Sept. 12, 2005

LANCASTER, PA - Johns Hopkins junior defensive lineman Brian Nickel (Waupun, WI/Waupun) has been named the Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in Hopkins' 24-0 win over Randolph-Macon last Saturday. Nickel helped the Blue Jays to their first shutout in nearly two years (30-0 win at Dickinson on October 4, 2003).

Nickel posted six tackles, including three for losses and 1.5 sacks, in the win over the Yellow Jackets. The Blue Jay defense held Randolph-Macon to just 145 yards of total offense, including just 59 on the ground and 86 through the air. The `Jackets converted just 1-of-11 third-down conversions, were held to four plays or less on nine of their 12 possessions, had six drives that consumed less than two minutes and were forced into a pair of turnovers. Randolph-Macon got inside the Blue Jay 30-yard line just once in the game.

After two games Nickel ranks fifth on the team in tackles (9), leads the team in sacks (1.5) and is tied for second in tackles for losses (2). Johns Hopkins currently leads the Centennial Conference in scoring defense (3.5 ppg.), ranks second in rushing defense (70.0 ypg.) and third in both passing defense (106.5 ypg.) and total defense (176.5 ypg.). The seven points Johns Hopkins has allowed are the fewest through the first two games of a season since 1959, when the Blue Jays allowed just six points in the first two games of the year.

Johns Hopkins (2-0) will return to action this Saturday at Carnegie Mellon (2-0).