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EDINBORO, PA – After earlier being ranked
18th in Football Gazette’s Preseason Top 40, a trio
of Edinboro football players have now been accorded preseason NCAA
Division II All-American honors. Chris Amico (Webster, NY/West
Irondequoit) and Ben Stroup (Columbus, OH/Hilliard
Davidson) represent a defense that was ranked tops in the
country in three categories a year ago. Chris Kaczor (Brook
Park, OH/Berea), meanwhile, was named as an offensive lineman.
Edinboro finished 8-2 a year ago and won its
third straight PSAC West crown. The Fighting Scots were previously
ranked 15th by Lindy’s Magazine, with Amico and
Kaczor being named first team preseason All-Americans.
Amico was named the 2005 PSAC West Defensive
Player of the Year. The junior defensive tackle (6’0”,
250 lbs.) finished the season with 49 tackles, with 14.5 tackles
for losses and a team-leading 8.5 sacks. He also forced two
fumbles. A year ago Amico was a first team Football Gazette
All-American and a second team Daktronics All-American.
Stroup, a 6’1”, 213 lb. linebacker,
was named to the All-PSAC West first team a year ago in his first
season as a starter. He led the Fighting Scots with 76 tackles,
and also paced the team with 15.5 tackles for losses. He was third
on the team with 5.5 sacks. The senior was a Football Gazette
All-Northeast Region selection a year ago.
Edinboro led Division II in scoring defense
(9.3 ppg.), rushing defense (53.7 ypg.), and total defense (211.2
ypg.). Five starters are back on offense, although Justin Bouch,
one of Edinboro’s all-time leading passers, must be replaced.
Kaczor continues the tradition of standout
offensive linemen at Edinboro. The 6’2”, 300 lb. senior
has played center the last two years, and was an All-PSAC West
first team selection in 2005 and a second team choice in 2004. He
will likely move from center to left guard this season. Kaczor
played guard as a redshirt freshman, earning second team All-PSAC
West accolades. In addition to averaging 199.3 ypg. rushing in
2005, the Fighting Scots led the PSAC in fewest sacks allowed for
the second straight year, surrendering seven.
Edinboro opens the season on Saturday,
September 2 against West Chester, a team which was 8-4 a year ago
and made the NCAA Division II Playoffs. It will mark the debut of
Scott Browning as head coach.
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