WILKES-BARRE, Pa., Jan. 19, 2002 (PRIMEZONE) -- The Downtown Wilkes-Barre Touchdown Club presented the 2001 Melberger Award today to Chuck Moore of Mount Union College (OH) as the NCAA Division III Player of the Year. The trophy was presented before a crowd of more than 325 at the Club's ninth annual national awards banquet held in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
Moore is the third Purple Raider to win The Melberger and the first non-quarterback from the school to garner this recognition. Jim Ballard won the inaugural Melberger in 1993 and Bill Borchert is the only two-time winner earning the honor in 1996 and 1997. Moore, a 6', 205 lb. senior running back from Mogadore, Ohio, rushed for 1,351 yards on 181 attempts and 18 touchdowns during his final regular season. He also caught 26 passes for 289 yards and five touchdowns, and had six kick returns for 264 yards and one touchdown.
Named the MVP of the 2000 and 2001 Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl, he is the Purple Raiders' all-time leading rusher with 3,942 yards and is MTU's and the Ohio Athletic Conference's all-time leader in touchdowns with 77 and in scoring with 462 points. Moore set numerous Stagg Bowl and tournament records including the Stagg Bowl mark for yards rushing (273) and tournament records for total yards rushing (998) and touchdowns (12). He is a three-time First-Team Academic All-OAC selection and a Verizon First Team Academic All-American selection in 2000 and 2001.
In addition to the Melberger Award trophy, Moore was honored with a $2,500 donation in his name to the Mount Union College General Scholarship Fund with the stipulation that half of the monies be used for minority students.
The other finalists were senior wide receiver Jim Jones of Widener University (PA) and junior quarterback Tony Racioppi of Rowan University (NJ). A donation of $1,000 was made to the General Scholarship Funds of their schools with the same stipulation.
The three finalists were selected by a national media panel of 62 sports writers. The Club received 68 nominations from Division III coaches and sports information directors. Bill Manlove, former head coach of LaSalle University and Widner University, was the featured speaker.
"Chuck is an outstanding running back and football player," said club president Marvin Antinnes. "The fact that he was selected MVP in the last two Stagg Bowls certainly demonstrates that he performs at the highest level both during the regular season and when the national championship is on the line. His statistics and his leadership both on and off the field are most impressive."
The Downtown Wilkes-Barre Touchdown Club also presented the John J. Chwalek NCAA National Championship Trophy to Mount Union College (OH). The trophy is sponsored by PNC Bank. Assistant Coach Paul Gulling accepted the award on behalf of head coach Larry Kehres. The Purple Raiders entered the playoffs as the No. 1 seed after capturing their tenth consecutive Ohio Athletic Conference Championship. The Raiders defeated Bridgewater College to win the Amos Alonzo Stagg Bowl and an unprecedented sixth Division III National Championship ('93, '96, '97, '98, '00 and '01) and its 82nd victory in the last 83 games played.
Continuing the recognition they started at their first awards banquet in 1991, the Club presented the Middle Atlantic Conference Most Valuable Player Award to Melberger finalist Jim Jones and Mike Coleman, both of Widener University; Offensive Player of the Year to Tim Deasey, Lycoming College; Offensive Lineman of the Year to Joe Corbet, King's College; Defensive Player of the Year to Russell Benditt, Albright College; Defensive Lineman of the Year to Ryan Rupprecht, Lycoming College; and Coach of the Year to Bill Zwaan, Widener University.
The Club also recognized the Presidents' Athletic Conference award winners -- Coach of the Year John Banaszak of Washington and Jefferson College and Most Valuable Player, Brian Dawson of Washington and Jefferson College.
For the Centennial Football Conference, Jamie "Boo" Harris, Western Maryland College was the Offensive Player of the Year and Jason Wingeart, also of Western Maryland College, received the Defensive Player of the Year.
The Downtown Wilkes-Barre Touchdown Club was founded in 1991 to promote and recognize the student-athletes and coaches of Division III football. For more information, please visit their Website at www.melbergeraward.org.