Hall of Fame
An All-American anchor on Allegheny's offensive line, Zach Kessler '99 paved the way for the Gators in the late 90s. As a three-year starter and senior captain, Kessler helped the Gators capture the 1996 NCAC championship and a share of the conference crown in 1997.
As a junior, the Moon Township, Pennsylvania, native was part of an offense that ranked eighth in Division III in scoring offense (40.7 points per game). His work in the trenches allowed Jim Mormino '98 (HOF '10) to earn NCAC Offensive Player of the Year after rushing for a then-record 1,393 yards. A Hewlett-Packard All-America Second Teamer in 1997, Kessler earned preseason All-America honors from Street and Smith, The Sporting News, and Bob Griese's College Football Yearbook ahead of his senior season.
The 6-foot-3 guard extended his streak of consecutive starts to 32 games in his final year while bulldozing defenders for a rushing attack that ranked 14th nationally with 265.3 yards per game. Kessler was recognized again by Hewlett-Packard in 1998, this time with a spot on the first team.
