Thursday, November 21, 2002

MORAVIAN’S JARROD PENCE NAMED TO THE AFCA’S 2002 AZTEC BOWL SQUAD

Middle Atlantic Conference representatives at 2002 Aztec Bowl. From left to right: Bill Manlove, Delaware Valley; Jarrod Pence, Moravian; Mike Warker, Widener; Rich Gear, Delaware Valley; Frank Neu, Lycoming; Steve Wilson, King's

WACO, TEX. — Moravian College defensive back Jarrod Pence (Livingston, NJ/Livingston HS) has been selected to play for the American Football Coaches Association’s Division III all-star team that will represent the United States against the Mexican National Team in the 2002 Aztec Bowl on December 14 in Torreon, Mexico.

Pence, a senior, was an All-Middle Atlantic Conference selection in 2002. He finished the regular season with 51 tackles, three interceptions and 12 passes broken up. He also returned a fumble and an interception for a touchdown. He has helped Moravian to a 7-3 record and a berth in the ECAC Southeast Championship game.

Pence is one of 42 NCAA Division III seniors from around the country who will make up this year’s team. Former Central (Iowa) College Head Coach Ron Schipper will coach the team for the sixth consecutive year.

Event Information: This year’s game will kick off at 1 p.m. CST on December 14 in Torreon.

Webcasts: Chitwood Sports Media of Marshall, Texas will again provide a live webcast of the Aztec Bowl in 2002. Along with the game webcast, which will begin with a pregame show at noon on December 14, announcers Charlie Chitwood and Ned Fratangelo will provide 90-minute preview shows on December 11, 12 and 13. The preview shows will originate from the Team USA hotel and will begin each night at 6:30 p.m. CST.

The preview shows and game webcast can all be accessed via the AFCA’s website at www.afca.com, via the Aztec Bowl website at www.aztecbowl.com, via the Texas Sports Radio Network at www.tsrnsports.com or at www.d3football.com. Postgame results will also be available at www.afca.com.

The Aztec Bowl is the traditional season-ending game for Mexico’s college football season. The game has been played 28 times since 1947 with the last four contests in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2000 featuring the United States-Mexico match-up. In their first three Aztec Bowl meetings, the United States Division III all-stars defeated Mexico, 37-5 in 2001 in Saltillo, 27-26 in 2000 in Merida, 44-13 in 1999 in Mexico City, 40-13 in 1998 in Monterrey, and 42-41 in 1997 in Toluca.

Aztec Bowl Alumni: Two former USA Team members, London Fletcher and Clint Kriewaldt, are currently playing in the National Football League. Fletcher, who played collegiately at John Carroll and was a member of the 1997 U.S. team, is a starting linebacker with the Buffalo Bills. Kriewaldt was the Detroit Lions’ 1999 fifth-round draft pick out of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and played in the 1998 Aztec Bowl.

The AFCA was founded in 1922 and currently has more than 8,000 members around the world, ranging from the high school level to the professional ranks. According to its constitution, the AFCA was formed, in part, to “maintain the highest possible standards in football and the coaching profession” and to “provide a forum for the discussion and study of all matters pertaining to football and coaching.”

For more information on the AFCA and its programs, log on to the AFCA’s website at www.afca.com.