SHARPE NAMED MELBERGER AWARD WINNER
Chris Sharpe, Springfield College’s Quarterback, has been named the 2006 winner of the Melberger Award as the top NCAA Division III Player in the Country. The Derry New Hampshire native and Pinkerton Academy graduate put up impressive statistics this year as Quarterback and tri-captain.
The runners up were Joe Cline, Alma College, Josh Brehm, Alma College, Nate Kmic, Mount Union College and Dustin Huff, Wabash College. Sharpe led the Pride in all major offensive categories, breaking six NCAA records and 12 Springfield College records in the process. Finishing his junior year, he completed the season with 1,941 total rushing yards and 35 touchdowns. Sharpe’s other post-season accolades include: New England Football Writers Gold Helmet Award (New England Div. II/III Player of the Year), the Joseph P. Zabilski Award (New England Div. II/III Player of the Year), First Team All-New England, Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year as well as Empire 8 Offensive First Team and has been named to the D3football.com All-East Region Offensive First Team selected in balloting by Eastern regional sports information directors and D3football.com staff. Chris also won the Empire 8 Sportsmanship Award for Springfield in his Sophomore year, 2005. Sharpe is a Business Management major, maintaining a 3.14 GPA on a 4.00 system and ultimately wants to own his own business or coach football or lacrosse. Chris has been chosen as captain of the Springfield Men’s Lacrosse Team for this coming spring season. Sharpe was Springfield’s representative and one of the student-athletes to attend the 2006 NCAA Leadership Conference in Orlando. Chris is also a member of the Pride Athletic Advisory Committee as well as a member of the Community Service Committee. Chris Sharpe’s former coach at Pinkerton Academy, Brian O’Reilly called him, “one of the most self deprecating players I have ever seen”, is as involved off the field as he is on. The Melberger Award is named in Honor of Clifford K. Melberger, Chairman of Diversified Information Technologies and Captain of the 1960 LAMBERT CUP winning Bucknell University Bisons of Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The Melberger Trophy is a carving, out of pure Anthracite Coal, indigenous to Mr. Melberger’s area of Northeastern Pennsylvania, representing an old-style leather football helmet, designed by Ed Donohue as representative of neither offense nor defense but the dedication and determination of the Division III athlete.
|
|