October 9, 2007

Derek Deardorff, Ryan Kienzle Collect NCCAA Student Athlete Of The Week Accolades

Two Malone College athletes garnered NCCAA (National Christian College Athletic Association) Student Athlete of the Week recognition for their impressive performances during the week of October 1-7.  Derek Deardorff, of the Pioneer football team, and Ryan Kienzle, of the men’s cross country team, each received the national honor.
 
Deardorff, a junior wide receiver from Kenton, Ohio (Kenton H.S.), helped Malone rack up a school-record 673 offensive yards in Saturday’s 33-14 homecoming win over Taylor University.  The 6’4” wideout caught nine passes in the contest for a career-high 162 yards and two touchdowns.  Through six games this year, Deardorff has tallied 33 receptions for 577 yards and eight TD’s.  In addition, his receiving average of 96.2 yards per game currently ranks first in the 16-team MSFA (Mid-States Football Association).  With Saturday’s win, Malone improved to 5-1 on the season, marking the best start for the program since 1996.
 
Kienzle, a senior from Canton, Ohio (GlenOak H.S.), earned the men’s cross country award for the second consecutive week after leading NAIA #1 Malone to a first-place finish among a 39-team field at the Ohio Intercollegiate Championships last Saturday (field included The Ohio State University, Ohio University, University of Cincinnati and many others).  The 5’10” senior defeated over 250 other runners at the Delaware, Ohio event to capture the individual title in a time of 25:13.  The victory marked the first All-Ohio Championship for the Malone men since 1992 when the team captured the last of four consecutive All-Ohio titles.
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