Cal Poly fullback Duy Tran-Sampson has earned a spot on the HERO SPORTS Sophomore All-American Team. Punter Mitch Souza is an honorable mention on the same team.
Tran-Sampson became Cal Poly's 23rd ball carrier to rush for over 1,000 yards in a season as the Claremont High School graduate accumulated 1,037 yards in 11 games this fall. The 6-1, 215-pound sophomore averaged 4.4 yards per carry and scored eight touchdowns. Tran-Sampson's 94.3 yards-per-game average is No. 3 in the Big Sky Conference.
Tran-Sampson, who had just one carry for four yards as a redshirt freshman a year ago, playing behind All-American fullback Joe Protheroe, opened his sophomore campaign by breaking off an 87-yard touchdown romp around right end against San Diego.
He produced four 100-yard games this season -- in the season opener against San Diego with 172 yards on just 15 carries along with 137 yards versus Oregon State, 173 against North Dakota and 135 in the season finale at Northern Colorado. Tran-Sampson also rushed for 98 yards against Montana State and 81 versus Southern Utah.
Souza averaged 42.4 yards on 54 punts this fall with a long of 58 yards against Southern Utah. He also had eight other punts of 50 or more yards this season. A dozen of Souza's punts ended up inside the 20-yard line, 11 resulted in fair catches and two were touchbacks. None of Souza's punts were blocked.
Souza is a graduate of Buchanan High School in Clovis and punted for one season at Fresno City College before transferring to Cal Poly.
-Provided by Cal Poly
