Tuesday, December 19, 2006

 

PIONEERS LISTED IN FINAL NCAA FOOTBALL STATISTICS

 

                INDIANAPOLIS --- The final NCAA Division II football statistics have been released and Tusculum College is listed in six team categories, while rookie John Gregory finished ranked in the top 10 amongst the nation's punters announced College officials.

 

                The Pioneers boasted the No. 2 rushing defense in the country allowing just 54.6 ground yards per game.  Only Bemidji State had a better defense against the run allowing just 51.9 yards per contest.  TC is currently listed seventh in rushing defense amongst all NCAA divisions.

 

                The Tusculum defense was also 17th in total defense, allowing 251.2 yards per game.  TC was also listed 19th with 14 recovered fumbles and 30th in scoring defense (16.4 ppg).  The Pioneers were also 42nd in team sacks, averaging 2.27 per game, while TC's team net punting average of 35.83 yards was fourth in the land.

 

Gregory, a freshman punter from Ooltewah, Tenn., had a fine debut season leading the SAC in punting, averaging 40.9 yards per kick, which was 10th in the nation.  The 6-2, 210-pounder earned All-SAC First Team honors and accounted for 2,866 punting yards on his 70 attempts, both second all-time in a season at Tusculum while his average is fourth-best.  Gregory was named SAC Special Teams Player of the Week three times this season and was selected as national special team player of the week by D2football.com and Football Gazette.  He was also named to the Daktronics NCAA II All-Southeast Region Second Team.

 

                Tusculum posted a 6-5 record, its sixth winning season in the last seven years.

 

                Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of nine colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

 

- TC -

 

NCAA Division II Rushing Defensive Leaders

Pl.

School

G

Yds.

YPG

1

Bemidji State

12

623

51.9

2

TUSCULUM

11

601

54.6

3

Edinboro

11

775

70.5

4

California, Pa.

11

810

73.6

5

South Dakota

13

960

73.8

6

Tiffin

11

816

74.2

7

Chadron State

13

971

74.7

8

Northwest Missouri State

15

1129

75.3

9

Albany State

11

856

77.8

10

Western Oregon

10

782

78.2

 

NCAA Rushing Defensive Leaders (All Divisions)

Pl.

School

Div.

G

Yds

YPG

1

Mary Hardin-Baylor

III

13

377

29.0

2

Mount Union

III

15

450

30.0

3

Trinity

III

8

340

42.5

4

Michigan

I-A

12

516

43.0

5

Bemidji State

II

12

623

51.9

6

Bethel (Minn.)

III

11

591

53.7

7

TUSCULUM

II

11

601

54.6

8

Rowan

III

12

696

58.0

9

Texas

I-A

12

706

58.8

10

Wisconsin-Whitewater

III

15

915

61.0

 

Wilkes

III

12

732

61.0