Niel Loebig Named League Offensive Player Of The Year

PITTSBURGH - Duquesne University, coming off its fifth consecutive Metro Atlantic Athletic Confence Football League championship, placed a league-high 23 players on the 2003 All-MAAC Football League Team announced today.

The Dukes also dominated the individual awards as well, with quarterback Niel Loebig (McDonald, Pa./South Fayette) being named Offensive Player of the Year, defensive tackle Phil Polony (Whitehall, Pa./Whitehall) named co-Defensive Player of the Year. In addition, head coach Gg Gattuso was tabbed as MAAC Coach of the Year for the sixth time.

Loebig, who holds 13 of the 15 passing cords kept at Duquesne, has thrown for 2,801 yards and 24 touchdowns this season. He is the fifth consecutive DU player to be named league Offensive Player of the Year.

Polony, a two-time first team All-MAAC pick and four-year starter, has 43 tackles including eight tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks. He follows 2002 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year Leigh Bodden of DU, who curntly is a defensive back for the NFL's Cleveland Browns.

Gattuso, who needs the mo victories to become the winningest coach in DU history, was also named MAAC Coach of the Year in 1995, 1996, 1999, 2000 and 2002. Gattuso's Duquesne teams a 62-7 since joining the MAAC in 1994.

The Dukes placed 14 players on the first team - seven on offense and seven on defense. In addition to Loebig, who was named to the first team for the third time, senior running back Mike Hilliard (Homer City, Pa./Homer Center), senior ceiver Yardon Brantley (Reading, Pa./Reading Central Catholic), senior tight end Matt Mefford (Wyoming, Ohio/Wyoming) and offensive linemen senior center Rob Bowser (Chalfont, Pa./Central Bucks West), senior tackle Ken Chambon (South Fayette, Pa./South Fayette) and junior guard Mike Daniluk (Cranberry Twp., Pa./Seneca Valley) all earned first team mention.

On the defensive side of the ball, Polony was joined by senior defensive end Ben Bailey (Philadelphia, Pa./La Salle College), sophomo linebackers Harry Carter (Lanham, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt) and Javonn Bradley (Rochester, Pa./Rochester) and defensive backs senior Tim Pichette (Boardman, Ohio./Cardinal Mooney) and Armar Watson (Forstville, Md./Suitland). Senior Joe Maker (Butler, Pa./Butler) was named first team punter.

The 2003 All-MAAC Football League Team was chosen by a vote of the league's head coaches.

2003 ALL-MAAC PICKS BY SCHOOL

23 - DUQUESNE

12 - Iona

6 - Saint Peter's

6 - Siena

5 - La Salle

5 - Marist

QB Niel Loebig is the fifth consecutive Duquesne player to be named Offensive Player of the Year

DT Philip Polony was named co-Defensive Player of the Year

DU's Gg Gattuso was named MAAC Coach of the Year for the sixth time

Duquesne placed 14 players on the 28-man first team (seven on offense and seven on defense)

First Team Offense

Sean Mayers, Saint Peter's So. 5-9 190 Marlton, NJ/Cherokee

Dennis Calacione, Iona So. 6-3 200 New Milford, NJ/New Milford

Matt Lucier, Iona Sr. 6-1 285 Salem, NH/St. John?s

Joe Isa, Saint Peter's^ Sr. 6-3 300 Guttenberg, NJ/North Bergen

PK Spencer Callahan, Iona Sr. 6-0 180 Fairhope, AL/Fairhope

First Team Defense

Kevin Fales, Iona^ Sr. 6-3 270 Croton, NY/Croton-Harmon

Payton Rogers, Marist Jr. 6-0 235 Paterson, NJ/Paterson Catholic

Shawn Poling, Saint Peter's>^ Jr. 6-0 245 Union Beach, NJ/Keyport

Jesse Oriol, Iona Sr. 6-2 230 Teaneck, NJ/Bergen Tech

John Healy, Marist Sr. 6-0 200 Milford, CT/St. Joseph's

Alfdo Pascal, Saint Peter's Jr. 6-0 220 Miami, FL/Gulliver Pp

Auby Bennett, Marist@ Sr. 5-9 180 E. Syracuse, NY/E. Syracuse Minoa

Jesse Mays, Saint Peter's Sr. 6-2 185 Bayonne, NJ/Bayonne

Spencer Callahan, Iona Sr. 6-0 180 Fairhope, AL/Fairhope

2003 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year: Niel Loebig, Duquesne

2003 MAAC Offensive Rookie of the Year: Nat Modica, Iona

2003 MAAC Defensive Rookie of the Year: Barry Coria, Marist

2003 Anaconda MAAC Coach of the Year: Gg Gattuso, Duquesne

Second Team Offense

QB Ed Marynowitz, La Salle So. 6-3 200 Coral Springs, FL/Pope John Paul II

RB Nat Modica, Iona Fr. 5-8 170 Ozone Park, NY/St. Francis Pp

Alfdo Riullano, Marist@ Sr. 5-10 220 Callicoon, NY/Delawa Valley

TE Dan Campbell, Iona Jr. 6-3 235 Red Bank, NJ/Middletown South

Joe Cifelli, La Salle So. 6-3 270 West Essex, NJ/West Essex

Adam Waterbury, Marist Sr. 6-2 285 Wallingford, CT/Lyman Hall

Jim Oliveto, Siena So. 6-4 255 Chappaqua, NY/Horace Gely

PK Charles Conklin, Siena Jr. 5-11 170 Newburgh, NY/Valley Central

Second Team Defense

Andy Cardot, Iona Sr. 6-2 285 Rochester, NY/Gece Olympia

Ed Pietrowski, Siena@ Sr. 6-2 235 Beacon, NY/Beacon

Julio Boromei, Iona Sr. 6-0 225 Ridgefield Park, NJ/St. Joseph's

John Robinson, Saint Peter's So. 5-11 200 Valencia, CA/Valencia

Ternce Kehayas, Siena Jr. 6-0 220 Yonkers, NY/Archbishop Stepinac

Dan Smacchia, Siena+^ Sr. 6-0 240 Thornwood, NY/Westlake

Eddie Albert, Iona Sr. 5-9 175 Paramus, NJ/Paramus Catholic

Frank Meade, Iona Jr. 5-9 180 Yonkers, NY/Iona Pp

Vernard Abrams, La Salle Jr. 6-3 182 Philadelphia, PA/Cardinal Dougherty

Kevin Smith, La Salle Sr. 5-10 175 Philadelphia, PA/Conwell Egan

Joe Serratelli, Siena So. 5-10 200 Jackson, NJ/Jackson

P Jeff Peloso, La Salle Jr. 5-9 185 Washington, NJ/Warn Hills

^ = 2002 First Team All-MAAC Selection

@ = 2002 Second Team All-MAAC Selection

& = 2002 MAAC Offensive Rookie of the Year

+ = 2001 First Team All-MAAC Selection

! = 2001 Second Team All-MAAC Selection

< = 2001 MAAC Offensive Rookie of the Year

> = 2001 MAAC Defensive Rookie of the Year

* = 2000 First Team All-MAAC Selection

# = 2000 Second Team All-MAAC Selection

% = 2000 MAAC Co-Defensive Rookie of the Year

$ = 2000 MAAC Co-Offensive Rookie of the Year