GLASSBORO, NJ – Rowan University defensive end Matt Hoffman was honored as Most Courageous Athlete at the 75th New Jersey Sports Writers Association (NJSWA) Banquet on Sunday, January 30. He received a Special Achievement Award at the 107th Annual Philadelphia Sports Writers Association (PSWA) Dinner on Monday, January 31.
Hoffman (sr. Burlington, NJ/Burlington Twp.) was joined by associate head coach/defensive coordinator Pat Lancetta at the NJSWA Banquet held at The Pines Manor in Edison, NJ. Video coordinator/defensive line coach Justin Arabia accompanied Hoffman to the PSWA Dinner at the Crowne Plaza in Cherry Hill, NJ.
This season, Hoffman was one of four finalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, given to the top player in Division III. He was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) and D3football.com East Region Defensive Player of the Year. Hoffman was chosen to the NJAC All-Conference and D3football.com East All-Region first teams. He collected Associated Press Little All-America first team and D3football.com All-America second team honors.
A captain, Hoffman led the Profs’ defense with 65 tackles (30 solo, 35 assisted), 21.5 tackles for a loss (-106 yards) and 8.5 sacks (-75 yards). In the conference statistics, he ranked first in sacks (0.85), tackles for a loss (2.15) and was tied for first in forced fumbles (0.3). In the NCAA Division III statistics, Hoffman was fourth in tackles for a loss and tied for 30th in sacks. He is majoring in health and exercise science with a 3.237 grade point average.
On November 16, 2009, Hoffman donated blood stem cells to a 58 year-old man suffering from non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He signed up for the National Marrow Donor Program’s Be The Match Registry through the football team’s Get in the Game. Save A Life. drive in the spring of 2009. Hoffman had to forgo the final game of his junior season to complete the donation process.
The recipient, Warren Sallach, of Brenham, TX received the stem cells the next day. Hoffman and Sallach did not know each other’s identities and had to wait one year before they made any personal contact. On December 16, 2010, Sallach, his wife Becky and son Travis flew to Salem, VA to meet Hoffman and his family at the Gagliardi Trophy presentation.
At the NJSWA Banquet, Hoffman was joined by fellow honorees: Brian Sears, Standardbred Horseman of the Year; Anne Donovan, Woman of the Year; Tasha Pointer, Hall of Fame; Reverend Douglas J. Haefner, Chaplain; Fred Hill, Hall of Fame; David Fay, Hall of Fame; Ed Lucas, Sports Humanitarian of the Year; Eric Murdock, Hall of Fame; Frank Litsky, Journalism Excellence Award; Ali DeLuca, College Lacrosse Player of the Year; Andrew Pierce, College Football Player of the Year; Courtney Banghart, College Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year; Leonard Marshall, Distinguished NFL Lineman; Bob Auriemma, New Jersey Coaching Legend Award and Geoff Billet, Hall of Fame.
The award winners at the PSWA Dinner included: Mark Herzlich, Most Courageous Athlete; Roy Halladay, Outstanding Pro Athlete; Bill Bergey, Living Legend; Bobby Convey, Native Son; Elton Brand, Good Guy Athlete; Philadelphia Flyers, Team of the Year; Sheila Reid, Outstanding Amateur Athlete; Shane Victorino, Humanitarian Award; Jack Childs, Special Achievement; Fran Dunphy, Special Achievement; Al Bagnoli, Special Achievement; Herb Magee, Special Achievement; Gina Procaccio, Special Achievement; Gabby Mayo, Frank Dolson Award; Wyatt Middleton, Army-Navy MVP.
