Eight Hudson Valley Players Sign a National Letter of Intent NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year Emmanuel Marc to Attend Utah State

February 4, 2004

CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Wednesday, February 4, 2004

Eight Hudson Valley Community College student-athletes made their future intentions known today when they each signed a National Letter of Intent to play football and continue their education for the next two years.

Sitting (L to R) - Frantzy Dorlean, Jermaine Price, Ernest Jones, Emmanuel Marc, J.J. Nesheiwat Standing (L to R) - Atiba Taylor, Jeremiah Birden, Bob Jojo, Marquis Ingram, Eric Brooks

"This was an incredible year for our program," Hudson Valley Head Coach Bob Jojo said. "I think today's events help to show that the level of talent at Hudson Valley has never been better.We had 13 former players on Division I rosters in 2003, and 10 more already have earned scholarships for next year."

Running back Emmanuel Marc (Spring Valley/Spring Valley High School), who was named the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Offensive Player of the Year in 2003 after rushing for 2,038 yards and 18 touchdowns, will attend Utah State University. Utah State is a member of the Sun Belt Conference, but will join the Western Athletic Conference in 2005.

Tennessee State University will receive the benefits of the entire Hudson Valley starting defensive line that allowed only 85.6 rushing yards per game in 2003. Defensive tackle Ernest Jones (Bronx/Lehman High School), and defensive ends Jermaine Price (Trenton, NJ/Pemberton High School) and Frantzy Dorlean (Spring Valley/Ramapo High School) all will suit up for the Tigers next year. In their two-year Hudson Valley careers, Jones compiled 90 tackles and six sacks, Price had 70 tackles and 5.5 sacks, and Dorlean had 70 stops and 13 sacks.

Tennessee State, located in Nashville, plays their home games in the Coliseum. The Tigers compete in the Ohio Valley Conference and were 7-5 in 2003.

Linebacker Jeremiah Virden (Akron, OH/Buchtel High School), quarterback Marquis Ingram (Far Rockaway/Lyndon, VT Institute) and safety Eric Brooks (Brooklyn/Samuel L. Tilden High School) all will continue their education at Savannah State University, which competes as an NCAA Division I-AA independent. Virden was third on the team with 52 tackles in 2003. Brooks had 14 tackles this past season and Ingram completed seven of the 11 passes he attempted for the 2003 Vikings.

Tight end J.J. Nesheiwat (Poughkeepsie/Arlington High School), who earned All-Northeast Football Conference accolades in 2003, will attend Western Carolina University, a member of the Southern Conference. Nesheiwat led Hudson Valley with 25 catches for 331 yards and six touchdowns last fall.

The 10 Hudson Valley student-athletes who earned scholarships are the most in school history. Linebacker John Howell IV (Columbia, SC/Lower Richland High School) and fullback Atiba Taylor (Spring Valley/Ramapo High School) committed during the December signing period. Howell is at New Mexico State University and Taylor will attend Northern Michigan University.

Hudson Valley, located in Troy, New York, finished the 2003 season ranked 15th in the final NJCAA poll with an 8-2 record. The Vikings earned an invitation to The Graphic Edge Bowl in Cedar Falls, Iowa.