December 15 , 2004

Alex Bell is the first Statesman to earn AFCA All-American honors since 1986. (Photo by Art Foxall)

GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College senior offensive lineman Alex Bell (Wallkill/Modena, N.Y.) was named an All-American for the second time this week, this time by the American Football Coaches Association. Earlier this week, he was named a third-team All-American by the Football Gazette.

Bell paved the road for the Statesmen to set team records for passing yards (2,302), passing touchdowns (31), total offense (4,501), touchdowns (50), and points (364) this season. With the 6-foot-3, 317-pounder as the keystone, Hobart’s offensive line reduced the number of sacks it allowed from 43 in 2003 to 25 in 2004, despite playing one more game this year.

Bell and the Statesmen led the Liberty League in rushing offense (199.9 yds/g) and scoring (33.1 ppg). He helped Hobart to three conference championships, two NCAA Playoff appearances, and the 2003 ECAC North Atlantic Bowl Championship.

Extremely nimble for his size, Bell was even used as a running back, à la Refrigerator Perry, as a first-year, scoring a pair of 1-yard touchdowns in 2001.

Highly decorated, Bell represented Hobart on Team USA in the 2004 Aztec Bowl, a senior all-star game against a team of Mexican college all-stars. He was a four-time All-Liberty League pick, a three-time Football Gazette All-East selection, and a two-time All-ECAC Northwest honoree.

The AFCA selects just one 25-player team of All-Americans in each of four divisions (I, I-AA, II, III). The AFCA All-America teams were first selected in 1945.

Just the fourth Statesman to earn All-America honors from the AFCA, Bell is the first Hobart player to make the list since defensive back Brian Verdon ’87 in 1986. Running backs Don Aleksiewicz ’73 (1972) and Rich Kowalski ’76 (1975) are the other two.