CONTACT: Steve Mullen (518) 629-8063
FOR RELEASE: Immediate, Sunday, August 13, 2006
Hudson Valley Community College alum Darnell Stapleton is one of 58 NCAA Division I-A college football players named to the 2006 Rotary Lombardi Award watch list given annually to the top interior lineman in college football.
Stapleton, who played at Hudson valley in 2003 and 2004, is a senior at Rutgers University. The 6-3, 305-pound Stapleton started all 12 games for the Scarlet Knights last season and was a key member of the offensive line as Rutgers posted a 7-4 mark in the regular season and earned a berth in the Insight Bowl.
Stapleton helped solidify the middle of Rutgers' offensive line, and the Scarlet Knights turned in the best offensive performance in school history with 4,765 total yards.
Last month, Stapleton also was named to the Dave Rimington Award watch list given annually to the top collegiate center.
