Nov. 15, 2004

BALTIMORE, MD ? Johns Hopkins junior linebacker Max Whitacre (Sugarloaf, PA/Bishop Hafey) has been named the Centennial Conference Defensive Player-of-the-Week for his efforts in Johns Hopkins' 12-9 victory over McDaniel last Saturday. Whitacre is the third Johns Hopkins player to earn CC Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors this season.

Whitacre tied his career-high with 12 tackles in the win over the Green Terror. He also returned a fumble 22 yards for the Blue Jays' only touchdown of the game midway through the second quarter. He added a sack and an interception and was in on a tackle on fourth-and-goal at the one-yard line late in the fourth quarter that helped preserve the victory. Whitacre's fumble return for a touchdown was Hopkins' first non-offensive touchdown of the season and was the second touchdown of Whitacre's career. In the 2003 season-opener he returned a blocked punt for a touchdown in a 27-9 win over Rochester.

Whitacre has started all 10 games this season and ranks third on the team with 70 tackles. Among his career-best 70 stops are 10 tackles for losses and one sack. He is also tied for second on the team in interceptions (2) and has four pass breakups and the one fumble return to his credit.

Johns Hopkins is currently 8-2 and earned a share of a third straight Centennial Conference Championship with the win over McDaniel. Although the Blue Jays missed out on the Centennial's automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA Division III Playoffs on a strength of schedule tiebreaker, they are expected to receive a third straight ECAC Playoff bid when the selections are announced later today.

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