Craig Swanson '04

Chris Purtell '05

November 14, 2003

GENEVA, N.Y.—Hobart College football team captains senior quarterback Craig Swanson (Jamestown/Jamestown, N.Y.) and junior defensive end Chris Purtell (Pioneer/Sardinia, N.Y.) were named to the 2003 Academic All-District I College Division Football Team, as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). As first-team selections, both players will be included on the CoSIDA Academic All-America ballot.

To be selected to the CoSIDA academic teams, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically and athletically, be a significant starter or reserve, and maintain a minimum 3.2 grade point average.

Without question, the best quarterback in Hobart history, Swanson was a first-team Academic All-District selection last season as well. This season, he broke the Hobart career records for passing yards, completions, and attempts. Swanson broke the Hobart record for the longest completion on an 88-yard touchdown pass against Union on Sept. 27. He was named the UCAA and ECAC Northwest Offensive Player of the Week following the Union game (22-15-0, 193 yds, 2 TD). Swanson holds 26 Hobart career, season, and game records, including passing yards in a game, season, and career.

A physics major, Swanson was a 2002 Gagliardi Trophy Finalist (Division III Player of theYear) and the 2002 UCAA Offensive Player of the Year. For his career, he has completed 430 of 765 for 5,323 yards and 42 touchdowns.

On the other side of the ball, Purtell is making his first appearance on the CoSIDA Academic All-District team. He started the first six games this season before losing the rest of the year to injury. Despite missing the last two games, Purtell still leads the UCAA in fumbles recovered (4). He made a career-high 10 tackles, recorded a sack, and recovered a fumble at St. Lawrence, and boasts a career-high 33 for the season. Purtell is an economics major.

Hobart is 4-4 heading into its conference finale tomorrow at Rensselaer. The 20th-ranked Engineers (8-0) are undefeated and looking to secure the UCAA title. However, the Statesmen can defend their league crown with a victory, leaving both teams 3-1 records in the league and giving Hobart the championship based on the first tie-breaker, head-to-head results.