High School: Four-year standout and starter at John Carroll High School for coach Lenny Jankowski...two-time All-State and three-time all-area pick...Tri-County and Area Defensive Player of the Year in 2003 when he posted 126 tackles, 12 sacks, and 11 blocked kicks...had 119 tackles and four sacks as a junior, 89 tackles and 9.5 sacks as a sophomore, and 69 tackles and 3.5 sacks as a freshman...career totals of 403 tackles, 29 sacks, and 47 tackles for loss...three-time team Defensive Player of the Year Award winner...2001 team went 7-4 and lost in regional semifinals...2002 team went 11-1 and were ranked No. 5 in Florida...2003 team went 11-2, advanced to state semifinals, and was ranked No. 4 in state...two-year team captain...two-year starter as a third baseman for baseball team...honor roll student...

At Delaware: Second-year team member who should be a key member of Blue Hen defensive line in 2005...team’s top returning redshirt freshman on defensive line...projected to take over the starting right defensive end spot vacated by the graduation of Dominic Santoli...has great speed on the outside to get to the passer...collected two tackles in spring game...among the team’s strongest players with a 410 lb. bench press in spring testing...

2004: Did not see game action as a true freshman and retained freshman eligibility...team went 9-4, won the Atlantic 10 title, and advanced to the NCAA I-AA quarterfinals...

Personal: Stephen Thomas Purkey...born Oct. 28, 1985...son of Brian and Cheryl Purkey...arts and sciences major at Delaware...enjoys hunting, fishing, and golfing in his spare time...older brother, Bryan, played college baseball as a catcher at Warner Southern College and played in the New York Mets organization.