The life of an offensive lineman is often a thankless job. They are the nameless, faceless masses of humanity that toil in anonymity along the trenches while the more celebrated skill players receive the glory.

But Ed Hudak proved himself to be the antithesis of the stereotypical offensive lineman. He left his mark both on the field and in the classroom, first at Blackhawk High School and then at Lafayette College.

A 1993 Lafayette graduate, Hudak is the only player in Lafayette football history to be recognized with All-American honors by four different organizations. Hudak completed his decorated career on the offensive line in 1992, as he led the Leopards to an 8-3 record and the Patriot League Championship. Hudak garnered first-team All-American honors from both Kodak (coaches) and Football Gazette, while the Associated Press named him to the second team. For two consecutive seasons, The Sports Network placed Hudak on the honorable mention listing.

A three-year letter winner, Hudak helped Lafayette lead the Patriot League in total offense (435.9 yards per game) and scoring offense (34.7 points per game) in 1992. The Leopards led the league in rushing offense in both his junior and senior seasons, rolling up 179.6 yards on the ground in 1991 and 196.8 yards per game in 1992.

 The 6-foot-3, 270-pound lineman was instrumental in paving the way for a superb running game that opened up an able passing attack as the Leopards claimed two Patriot League football championships.

Hudak started 33 straight games for the Leopards and graduated as the most decorated player in Lafayette history. In 2005 he was inducted into the Lafayette “Maroon Club”, the school’s athletic Hall of Fame.

Prior to his outstanding college career, Hudak was a standout at Blackhawk High School, where he played for legendary coach Joe Hamilton. He was an All-Conference selection as an offensive lineman and was a KDKA Extra Effort Award winner for his athletic and academic achievements. Following his senior season, Hudak was selected to participate in the Penn-Ohio All Star Game.

Following his departure from Lafayette, Hudak obtained a professional engineering license. He has spent multiple years with Merck & Co., an organization that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets a broad range of products to improve human and animal health. Hudak has climbed the ladder and currently holds the title of Senior Research Engineer, responsible for compound management in support of high throughput screening.

Ed and his wife, Arlene, have four children and live in Eastern Pennsylvania.