Date: Tuesday, November 13, 2001
Written by Kate Gluckman

KELLEY NAMED NESCAC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Junior back sets new Tufts rushing record with 1,079 yards

MEDFORD -- For the second time this season, junior running back Keven Kelley (Natick, MA/Natick) of the Tufts University football team has been named New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Offensive Player of the Week. During the last game of the season on Saturday (Nov. 10) Kelley rushed for 136 yards and a touchdown as the Jumbos beat Middlebury 20-6 to end the season 6-2.

Against the Panthers Kelley had an excellent second half with 84 yards rushing and a 16-yard touchdown to give the Jumbos a 10-0 lead at 9:15 in the third quarter. Ending the season with 1,079 yards rushing Kelley eclipsed Tufts' single-season rushing record of 1,070 set by Paul Dresens in 1988. Beginning at 9:24 in the fourth quarter head coach Bill Samko gave Kelley the nod as he ran the ball ten consecutive times, ending with an 11-yard run giving the Jumbos a first down. With that play Kelley also clinched the record. The drive led to a Tufts field goal that pushed the lead to 20-0.

Leading the conference in yards rushed Kelley averaged 134.9 yards per game, almost 20 more than any other player. He also led the NESCAC with his eight running touchdowns for the year.

Kelley was first named Player of the Week for his efforts in the first week of the season when he rushed for 168 yards and two touchdowns as the Jumbos beat Wesleyan 35-20. With a 40- yard touchdown in the third quarter, Kelley broke a 14-14 tie giving the Jumbos the lead. With 21 seconds left in the game he sealed the game with a five-yard touchdown.

After graduating from Natick High School in 1997 Kelley attended Holderness School in Plymouth, N.H. for a post-graduate year. In 1998 Kelley played at Tufts as a freshman. Rushing for 276 total yards, Kelley had one touchdown for the season. The Jumbos were 7-1 in the conference that year. He is currently studying sociology at Tufts.

The Jumbos had a breakout season this year, a complete turn-around from the 2-6 2000 season. With a third-place finish in the conference and graduation only making a small dent in the lineup, Tufts is in a great position for next year. Kelley will certainly play a huge role in the Jumbos' effort.

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