater Dei    Dan Smith, Marist           So. 6-2 225 Reston, Va./South Lakes
DB   Michael Ford, Duquesne#~ Sr. 6-2 190 Clinton, Md./Oxon Hill    Kyle Postell, Duquesne+          Jr. 5-11    185 Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt    Randy Carpenter, La Salle   Jr. 5-9 175 Philadelphia, Pa./Martin Luther King    Terrance Wright, Saint Peter's  Sr. 5-11    190 Phoenix, Ariz./Mesa CC
P    Chris LoFrese, Iona~            Jr. 6-0 160 Middletown, N.Y./Middletown
+ = 2004 First Team All-MAAC Selection~ = 2004 Second Team All-MAAC Selection> = 2004 Offensive Rookie of the Year* = 2003 First Team All-MAAC Selection% = 2003 Defensive Rookie of the Year# = 2003 Second Team All-MAAC Selection^ = 2002 First Team All-MAAC Selection@ = 2002 Second Team All-MAAC Selection& = 2002 MAAC Defensive Rookie of the Year