Dec. 28, 2005

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - A day after being named to the NCAA I-AA Northeast All-Region First Team by the Football Gazette, Lafayette senior linebacker Maurice Bennett (Philadelphia, Pa./George Washington) has been recognized as a member of the All-America Second Team by the same organization.

The honor makes Bennett the first Leopard to earn All-America status from five national outlets. He was named to the first team by The Sports Network and the Associated Press, and has gathered second team mention from The Sports Xchange, CollegeSportsReport.com, and Don Hansen's Football Gazette. He finished eighth in the voting for the Buchanan Award, given to the most outstanding defensive player in I-AA football.

A two-time first-team All-Patriot League selection by the league's coaches, Bennett was also a first team performer and named the league's Defensive Player of the Year by The Sports Xchange earlier this month. He led the league with 133 tackles, and also had 13.0 tackles for a loss of yardage and 7.0 sacks.

Bennett was also an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District II honoree, along with junior quarterback Brad Maurer. An Economics & Business major who carries a 3.32 grade-point average, Bennett was the only Patriot League football player named as a semi-finalist for the Draddy Trophy, known as the "Academic Heisman."

Bennett completed a 10-week Wall Street internship with Credit Suisse First Boston last summer before leading the Leopards to a share of their second straight Patriot League championship in the fall. He has accepted a job offer with the firm following graduation in May 2006.