Jake Barkley shares national D-III honor

September 16, 2002
St. Thomas RB Jake Barkley (SR-Plymouth/Robbinsdale Armstrong) was among three players to share Division III National Offensive Player of the Week honors by the Don Hansen Football Gazette.

Barkley broke a St. Thomas single-game record with five touchdowns in the Tommies' 49-25 win over 2001 co-champion Bethel. Barkley had TD runs of 56, 14 and 5 yards in the first half as the Tommies built a 35-6 halftime lead. He added scores of 32 and 2 yards in the third period and finished with 243 yards on 30 rushes in playing just the first three quarters.

Barkley has 400 yards on 49 carries this season and has 3,535 career yards in 30 games, fourth most in MIAC history. He needs 190 yards to pass St. Thomas all-time leader Gary Trettel, and 556 yards to pass MIAC career leader Ole Gunderson of St. Olaf (4,090 from 1969-71). Barkley has seven TDs this season and 28 on his career.

It was his third career 200-yard game and 17th time in his 30 career games he's broken 100 yards. The Tommies (1-1 overall, 1-0 MIAC) play at Hamline next Saturday.

Barkley's 400 rusing yards leads Division III, and his 200 ypg is third. His seven TDs is tied for first in D-III, and his 21 ppg is tied for second.

see NCAA D-III stats here

Here are the Don Hansen Division III honorees for Sept. 16:

--NCAA III TRI-NATIONAL OFFENSIVE, JAKE BARKLEY, SR. RB, UNIVERSITY OF ST. THOMAS: Barkley broke a St. Thomas single-game record with five touchdowns in the Tommies' 49-25 win over Bethel MN. He had 30 carries for 243 yards while playing just three quarters.

--NCAA III TRI-NATIONAL OFFENSIVE, DAN COLE, JR. QB. RENSSELAER TECH: Cole enjoyed a record-setting day as the Engineers defeated Utica 47-0. He completed 17-of-24 passes for 262 yards and a school-record six touchdowns and rushed seven times for 32 yards.

--NCAA III TRI-NATIONAL OFFENSIVE, FRED EDWARDS, SR. RB, 5'11, 215. WESLEY COLLEGE: Edwards made 37 carries for 245 yards (6.6 yards per carry) and scored two touchdowns in the 22-20 loss to Rowan University.

--NCAA III TRI-NATIONAL DEFENSIVE, ERIC KLUFT, SR. DB. HANOVER COLLEGE: Kluft picked off three Thomas More passes and helped the Panthers end the Saints' 17-game regular season winning streak. He added six tackles, and two pass breakups in the 36-3 victory.

--NCAA III TRI-NATIONAL DEFENSIVE, RYAN McCARTY, FR. S, 5'10, 155. OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY: McCarty sealed the Battling Bishops 25-21 win over Olivet by picking off a Comet pass in OWU's end zone with five seconds left on the clock. He totaled two interceptions, broke three passes, recovered two fumbles and totaled five tackles.
NCAA III TRI-NATIONAL DEFENSIVE, DAN MILLER, JR, ROVER, 6'1, 197. MUHLENBERG COLLEGE: Miller had 13 tackles in Muhlenberg's 40-32 win over Cal Lutheran. He also recorded two interceptions. The first interception he returned 25 yards and the second he returned 41 yards.

--NCAA III CO-NATIONAL SPECIAL TEAMS, BLAKE ELLIOTT, JR. PR. ST. JOHN'S UNIVERSITY MN: Elliott returned three punts for 98 yards, including an 86-yard return for a touchdown in a 56-0 win over Hamline. He also caught six passes for 92 yards and two touchdowns.

--NCAA III CO-NATIONAL SPECIAL TEAMS, MICHAEL MORZENTI, FR. PK, 5'10, 156. UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO: Morzenti completed four-of-four field goal tries (24, 35, 36 and 39 yards) and both extra-point kicks in UC's 33-9 win over North Park.