Cordivari named 2011 Melberger Award winner

WASHINGTON – CUA junior quarterback Greg Cordivari has been named the 2011 winner of the prestigious Melberger Award, symbolic of Division III’s top football player in the nation.  The Melberger Award is named in honor of Clifford K. Melberger and has been presented annually since 1993.

An All-ODAC selection this season, Cordivari etched his name into the CUA record book in 2011, establishing new school records for completions (321) and attempts (505), while also setting the school record for single game completions (46) and attempts (67).  Cordivari’s 3,282 passing yards rank second best in school annals, while his 25 touchdown passes and 63.6 completion percentage are third best.

Cordivari eclipsed the 400-yard mark on two occasions this season, including a career-high 459 in a win at McDaniel.  The Pennsylvania native went over 300 yards in seven games and threw multiple touchdowns in every game, but one.  Cordivari finished the season ranked seventh nationally in total offense, averaging 315.5 yards per contest.

Clifford K. Melberger was a captain of the 1960 Bucknell University football team and is the owner, founder and chairman of the board of Diversified Information Technologies, which presents the Melberger Award. 

The actual trophy is a carving made of pure anthracite coal that is indigenous to Melberger’s home in northeastern Pennsylvania. 

Winners of the award from the past five years include:
2010 - Ben McLaughlin, Louisiana College
2009 – Alex Tanney, Monmouth College
2008 – Nate Kmic, Mount Union College
2007 – Jason Blotus, Hartwick College
2006 – Chris Sharpe, Springfield College