MARLON BECKLES NAMED CANDIDATE FOR HARLON HILL TROPHY

FLORENCE, Ala. (November 13, 2006) - Senior running back Marlon Beckles (Brooklyn, N.Y.) of the American International College football team has been named one of 24 candidates for the Harlon Hill Trophy as the 2006 NCAA Division II Player of the Year, it was announced Sunday evening by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee.  The list includes six players each from the Southeast, Northeast, Southwest and Northwest regions.

"Marlon is a great candidate for the Harlon Hill Trophy," said AIC head coach Art Wilkins.  "He is a great player because he combines both speed and toughness.  He has led our football team and is an All-American by every account.

Beckles, who recently wrapped up a brilliant career with the Yellow Jackets, is just the third player in the 21-year history of the award to be named a Harlon Hill Trophy candidate.  Running back Kavin Gailliard was a finalist for the award in 1999 and finished runner-up to that year's winner, Corie McGuffey of Northern Colorado and was also a candidate in 1998.  Defensive end Gabe Mokwuah was a candidate for the award in 1991.

The 2006 Northeast-10 Offensive Player of the Year, Beckles became just the second player in school history to rush for over 1,500 yards this season as he carried 262 times for 1,527 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and nine touchdowns in 10 games as the Yellow Jackets posted their highest victory total since the 2001 season. His 1,527 yards are the third-most ever recorded in a single season, behind two seasons by Gailliard, and he was also named to the Northeast-10 First Team for the third time in his career. A seven-time Northeast-10 Weekly Honor Roll selection, Beckles rushed for over 100 yards eight times in 10 games, including a season-best 213 yard effort at Southern Connecticut, and rushed for no fewer than 67 yards in any game in 2006.

For his career, Beckles ranks second in school history behind Gailliard with 4,297 rushing yards.   His 192 points (32 TDs, 27 rushing) ranks him fourth in career scoring at American International, while Beckles has racked up 5,697 all-purpose yards over his career.  He is just the second player in school history to be named First Team All-Conference three times (2003, 2004, 2006) and is the first player in school history to be named All-Conference in each of his four seasons.  In addition to his NE-10 Offensive Player of the Year accolades in 2006, Beckles was the league's Freshman of the Year in 2003.

Beckles has rushed for 100 yards in a game 21 times in his career and scored at least one rushing touchdown in 19 of 37 career games played.  He rushed for a career-best 280 yards and four touchdowns in a win over Stonehill last season, earning Beckles Northeast-10 Offensive Player of the Week and Boston Globe Division II/III Gold Helmet honors. A two-year captain, Beckles also holds the school record for longest kickoff return, returning a kick 99 yards for a touchdown against Saint Anselm in 2004.

Players are nominated and voted on by the sports information directors at the 150 NCAA Division II football-playing institutions. The 24 initial candidates will be placed on regional ballots and the top two players from each of the four NCAA regions will advance to the national ballot when regional voting concludes on November 17.

The winner of the 2006 award, which is presented by the National Harlon Hill Award Committee, will be announced at the 21st annual Harlon Hill Trophy Presentation Banquet on Friday, December 15 at the Florence Conference Center at 6:30 p.m. This year's Hill Trophy Banquet will also include the eighth induction into the Division II Football Hall of Fame.  For more information about the Harlon Hill Trophy on the World Wide Web, visit www.harlonhill.com.