Sept. 4, 2006

EASTON, Pa. (www.lafayette.edu) - Lafayette senior tailback Jonathan Hurt (Orlando, Fla./Boone) has been named Patriot League Offensive Player of the Week for his 141-yard, two-touchdown performance in the Leopards' season-opening win at Sacred Heart.

The honor is the second of Hurt's career, following a career-high 149 yards and two touchdowns in a 14-7 win over Columbia last season.

Both games featured wet weather conditions, and when the passing attack has been grounded, Hurt has come through with impressive outings. The senior accounted for 141 of Lafayette's 222 yards of total offense against Sacred Heart and put the Leopards ahead 13-0 with a pair of touchdowns in the first quarter.

Hurt carried the ball five times on each of the Leopards' first two drives, then ran the ball on eight of the 15 plays on the go-ahead scoring march that consumed 7:44 of the third quarter and culminated in Brad Maurer's 11-yard touchdown run.

Hurt turned in his fourth straight and fifth career 100-yard performance, scored multiple rushing touchdowns for the seventh time and went over the 1,500-yard mark for his career.

Lafayette, which entered The Sports Network's top 25 poll in the final spot on Monday, begins its Patriot League championship defense on Saturday night at Bucknell.