Tony Clemente '06

Nolan Robinson '07

November 22, 2003

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association Champion Hobart College Statesmen earned 20 honors when the league recently announced its postseason football awards. Sophomore linebacker Tony Clemente (Troy/Troy, N.Y.), first-year linebacker Nolan Robinson (Johnson City/Johnson City, N.Y.), and the Hobart coaching staff captured top billing as the Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Co-Coaching Staff of the Year, respectively.

Joining Clemente on the All-UCAA first-team are junior offensive linemen Alex Bell (Wallkill/Modena, N.Y.) and Jeff Bruckman (Churchville Chili/Churchville, N.Y.), junior defensive tackle Walt Bennett (Waterloo/Waterloo, N.Y.) and sophomore corner back Dyshawn Washington (Kent School/Piscataway, N.J.).

Earning a spot along side of Robinson on the second-team are senior quarterback Craig Swanson (Jamestown/Jamestown, N.Y.), junior running back Ty Godinho (Lancaster/Lancaster, N.Y.), junior wide receiver Rick Pinero (Smithtown/Hauppauge, N.Y.), junior offensive lineman Ryan Hallings (Penn Yan Academy/Penn Yan, N.Y.), senior defensive end Lawrence Moultrie (Christian Brothers Academy/Albany, N.Y.), junior defensive end Chris Purtell (Pioneer/Sardinia, N.Y.), senior linebacker David Szentesy (Lackawanna/Lackawanna, N.Y.), sophomore linebacker Jimmy Gradis (Elwood John Glenn/Greenlawn, N.Y.), and sophomore corner back Jamie Anderson (Canandaigua Academy/Canandaigua, N.Y.).

Additionally, junior Dan Suozzi (New Hampton/New Canaan, Conn.) earned three spots on the All-UCAA teams for the second straight season. After being named the first-team punter, return specialist, and wide receiver in 2002, Suozzi repeated as first-team punter and grabbed second-team honors at receiver and return specialist.

Compiling a team-high 70 tackles (34 solo), Clemente anchored the Statesmen defense as Hobart claimed the UCAA championship. He tallied 16 tackles against 18th-ranked Ithaca, leading to honors as the UCAA Defensive Player of the Week and the D3football.com team of the week following the game. Clemente was second on the team, and second in the UCAA in forced fumbles (3).

A three-time UCAA Rookie of the Week selection, Robinson finished third on the team and lead UCAA rookies in tackles with 58, including a team-leading 3.5 sacks. He recorded a season-high nine tackles in his Hobart debut at Dickinson.

Ninth-year Head Coach Mike Cragg guided the Statesmen to the UCAA championship compiling a 3-1 record in conference play and handing Rensselaer its only loss of the season. The season’s highlights included Hobart’s first home win over Union since 1978, its first road win over Rensselaer since 1983, and a 34-18 victory over Norwich in the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl. Assisting Cragg this season were Matt Daley ’03, Kevin DeWall ’00, Randy Grenier, John Manley, Terry Muffley, and Scott Yoder ’01.

Bell, Bruckman, and Hallings comprised the nucleus of an eight-man rotation on the line that helped Hobart average 156.6 rushing yards per game and 186.2 yards passing per game, including a season-high 459 yards of total offense against Norwich. A three-year starter, Bell moved up to the first-team after garnering second-team praise in each of his first two seasons. Bruckman is a two-year starter, who earned honorable mention in 2002. Hallings is making his first appearance on the All-UCAA teams. Hobart’s entire offensive line was named to the D3Football.com Team of the Week after Hobart posted 431 yards of offense at Rensselaer.

Bennett was a key component in Hobart’s dominant run defense that did not allow a 100-yard rusher all season. He finished fifth on the team in tackles with 51, including a team-high 10½ tackles for a loss. An effective pass rusher as well, Bennett logged 2.5 sacks, broke up four passes, and registered seven quarterback hurries.

Washington was the league’s choice as Hobart’s top cover man. He was second on the team in passes defended with 14, including 12 pass break ups and two interceptions. Washington was sixth on the team in solo tackles (28) and eighth in total tackles (40).

Swanson is without question the best passer in the 110-year history of Hobart football. In 32 career games, he completed 454 of 802 passes (56.6 percent) for 5,678 yards, and 47 touchdowns, averaging 177.4 passing yards per game and posting a 129.7 efficiency rating, all Hobart career records. Swanson threw for a season-high 324 yards and three touchdowns in a win over Franklin & Marshall on Oct. 18. The 2002 Gagliardi Trophy Finalist (Division III Player of the Year), he was the 2002 UCAA Offensive Player of the Year.

Godinho led the UCAA in rushing for the second straight season, posting 1,077 yards. He also led the conference in touchdowns with 14. Godinho rushed for a career-high 203 yards and was named the MVP of the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl. He produced five 100-yard rushing games this season to raise his career total to 16. Godinho was a 2002 first-team All-UCAA selection and was the 2001 UCAA Rookie of the Year.

Suozzi broke the Hobart single season record for receptions with 65 this year. He led the UCAA in kick return average (22.0 yds/ret), all-purpose yards (134.9 yds/g), punt return average (6.2 yds/ret), and ranks second in punting average (35.3 yds/p). The hang time on his punt are the main reason Hobart leads the UCAA in punting (34.1 net yards/punt). Suozzi ranks among the top-40 in the nation in receptions (6.3) and receiving yards per game (90.6). He broke the Hobart single game marks for receptions and yards against Franklin & Marshall with 12 catches for 239 yards. Suozzi needs just 51 receiving yards to become Hobart’s career leader. He has caught at least one pass in 21 consecutive games.

Pinero was second on the team in receptions (44), receiving yards (414), and receiving touchdowns (5). He made a season-high seven catches for 108 yards at Alfred. Pinero also averaged 20.9 yards per kickoff return.

Another key component of Hobart’s run stopping success, Moultrie recorded a career-high 41 tackles this season, 10 more than his previous three seasons combined. He made a career-high six tackles in a game five times this season. Moultrie had six tackles, including a sack, in Hobart’s ECAC Bowl win.

Purtell gained the UCAA coaches’ praise despite missing the final four games of the season due to injury. In six games, he produced 33 tackles and recovered four fumbles. One of three team captains, Purtell logged a season-high 10 tackles at St. Lawrence.

A three-time All-UCAA selection, Szentesy came within one stop of leading Hobart in tackles for the third straight season, finishing the campaign with 69 stops. He made a season-high 11 tackles and broke up three passes against St. John Fisher. In 38 career games, Szentesy recorded 229 tackles, including 9½ sacks, five interceptions, and recovered nine fumbles.

Gradis, who was a second-team selection last season as well, is a converted corner back. He was fourth on the team in tackles with 52 and led the UCAA and is among the top-30 in the nation in forced fumbles. He was named the UCAA Defensive Player of the Week following the Rochester game in which he made a season-high nine tackles, grabbed two interceptions, and forced and recovered a fumble.

Anderson led the UCAA and is among the national leaders in passes defended (16) and is second in the UCAA and among the national leaders in interceptions (5). He was named the UCAA Defensive Player of the Week after posting three interceptions and four pass break ups in a 35-3 win over Union. Anderson finished the season with 39 tackles and 56 yards in interception returns.