INDIANA, Pa. — The IUP football pairing of
Drew DiNunzio-Biss and
Darius Bruce were named 2023 Division II Conference Commissioner's Association (D2CCA) All-Super Region One Second Team Defense, announced Thursday morning.
The duo were both named All-PSAC West First Team selections for the Crimson Hawks in 2023. The recognition marks the first all-region honors for both DiNunzio-Biss and Bruce. Brayden Long (Slippery Rock) and Eddie Miller-Garrett were selected as the Super Region One Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year.
The defensive standouts are the first all-region selections for IUP by the D2CCA since the 2019 season.
Duane Brown and Darell Davis were all-region honorees for IUP last season by the Don Hansen Football Gazette.
DiNunzio-Biss stepped into a leadership role in the middle of IUP's defense this season, posting 94 tackles, 16 TFLs, 5.5 sacks, two fumble recoveries and two PBUs. He ranked fifth in the conference in solo tackles and third in tackles for loss (1.5). DiNunzio-Biss finished his accomplished IUP career with 214 total stops, racking up 17 total stops in the Coal Bowl against Cal U on October 17 at Miller Stadium. The Vandergrift, Pa. native posted his third double-digit tackle game of the season at Bloomsburg in the 2023 finale.
Bruce earned first team all-conference recognition for the second consecutive season, his third all-conference award overall after second team laurels in 2021. Bruce finished second on the team in tackles (55), second in solo tackles (45), second in PBUs (7), third in sacks (4.0), fourth in TFLs (8.5) and tied for the team lead in interceptions (2) as part of a productive 2023 season. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native boasts 152 career tackles through three seasons starting in the IUP secondary, adding 26 PBUs and six interceptions.
IUP closed the 2023 season with consecutive road wins, securing its 13th consecutive winning season with a runaway 31-0 road victory at Bloomsburg.
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