(Posted November 13, 2001)

Huntingdon, Pa. - Sophomore Danielle Hart (Central/Roaring Spring), an opposite on the women's volleyball team, and freshman quarterback Greg Troutman (Meyersdale/Meyersdale), a student-athlete on the football squad, were named the Juniata College "Athletes of the Month" for October.

Hart averaged a team-best 4.08 kills, 0.47 aces, 0.47 blocks and 3.40 digs per game during the past 31-day stretch, while hitting .274 on 216 kills, 74 errors and 518 attempts. She reached double figures in kills in 13 of Juniata's 18 matches in October, including a span of 10 straight outings and a month-high 21 against Mount Saint Joseph on October 12 and 21 more versus Wittenberg on the 26th. In those two matches, Hart totaled 25 and 23 digs, respectively. She served at least one ace in eight consecutive matches. During one six-match streak she hit .381 with 81 kills, 18 errors and 165 attempts and Juniata went 6-0 in that span and was named the Commonwealth Conference Player of the Week for her efforts.

Overall, Hart currently leads the Eagles in kill average (3.98) and aces (57), and is sixth among the blue and gold performers with her 3.01 dig average. She is hitting .278, while posting 0.47 blocks and 0.51 aces per game. Those numbers have her ranked among the leaders in the Commonwealth. Hart is second in kill average and ninth in hitting percentage.

The Eagles own a 26-8 overall record this fall and are headed into the NCAA Division III playoffs for a record 21st consecutive year. Juniata won the Commonwealth title over the weekend to pick up an automatic berth in the tourney and will take on the winner of Thursday's Scranton-Eastern (Pa.) match on Friday in the second round of the Mid-Atlantic Regional at Gettysburg. The regional final is slated for 3:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Over the four-week span in October, Troutman completed 101 of 189 passes (53.4%) for 1,449 yards and 15 touchdowns, while running for a team-best 227 yards on 56 tries and four scores. He averaged 362.2 yards per game passing and 56.8 yards a contest running the ball for an average of 419 yards in total offense each week. During October, Troutman was recognized by the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) for his play on Saturday afternoons four times. He picked up MAC Offensive Player of the Week honors twice and was named a member of the MAC Honor Roll two times as well. His best showing came in leading Juniata to its greatest come-from-behind win when the Eagles were down 35-6 with 3:50 left in the third quarter for a 39-35 triumph over Moravian on October 6. He was 27 of 64 for 432 yards and three touchdowns through the air and he ran for another two scores and 108 yards on the ground. At Waynesburg on October 27, Troutman completed a school record 35 passed on 57 attempts for 355 yards and five scoring strikes.

For the year, Troutman has moved into second place on the single-season completion list at Juniata (207) and into first on the attempts ledger (421). His 23 touchdown passes are fourth and his 2,565 yards are fourth in College Hill campaign annals. Troutman is also ranked second in Juniata single-season total offense with 2,834 yards. In the MAC, Troutman is ranked first in passing yards per game (285.0), first total offense a contest (314.9) and eighth in pass efficiency with a 108.9 rating.

The Eagles, who are 5-4 overall and 4-4 in the MAC, will host Lycoming for a conference regular-season ending contest on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.

The Juniata College "Athlete of the Month" award is sponsored by McDonald's of Huntingdon and Mount Union. Barb and John Eastman, who own and operate the local McDonald's restaurants, provide the winners with plaques.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.