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December 3, 2007
IUP senior tight end Dan Pickens was named to the Daktronics All-Northeast Region first team while senior offensive lineman Rory Thomas and junior linebacker Terrence Jackson were selected to the second team in voting by the region's sports information directors. Pickens (Bridgeville/South Fayette) made 47 catches for 502 yards and seven touchdowns during the 2007 season, ranking second on the team in receptions and touchdowns. He led all PSAC tight ends with an average of 4.00 catches per game. Pickens had a career-high eight receptions, including a touchdown, and matched his season best with 66 receiving yards against Northeast Region champion California. The previous week against Slippery Rock, he had six catches, also accounting for 66 yards. In his four seasons at IUP after transferring from Pitt, Pickens played in 36 games and had career totals of 75 receptions for 884 yards and nine touchdowns. Thomas (Beaver Falls/Beaver Falls) started the season at center but also started several games at left tackle late in the year. He was a vital cog for an offense that permitted only 15 sacks while helping IUP post offensive numbers of 38.5 points and 402.5 yards of total offense per game. IUP's scoring average was the second highest in the PSAC as well as the second best single season mark in school history. The Crimson Hawks also ranked second in the conference in passing offense at 259.2 yards per game, with Andrew Krewatch setting an IUP season record with 3,100 passing yards. Thomas started all 32 games during the 2004, 2005 and 2007 seasons, reshirting in 2005. During that time, he helped IUP put up a record of 24-8 and a pair of PSAC West co-championships. Jackson (Media/Penncrest) makes his debut on the all-region squad after earning spots on the All-PSAC West team his first three seasons, including the past two on the first team and his selection as the Rookie of the Year in 2005. This season, Jackson led IUP with 87 tackles and tied for 14th in the conference with an average of 7.2 stops per game. He also had 13 tackles for loss, including two sacks, intercepted two passes and returned a fumble 49 yards for a touchdown against East Stroudsburg. In that game against the Warriors, Jackson also had four solo tackles, two behind the line of scrimmage and a sack and was named the PSAC West Defensive Player of the Week. In three seasons at IUP, Jackson has played in 31 games and has 202 tackles, 27 tackles for loss, four sacks and four interceptions. |
