Hippeard Passes Way to NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week
Damm Earns Mid-South Special Teams Player of the Week

October 23, 2006

Wise, VA – For the second time in the 2006 season, The University of Virginia's College at Wise received a NAIA National Offensive Player of the Week in Randy Hippeard. The quarterback joins teammate Ra'Shad Morgan in earning the acclaim after having a record-setting Saturday night. Placekicker/Punter Ray Damm was the other honoree as he was voted Mid-South Conference Special Teams Player of the Week.

The duo played key parts as the Highland Cavaliers improved to 6-2 last Saturday with a 52-38 victory at Pikeville College. The team clinched its first winning campaign since 2001 with the win and moved back into the NAIA Top 25 at 24th.

Hippeard set two UVA-Wise single game records and one season mark with his performance against Pikeville to gain both NAIA National and Mid-South Offensive Player of the Week status. He passed for 439 yards (30 of 42 passing) and five touchdowns for new Cav game records. The sophomore also has 21 passing touchdowns on the season to break David Nara's 1994 mark of 19 scoring strikes. The Stafford, VA native hit four different receivers with touchdown passes on the night and had two of his targets surpass the 100-yard receiving plateau. The Hippeard led UVA-Wise offense outgained its eighth opponent in eight games and compiled 543 yards of total offense on the night. It marks the second Mid-South weekly honor of the 2006 season for Hippeard as he received the award following the team's victory over Southern Virginia.

The Colonial Forge High product has completed 161 of 256 passes for 2,450 yards with 21 touchdowns to only five interceptions. He averages 305.2 yards of total offense per ballgame.

Damm booted a 36-yard field goal, made all seven extra point attempts and punted the ball 47 yards on one of his four tries to pick up the Mid-South Special Teams Player of the Week honor. It is Damm's second conference award after earning the same distinction following the team's victory at Shorter College last season. He has made 39 of 45 point after attempts, split the uprights on five of seven field goal attempts and averages 34.9 yards per punt.

The two players and the rest of the Cavs will next host West Virginia Tech on Saturday afternoon starting at 1:30 p.m.