Wabash College football players Blair Hammer (Carmel, IN/Carmel) and Aaron Lafitte (Goodyear, AZ/Ironwood) have earned individual North Coast Athletic Conference individual postseason honors. Hammer has been named the Hank Critchfield Defensive Player of the Year. Lafitte was named the conference’s Newcomer of the Year.
Hammer, a senior defensive lineman, spent the entire 2003 season hampered by serious injuries to both ankles, but still managed to finish with 42 tackles, 9-12/ tackles for losses totaling 45 yards, and five sacks for 36 yards. His efforts were part of a Little Giant defensive unit that led the NCAC in scoring defense, rushing defense, passing defense, and total defense. The Wabash defense is fourth in the nation in total defense, 11th in rushing defense and scoring defense, and 16th in pass defense. Hammer finished his career tied for the school record for sacks with 27-1/2, equaling the mark set by his brother, B.J. Hammer ’00. He was the only player active in 2003 to be named to the NCAC’s All-Decade Team. He is a three-time First Team All-NCAC selection. Hammer follows Wabash’s Nate Boulais ’03, who won the Critchfield Award last year. The NCAC Defensive Player of the Year Award is presented by Mr. Ernie Infield of Wooster and is provided by the estate of Mr. Hank Critchfield.
Lafitte, a running back at Wabash, is the first freshman to receive the Newcomer of the Year Award since Wittenberg’s Dustin Goldsbury earned the honor in 1998. Lafitte earned a place on the All-Conference First Team at running back after leading the nation in freshman scoring with 96 points and a 9.6 points-per-game average. Lafitte shattered the Wabash freshman rushing record this year, carrying 156 times for 1,008 yards and 16 TDs, becoming the first freshman to top the 1,000-yard mark in a season at Wabash. He finished third in the conference in rushing average (100.8 ypg), third in all-purpose yards (124.1 ypg), and third in scoring (9.6 ppg).
Wooster's Tony Sutton was named the Mike Gregory NCAC Offensive Player of the Year. Allegheny Head Coach Mark Matlak earned NCAC Coach of the Year honors.