Moon Township, Pa. - The Robert Morris University football team placed four of its members on the 2006 I-AA Mid-Major All-America Team by The Sports Network Monday, as senior defensive linemen Ray Gensler (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Keystone Oaks) and Matt Brunck (Pittsburgh, Pa. / Fox Chapel) were named on defense, senior tight end Jarvis Powers (Stafford, Va. / Brooke Point) on offense and junior return specialist Mario Hines (Ecorse, Mich. / Ecorse) on special teams.
Gensler and Brunck, both named to the All-Northeast Conference First Team, anchored a Robert Morris defensive line that helped the Colonials finish first in the nation in total defense, allowing an average of just 228.36 yards per game. Gensler led the NEC in sacks (11) in 2006, which also tied the RMU single-season record. Gensler also established a new Colonial career record for sacks this season with 19 and finished fourth on the club in tackles with 65, including an NEC-best 23 for losses that totaled 106 yards. Brunck compiled 74 tackles for Robert Morris in 2006 to finish second on the club, including 19 for losses that totaled 72 yards and four and-a-half sacks.
Powers, along with Hines also named to the All-NEC First Team, paced the Robert Morris receiving corps in 2006, finishing first on the club in receptions (31), receiving yards (421) and touchdown catches (5), averaging 13.6 yards per reception. On special teams, Hines averaged 24.5 yards on kickoff returns and 7.3 yards on punt returns. He also scored a touchdown on special teams in 2006, returning a punt 48 yards for a score in a 21-0 win over Rowan (9/21/06).
Also released Monday was the final 2006 I-AA Mid-Major poll by The Sports Network, with RMU finishing seventh. San Diego took home its second straight Sports Network Cup after downing NEC champion Monmouth, 27-7, in the inaugural Gridiron Classic, Dec. 2.
Under the guidance of head coach Joe Walton, the program's only head coach in its 13-year history, the Colonials finished the 2006 campaign with an overall record of 7-4, including a 5-2 mark in the NEC that tied them for second place with Albany and Stony Brook. Walton has guided Robert Morris to an overall record of 82-49-1 (.625) in his 13 years at the helm of the Colonials.
