TIm Booth '03

Craig Swanson '03

November 30, 2002

GENEVA, N.Y.—The Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association announced its postseason football awards and the league champion Hobart College Statesmen dominated the voting. Junior quarterback Craig Swanson (Jamestown/Jamestown, N.Y.), senior linebacker Tim Booth (Waterloo/Waterloo, N.Y.), and Head Coach Mike Cragg captured the UCAA Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and Coach of the Year awards, respectively.

Hobart earned 14 spots on the first team, three more on the second team and two honorable mentions. Joining Swanson and Booth on the first team are sophomore running back Ty Godinho (Lancaster/Lancaster, N.Y.), senior tight end Jeremy Archer (Randolph/Randolph, N.Y.), senior offensive lineman Adam Tumilowicz (Unadilla Valley/Norwich, N.Y.), senior offensive lineman Nate Milne (Jamestown/Jamestown, N.Y.), senior defensive tackle Brad Griffith (Massena/Syracuse, N.Y.), senior defensive end Chris Hanly (Swampscott/Swampscott, Mass.), junior linebacker David Szentesy (Lackawanna/Lackawanna, N.Y.), sophomore defensive back Skip Grantling (Clyde-Savannah/Clyde, N.Y.), and sophomore kicker Eric Ampuja(Brockton/Brockton, Mass.).

The other three spots on the first team all went to sophomore Dan Suozzi (New Hampton/New Canaan, Conn.). He was named to the first team at wide receiver, punter, and return specialist.

Sophomore offensive lineman Alex Bell (Wallkill/Modena, N.Y.), senior linebacker Everton McLean (Christian Brothers Academy/Albany, N.Y.), and first-year defensive back Jimmy Gradis (Elwood John Glenn/Greenlawn, N.Y.) were selected to the second team, while sophomore offensive lineman Jeff Bruckman (Churchville-Chili/Churchville, N.Y. and senior wide receiver Joe Pirozzolo (Elmira Free Academy/Elmira, N.Y.) received honorable mention.

Cragg’s Statesmen opened the season with a seven-game win streak, the program’s best start in 48 years, and finished the regular season with an 8-1 record. Hobart posted a perfect 4-0 record in the UCAA, the Statesmen’s first unbeaten season in the league. Hobart earned its second NCAA Tournament invitation in three seasons, falling in the first round to 11th-ranked John Carroll University.

A finalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, Swanson completed 170 of 290 passes for 2,209 yards and 21 touchdowns. He broke 14 Hobart records this season, including passing yards and passing touchdowns in a season.

Booth, a three-time first team All-UCAA selection, led the team in tackles for a loss (9.5), forced fumbles (3), and blocked kicks (2). He finished second on the team with a career-high 58 tackles, including a team best 41 solo stops. Booth compiled 163 career tackles, including 42.5 tackles for a loss, 10 sacks, and 11 interceptions.

Godinho led the UCAA in rushing this season, racking up 958 yards on 227 carries. He posted six 100-yard rushing games this season, including a career-high 154 yards and four touchdowns against
Rensselaer. Godinho led the team and ranked 36th in the nation in scoring with 12 rushing touchdowns, two more receiving, and a two-point conversion. He also caught 24 passes for 200 yards.

Archer caught a career-high 13 passes for 166 yards and a team-high five touchdowns this season. He finished his career with 24 receptions for 319 yards and six touchdowns.

Tumilowicz, a three-time first team All-UCAA selection, and Milne, a two-time first teamer, helped the Statesmen average 132.0 yards rushing and a school record 221.9 yards passing per game this season.

Griffith was third on the team in tackles (56) and second in fumbles recovered (3). He recorded a season-high 10 tackles against Dickinson. The 2001 second team All-UCAA honoree finished his career with 152 tackles, including 21.5 for a loss.

Hanly led the team in passes defended (10), was second in tackles for a loss (9.0) and sacks (3.5). He finished fourth on the team in tackles with 52, including a season-high 11 stops against Union. Hanly closed out his career with 132 tackles and 7.5 sacks.

Szentesy led Hobart and finished third in total tackles with 76, the most by a Statesman since 1997. He recorded a career-high 16 tackles against Union. A UCAA honorable mention a year ago, he also boasted a team-high 4.5 sacks and six fumble recoveries.

Grantling, who earned his second first-team selection in as many seasons, was sixth on the team in tackles (47) and second in solo tackles (40). He registered a season-high 13 tackles against Franklin & Marshall. Despite playing most of the season with a cast on his arm, he still managed an interception and six pass break ups.

Another two-time first-team selection, Ampuja was second on the team in scoring with 40 points. He converted 31 of 36 point-after-tries, including a record tying 8-for-8 performance against Rochester. Against Franklin & Marshall, he broke the Hobart career record for PATs made. Ampuja has made 56 PATs, 11 more than the previous Hobart career record.

Suozzi, a second team All-UCAA selection in 2001 as a return specialist, became an instant three-time All-UCAA honoree. Hobart’s leading receiver caught 44 passes for 703 yards and four touchdowns, despite missing two games due to injury. Suozzi led the league in punt average (35.4) and ranked in the top-5 in punt return average (9.5) and kick return average (21.7).

Bell was also an important member of Hobart’s offensive line. The 6-foot-3, 330-pounder was a second team All-UCAA selection last season as well.

McLean also earned his second straight second team award. He finished the season with 45 tackles, including 8.5 for a loss and two sacks. For his career, McLean recorded 153 tackles and seven sacks.

Gradis led Hobart first-years with 50 tackles (5th overall) and made a team-high three interceptions. He earned back-to-back Rookie of the Week honors against Alfred and Ithaca. Against the Saxons, he posted four tackles and a key third quarter interception that kept Alfred from adding to its lead in a game Hobart eventually won in overtime. The following week against the Bombers, he recorded a team-high eight tackles.

Bruckman enjoyed a very successful season on the offensive line. A converted defensive lineman, he started all 10 games for the Statesmen this season.

A 2001 second team selection, Pirozzolo finished second on the team in receptions with 35 for 433 yards and four touchdowns. In two seasons for Hobart, he caught 63 passes for 926 yards and nine touchdowns.