Dec. 16, 2011
Click here to see the 2011 FCS AP All-America Team
PITTSBURGH- Junior safety Serge Kona (Gaithersburg, Md./Gaithersburg), the 2011 Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, has been named third team All-America by the Associated Press.
Kona, the only player from the NEC to earn 2011 All-America honors, joins nine-year NFL veteran Leigh Bodden (AP All-America defensive back in 2002 & 2003) as the only DU underclassman to earn the honor. Kona is the sixth player in school history, and first since Bruce Hocker in 2006, to be named AP All-America.
The 5-10, 215-pound Kona, who moved from linebacker to free safety in the spring, led a secondary that led the nation in pass defense at 139.27 yards per game. He finished the year with 48 tackles (28 solo) including 4.0 tackles for loss. He intercepted two passes and forced three fumbles for the Dukes who led the NEC in total defense, scoring defense, pass defense and pass efficiency defense.
Duquesne (9-2, 7-1), which just completed its seventh season under head coach Jerry Schmitt, finished tied for first in the NEC in just its fourth season as an associate member.
Duquesne's Associated Press FCS All-Americans
Joe Rosato, specialist -- 1996+
Matt Fisher, LB -- 1998+
Leigh Bodden, DB -- 2001+
Leigh Bodden, DB -- 2002*
Antoine Bullock, LB -- 2005*
Bruce Hocker, WR -- 2006+
Serge Kona, DB -- 2011+
* - second team
+ - third team
