NJCAA Football Hall of Fame welcomes three
Mark Duda, Andre Tippett, Marhsal Yanda enshrined in the 2018 NJCAA Hall of Fame class
The newest additions to the NJCAA Football Hall of Fame have been announced. Mark Duda, Andre Tippett, and Marshal Yanda have all been enshrined in the 2018 class.
Mark Duda
Head Coach – Lackawanna (PA)
A four-time Northeast Football Conference Coach of the Year, Duda is currently the active leader in career wins in the NJCAA. Duda's reign for the Falcons began in 1993 with the inception of the program. After one year as a defensive coordinator, Duda took over as the head coach where he has amassed 166 wins and a career winning percentage of .680.
The Falcons have reached unprecedented success under Duda, reaching 10 bowl games while boasting four undefeated seasons. Over 370 student-athletes have received scholarships to the NCAA Division I level while 15 have gone on to play in the NFL.
Duda has also been enshrined in the University of Maryland Wall of Fame and the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. A stellar playing career at Maryland where he still holds the school's record for sacks in a season was extended to the NFL where he played in 55 career games for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Duda holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Education from East Stroudsburg and a Master of Arts in Professional Studies from Thomas Edison College.
Andre Tippett
Linebacker – Ellsworth (IA)
A member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 1980's, Tippett's career began at Ellsworth during a time of dominance for the Panthers. A force on the defensive front, Tippett's solid play in Iowa Falls was rewarded with a scholarship to the University of Iowa where he earned All-America honors.
After a stellar collegiate career, Tippett was drafted by the New England Patriots in the second round of the 1982 NFL Draft. Tippett's career featured five pro bowls and set Patriot records for career sacks, sacks in a season, and opponent fumbles recovered. During the Patriots' Super Bowl season of 1985, Tippett was named AFC Defensive Player of the Year.
Tippett was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2008 and the Ellsworth Hal of Fame in 2015. Tippett currently serves as the Executive Director of Community Affairs for the Patriots. Tippett has also been inducted into the Patriots Hall of Fame and the University of Iowa Hall of Fame.
A native of Birmingham, AL, Tippett and his wife Rhonda have three daughters- Janea, Asia, and Madison and one son- Coby.
Marshal Yanda
Guard – North Iowa Area
A current member of the Baltimore Ravens, Marshal Yanda spent two seasons at North Iowa Area where he earned NJCAA All-America honors under head coach Dave Gillespie. While at North Iowa Area, Yanda earned consecutive All-Region honors for his play on the offensive line.
Yanda's hard work was rewarded with a starting job at the University of Iowa that resulted in a All-Big Ten Second-Team selection as a senior- ultimately leading to a third-round pick in the 2007 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens. Yanda has been considered one of the top-ranked guards in the NFL throughout his tenure and earned six straight trips to the Pro Bowl. Yanda helped lead the Ravens to a victory in Super Bowl XLVII over the San Francisco 49ers.
A native of Cedar Rapids, IA, Yanda signed a four-year contract extension with the Ravens in 2015. Yanda and his wife Shannon have three children- Graham, Libby, and Logan.
