November 18 , 2004

Chris Purtell

Josh Van Auken

GENEVA, N.Y.—Two Hobart football players were recently named to the College Sports Information Directors Academic All-District I team. Senior defensive end Chris Purtell (Pioneer/Sardinia, N.Y.) and senior offensive lineman Josh Van Auken (Greece Olympia/Rochester, N.Y.) were named to the first-team and advance to the national Academic All-America® ballot.

To be nominated for the Academic All-District teams, student-athletes must be at least a sophomore, a starter or key reserve, and maintain a minimum 3.2 cumulative grade point average. The Academic All-America® football teams will be announced Dec. 1.

Making his second consecutive appearance on the All-District team, Purtell was named the Liberty League Defensive Player of the Year earlier this week. The leading tackler for the Statesmen, Purtell was a three-time D3football.com Team of the Week selection. He had more tackles for a loss (14½) than any two of his teammates combined, including a team-high 4½ sacks. Purtell anchored a Hobart defense that did not allow a 100-yard rusher all season and ranked first in the league in rushing defense (94.7 yds/g), scoring defense (17.9 ppg), and red zone defense (57.1 percent). He is an economics and political science double major and a three-time Liberty League All-Academic selection.

A two-year starter, Van Auken and the rest of his teammates on the line have helped the Statesmen lead the league in scoring offense (35 ppg), total offense (427.0 yds/g), rushing offense (210.6 yds/g) and pass efficiency (163.3). For the most part healthy throughout the season, Hobart has allowed just 15 sacks this season, compared to 39 through nine games in 2003. Van Auken is an English major and a two-time Liberty League All-Academic selection.

The Statesmen finished the regular season with an 8-1 overall record, including a perfect 7-0 mark in the Liberty League. Hobart captured its third straight Liberty League Championship, and will host Curry College in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at noon, on Nov. 20. Tickets for the game are $8 for adults, $4 for children.