June 28, 2006

2005-06 Athletics Season Review
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The first Atlantic 10 Championship since 1977, five Academic All-America's and a seventh consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League title highlight the recently completed 2005-06 Duquesne University department of athletics season.

It was a year marked by continued academic excellence and a number of outstanding team performances.

Head coach Jim Lear guided the men's cross country team to the A-10 title in October on pre-meet favorite La Salle's home course in Philadelphia, giving the Dukes their first league championship since the men's basketball team captured the then-Eastern Eight championship in 1977. Lear was one of two DU coaches to earn Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year honors.

Sophomore Tom Slosky, a member of the cross country team who doubles in the steeplechase for the outdoor track team, made school history in June by qualifying for the NCAA Championship at Sacramento, Calif.

Duquesne's other Atlantic 10 Coach of the Year, Wade Jean, led the men's soccer team to a 13-5 record prior to returning to his home state of Vermont to take the head coaching position at St. Michael's College. The men's team also produced the Atlantic 10 Student-Athlete of the Year, Noah Salsi, as well as the Defensive Player of the Year, Zach Varga.

The football team went 7-3 and clinched its seventh consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League title. Head Coach Jerry Schmitt was named MAAC Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm. The Dukes produced three consensus All-Americans in defensive tackle Josh Antinopolous, middle linebacker Harry Carter -both of whom received this distinction for the second consecutive year - and defensive end Antoine Bullock, who was also named as an Associated Press All-American and was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award which is given to the top defensive player in all of Division I-AA.

Both the men's and women's swimming teams had their best finish ever at the Atlantic 10 Championship. The men's team finished tied for fifth and the women's team finished fourth. In addition, the women's soccer team made its first Atlantic 10 Championship appearance. The women's basketball team also had a good showing in the Atlantic 10 Championship, advancing to the semifinal round for the first time since 1992.

The women's lacrosse team reached double-digit wins for the third consecutive season, and just missed making the Atlantic 10 championship also for the third straight year. Krista Mann took home honors as the Defensive Player of the Year in the Atlantic 10 as well as being named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Second Team West/Midwest Regional All-American Team along with teammate Kelly Mulford.

The women's cross country team tied its second-best showing in school history with a fourth-place finish at the A-10 Championship.

The wrestling team posted an 11-7 record during the regular season and finished third in the NCAA Division I East Region. Individually, junior Jared Ricotta made his second consecutive trip to the NCAA Championship.

The Dukes also excelled in the classroom with five student-athletes named to various ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Teams. They were Noah Salsi (soccer) who was named to the first team with a 3.95 GPA. Ryan Esdale (football), with a 3.73 GPA, Robert Healy (outdoor track), with a 3.45 GPA, and Steve Maiolo (baseball), with a 3.94, were all named to the second team. Rounding out the group is Melissa Stewart (outdoor track) who, with a 3.97 GPA, was named to the third team.

The five honorees marked the 11th consecutive year Duquesne has produced at least one Academic All-America.

Duquesne also had 18 student-athletes named to 2005-2006 COSIDA Academic All District Teams. The 18 student athletes were the most from any school in the district which includes schools from Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. DU also had at least one honoree on 10 different teams, which tied with Bucknell for the most of any school.

Duquesne had 21 student athletes named to the 2005-2006 Atlantic 10 All-Academic Teams. The 21 student athletes were the most from any school in the league. DU also had two Atlantic 10 Student-Athletes of the Year in Noah Salsi from the men's soccer team and Robert Healy from the men's outdoor track and field team.

For a complete review of the 2005-2006 athletics season, please click on the PDF link listed above.