Jack Grinold, Director Office of Sports Infonnation Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 (6 17) 373 -269 1. (61 7) 373-3 152 (fax) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: DEC. 18, 1995 HOPKINS CAREER ENDS AT NORTHEASTERN Mark Hopkins, of Plainfield, N.J., is officially no longer a Northeastern University athlete. After spending the past four years in a dual role of baseball outfielder and football cornerback, Hopkins' eligibility has finally expired. He went out in style, earning yet another varsity letter as one of the standouts of Barry Gallup's gridiron gang. The Huskies recently completed a 4-7 campaign. Hopkins was once again among the Yankee Conference's top defensive backs, picking off a team-high five passes while recording 46 tackles in 1995. He led the conference in interceptions in 1 994 and finished fourth this season. His most productive afternoon came on Sept. 23 when he helped fuel an NU comeback against Massachusetts, making a season-high 1 3 stops and adding an interception. He was the leader of NU's secondary, which surrendered a league-low average of 1 36.6 passing yards per game. Against UMass, NU allowed the Minutemen a mere 23 yards through the air. Hopkins batted .329 over 46 games and led the Huskies in hits (51) this past spring for Coach Neil McPhee's baseball bunch. NU will miss Hopkins' aggressive style, both on the basepaths (54 career stolen bases) and in the secondary (1 6 career interceptions). He holds the NU single-season record for stolen bases, swiping 27 in 1 994. After a decisive 44-3 win over Colgate to begin the season, the Huskies suffered through a five-week skid, losing t ight games with Massachusetts (21 -19), Richmond (26-23) and Villanova (27-24). But NU rallied. With three wins in their last five games, the Huskies finished at a respectable 4-7. Included in the late-season run were victories over crosstown rival Boston University and nationally ranked Connecticut. Although Hopkins does not return to the NU secondary in 1996, Lloyd Nugent, Cullen Boland and Leroy Robinson are back to give NU one of the Yankee Conference's most athletic defensive corps. Hopkins, a graduate of Seton Hall Prep, is a Communications Studies major at NU. He is slated to graduate with the Class of 1 99 6. -30-.