SPRINGFIELD, MASS. – November 13, 2006 - Springfield College’s Derron Walker was named this week’s Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Week for his great play in last Saturday’s victory at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont.
Walker rushed for 160 yards and two touchdowns on just nine carries. He ran for 93 and 34 yards on consecutive carries, both going for TD’s, late in the third quarter and early in the fourth quarter. Walker’s efforts helped Springfield come up victorious, 35-0.
Walker’s average this season is 6.6 yards per carry for 429 yards, an average of 42.9 yards per game. This places him third on the team behind junior QB Chris Sharpe (Derry, N.H.) and sophomore FB Andrew Jackson (Pennsville, N.J.) in rushing yards for the Pride’s offense.
On campus, Walker majors in psychology, and hails from White Plains, N.Y. He went to high school at Valhalla High.
Walker, a junior halfback, hopes to carry on his momentum as he looks towards playing in the first round of the NCAA Division III Playoffs. Springfield College and St. John Fisher shared the Empire 8 football title with 5-1 conference records. The Pride won the automatic qualifier to the NCAA Division III Football Championship due to their victory over St. John Fisher earlier this season.
Springfield (9-1) plays Curry College (11-0) in the first round of the playoffs at Springfield’s Benedum Field this Saturday (Nov. 18) at 12 pm.
Michael C. “Mike” DeLong ’74 enters his 32nd season as a head football coach in the fall of 2013. He enters his 30th year at Springfield College alone. For the past 28 years, he has been the head coach at Springfield, his alma mater. Mike had also been the head coach at Maine Maritime in Castine, Maine in 1979 and 1980. Read more.
