Nick Murgo To Receive First Pride Of Rhode Island Award

By Bruce Mastracchio

Former Mount Hope All State football player, Nick Murgo, will receive the first Pride Of Rhode Island Award to be given by the Providence Gridiron Club at their Annual Awards Banquet, Wednesday, April 4th, at the Quonset 'O' Club.

The Award, which will be given annually, will be presented to a former Rhode Island Interscholastic League high school football player, who has gone out of state and proved to be outstanding with his comportment and play bringing pride to the Ocean State .

Murgo certainly meets the criteria. He has been a star in college at not one, but two,universities for all four years of his playing career.

He started his career at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania, where he led the team in tackles with 107 and was second in the North Coast Athletic Conference. He was named North Coast Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year and the Team MVP besides being awarded the Allegheny Block "A" Award. He also was Honorable Mention All League.

His sophomore year was almost a carbon copy of his first as again he led the team with 104 tackles, 3rd in NCAC and was Honorable Mention All League at Linebacker.

A coaching change precipitated his transfer to Washington & Jefferson for his Junior season. There he registered 93 tackles, 1st on his team and 5th in the President's Athletic Conference. Again he made Honorable Mention as W&J won the ECAC Championship President's Bowl.

Nick capped his career off with a stellar senior campaign. He made First team All Conference; First team All ECAC at linebacker; 2nd team All D3 Southern Region; CoSIDA All Academic District 4; won the Brian Strope Award as Defensive MVP; was named Player of the Week two times; made ECAC Academic Honor Roll and PAC Academic Honor Roll, once again leading the team in tackles with 92.

Washington & Jefferson registered an undefeated regular season at 10-0, losing in the first round of the playoffs and was named ECAC Team of the Year.

Nick led his two teams in tackles every year staring 42 straight games.

Murgo finished his career with 396 tackles and ranked 3rd for career tackles among all active players in D3, and, #12 in career tackles for ALL 4 Divisions of NCAA football. There is a chance that Nick may get a look for the next level either from the NFL, CFL or AFL. Whatever happens, Nick has already done well and represented his state, Lil' Rhody,excellently, showing the kind of football that is played here. He will be rewarded for that effort and performance on April 4th. Tickets for the event are $40 and further details and information can be had by contacting PGC President Robert Izzi at 378-4393 or robert.izzi@aol.com.