The athletes of Indiana University of Pennsylvania have had an especially positive start this year. From three male footballers earning the 2022 Don Hansen All-America Honors to the women’s basketball team’s cumulative statistic, 2023 has been an impressive journey for these hard-working individuals and teams.
With such an impressive portfolio of athletic prowess across a range of sports, the IUP college sports landscape is constantly saturated with updates. Here’s the lowdown from Stephen Troese Jr. on the latest across the board.
Three IUP Footballers Earn 2022 Don Hansen All-America Honors
Three offensive players from IUP football earned the esteemed 2022 Don Hansen Division II All-American teams recognition. The First Team selection went to Duane Brown, with fellow linemen John Robinson and Darrell Davis picking up the Honorable Mention accolades.
Brown is one of three wide receivers nationwide to acquire First Team honors, joining Jarod Bowie and Brendan Beaulieu. He’s achieved many postseason awards as well, including a coveted spot on D2Football.com’s Elite 100 a couple of months ago.
Robinson and Davis are All-PSAC West First Team selections included in a cohesive offensive line for IUP. Davis was even regarded as the First Team All-Super Region One selection.
IUP Women’s Basketball Boasts Impressive Cumulative Statistics for 2022-23 Season
Despite the women’s basketball conference ending in an unfortunate fashion against UPJ, the team’s cumulative statistics for the 2022-23 season are encouraging.
While their opponents scored 1,786 total points, the IUP team bagged a whopping 1,995, with points per game at a robust 71.3 over their opponents’ 63.8.
The team’s overall stats are 18-10 and 13-9.
Jess Davidson Becomes First NFHCA All-American Honoree for IUP Since 2012
Jess Davidson had a fantastic end to 2022 when she was named to the NFHCA (National Field Hockey Coaches Association) All-America Second Team.
Davidson’s recognition marks the IUP’s first NFHCA All-American honoree since 2012, clinching her a second national award for the month. Thanks to her stellar debut season, she’s the 26th All-American in the program’s history.
She logged 13 goals and three assists throughout her first season for the Hawks, posting three game-winning markers and numerous goals across three competitions.
IUP Men’s Basketball Hit Top in NCAA Atlantic Region Rankings
The college’s men’s basketball programs headed into the last week of the regular season ranked first in the end-of-February NCAA DII Atlantic Region rankings.
The team had already demolished PSAC West, taking the regular season crown and bagging them the top seed in their area’s division.
Throughout the regular season, IUP won 12 of 13 titles, posting the highest win percentage of all NCAA DII men’s basketball teams since the 2019-20 season.
Kendall Branan Qualified for Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships
As per the NCAA’s Division II Indoor Track & Field Championships selections, IUP’s Kendall Branan made his mark in the 800 meters race in Virginia.
Dubbed the All-PSAC Second honoree for his performance throughout the conference championships, Branan achieved a time of 1:50.22, which clinched him the qualifier.