March 9, 2007
PITTSBURGH - Junior wide receiver Bruce Hocker (Upper Marlboro, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) has been named to the Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA 1 Football Championship Subdivision All-America Team released this week. The award completes a sweep of all major FCS All-America teams for the 6-4, 190-pound junior who earlier was named to the American Football Coaches Association 2006 Division I-AA Coaches' All-America Team, The Associated Press FCS All-America Team and the Sports Network FCS All-America Team.
Hocker, who was also named Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference co-Offensive Player of the Year on Dec. 1, caught 61 passes for 1,070 yards and school record-tying 16 touchdowns in 2006. Hocker leads the nation (as of Dec. 10) in receiving yards per game (107.0), touchdown catches (tied for first with 16) and points per game by a receiver (9.6). His touchdown total tied the DU school record set by Reggie Harris in 2000.
Hansen also released his NCAA 1 FCS Mid-Major All-America Team this week. In addition to Hocker, senior safety Mike Hill (Largo, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) was named to the First Team.
In all, 16 Dukes were recognized: Second Team members include junior defensive linemen Travis Decker (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and senior Ryan Esdale (Succasunna, N.J./Roxbury), sophomore linebacker Greg Hough (Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland) and junior linebacker John Simmons (Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum) and sophomore defensive back Aaron Strader (Pittsburgh, Pa./Westinghouse).
Honorable mention offense honorees include: sophomore quarterback Scott Knapp (Pittsburgh, Pa./Perry Traditional Academy), senior running back Jeremy McCullough (Bethlehem, Pa./Wyoming Seminary), senior receiver Dan Spriggs (Baltimore, Md./Calvert Hall College), junior tight end Calvin Gitter (Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks East), junior center Matt Stansfield (Meadville, Pa./Meadville) and sophomore kicker Mark Troyan (Ford City, Pa./Ford City). Honorable mention defense honorees include: senior defensive backs Todd Mills (South Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom) and Kyle Postell (Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) and junior punter David Kovalcik (Chantilly, Va./Chantilly).
Of the 16 honorees, 10 are returnees, including Hocker.
SPRING PRACTICE TO OPEN MARCH 22
Head coach Jerry Schmitt will get his first look at the 2007 Dukes when spring practice opens on Thursday, March 22. Duquesne will hold a total of 15 workouts culminating with a Spring Game on Saturday, April 21 tentatively scheduled for early afternoon on Rooney Field.
Duquesne returns 16 of a possible 22 position starters (nine on offense and seven on defense) from last year's 7-3, 3-1 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Football League champions.
