Moon Township, Pa. - For the second straight week a pair of Robert Morris University football players were honored by the Northeast Conference, as senior split end Alvin Hill (New Kensington, Pa. / Plum) was named Offensive Player of the Week and freshman punter Nick Schirtzinger (Hurricane, W.Va. / Hurricane) garnered Rookie of the Week accolades Monday.
Hill helped lead the Colonials to their third straight win, and seventh consecutive road triumph, by hauling in seven passes for 164 yards in a 9-8 victory at Morehead State Sept. 22. In RMU's game-winning drive, Hill caught two passes for 53 yards, including a 45-yard reception in which he caught a pass underneath the defense and raced down to the Eagle two-yard line. On the next play junior fullback Karey Murray (New Brighton, Pa. / New Brighton) scored on a two-yard touchdown run with 20.4 seconds left to help Robert Morris gain the victory.
Hill established career highs in both receptions and receiving yards in the win, with his 164 receiving yards the second highest total of the 2007 season in the NEC and the fifth highest mark in RMU single-game history. On the 2007 campaign, Hill leads the Colonials in receptions (16) while ranking second in receiving yards (266) and averaging 16.6 yards per catch.
Schirtzinger earns NEC Rookie of the Week accolades after averaging 45.8 yards on five punts in helping the Colonials win the field position battle. In the second quarter he booted a 69-yard punt, the longest in the NEC this season, that was downed at the Morehead State six-yard line. On the 2007 campaign Schirtzinger is averaging 41.9 yards per punt, which is tied for second in the league.
Robert Morris, under the direction of 14th-year head coach Joe Walton, opens a two-game homestand at Joe Walton Stadium Saturday, Sept. 29, when it welcomes VMI for a 1:00 p.m. non-conference tilt. The Colonials enter the contest with an overall record of 3-1 and ranked fourth in latest FCS mid-major poll according to The Sports Network. RMU, with a perfect 2-0 record in the NEC, returns to league action by closing out its homestand Saturday, Oct. 6, with a 1:00 p.m. game against Wagner.
