SOMERSET, N.J. – After winning a
share of the Northeast Conference title last weekend and boasting the best
record the program has ever seen at the Division I FCS level, the University at
Albany football team had nine players awarded all-conference honors, announced
by the league office Wednesday evening. The Great Danes had six named to the
first team -- Drew
Smith, Kadeem
Williams, Ocieka
Bakou, Jon
Morgan, Leon
Saddler, and Paul
Layton – and three to the second team in Ryan
Kirchner, Anthony
Bazzoffi, and Dean
Mercuris.
Senior tailback Drew Smith capped a historic career with three
rushing touchdowns in Week 12, making him the all-time leader for touchdowns
scored (45) and co-leader for all-time rushing touchdowns (40). In four active
seasons, Smith accrued 3,196 career rushing yards and 4,721 all-purpose yards,
both good for second all-time. This season, the Schenectady, N.Y. native
eclipsed the 1,000 rushing yards mark for the second time in his career and the
10th time in program history, rushing for 1,001 yards and 18 touchdowns, while
totaling 1,280 all-purpose yards. Smith also led the NEC and
ranked fourth at the FCS level for scoring (11.40). The honor marks his second
all-conference selection in as many years.
Likewise, senior Ryan Kirchner earned second-team honors for the
second year in a row. Kirchner is UAlbany’s all-time receptions leader hauling
in 172 career catches. This season, Kirchner led the squad with 50 receptions
for 578 yards, while scoring three touchdowns. He was also the Great Danes’ top
punt returner, totaling 100 yards on special teams.
Offensive linemen junior Kadeem Williams earned his second consecutive
first-team all-NEC award, while senior Anthony Bazzoffi was named to the second team.
The duo helped UAlbany to the league’s top-ranked scoring offense (34.1), and
limited opponent sacks to just 1.45 per game. Bazzoffi capped his career with
his first career touchdown in the season finale, rushing across the goal line
from the one-yard line.
Earning first-team honors for the second
straight season, senior inside linebacker Jon Morgan led UAlbany with 72 tackles, three
interceptions, and two blocked kicks this fall. The Copiague, N.Y. native
finished his career ranked eighth all-time at UAlbany with 265 career
tackles.
Senior defensive tackle Ocieka Bakou totaled 28 tackles this fall, while
also making a number of big turnover plays, putting himself on the conference’s
first team. Bakou forced and recovered two fumbles, blocked two punts (both
against Colgate), and returned a fumbled for a touchdown in the Great Danes’
title win over Central Connecticut State. In his career, Bakou accrued 95
tackles and 7.5 sacks. Fellow defensive lineman senior Dean
Mercuris also earned conference honors. Mercuris ranked fourth on the
squad with 49 tackles this season, as well as two sacks, an interception, six
pass breakups, and one fumble recovery.
Earning his second all-NEC honor in his career,
senior cornerback Leon Saddler tallied 36 tackles, a team-high 10
pass breakups, and a fumble recovery this fall. Saddler totaled 125 tackles in
his career with the Great Danes, as well as two interceptions.
Junior Paul Layton averaged 40.4 yards per punt this
fall, including a program record 82-yarder against Wagner. Through three
seasons, Layton currently owns a program-best average of 41.0 yards per punt in
his career (159 punts, 6,519 yards).
In the 14 seasons UAlbany competed in the
Northeast Conference, the Great Danes earned 137 first or second team
all-conference honors. An end to an era, UAlbany will compete in the Colonial
Athletic Association next year.
UAlbany’s nine honorees this fall marked the
most all-NEC selections of any team, with Wagner and Duquesne each claiming
eight. The recipients of all honors were determined by a vote of the
conference’s nine head coaches.
No comments:
Post a Comment