ECAC Announces 2016 Division I FCS Football All-Stars
DANBURY, Conn. – The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced its 2016 Division I FCS Football All-Star teams and award recipients.
Lehigh University quarterback Nick Shafnisky was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while Colgate University junior defensive lineman Pat Afriyie was awarded Defensive Player of the Year. Shane Simpson, a redshirt-freshman from Towson University, received the Offensive Rookie of the Year honor, while Peter Delatour, a redshirt-freshman from Marist College, was honored as the Defensive Rookie of the Year. Saint Francis University Head Coach Chris Villarrial garnered the Coach of the Year honor to complete the major awards.
Shafnisky earned Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year honors after helping the Mountain Hawks post the sixth-most potent offense in the FCS. In 11 regular-season games, the senior threw for 2,448 yards and 20 touchdowns, while rushing for 302 yards and 10 more scores. Shafnisky led the Patriot League in pass efficiency (161.3), and also ranked in the top-10 nationally for completion percentage (66.2). With the Offensive Player of the Year Award, Shafnisky becomes the first Lehigh football player to earn a major player of the year honor from the ECAC since quarterback Chris Lum in 2011.
Afriyie garnered the first Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year honor for a Colgate player since 2010 after leading the conference in seven statistical categories including 21 tackles-for-loss. The defensive lineman knocked opponents back a total of 108 yards on those stops, 29 more than the next-closest Patriot League defender. Afriyie ranked fourth nationally in sacks per game (1.0) and tackles for a loss per game (2.1). He finished fourth on the team in total tackles (51) and led in quarterback hurries with five.
Simpson was named the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Offensive Rookie of the Year, becoming just the third Tiger to take home that honor. The rookie rushed for 784 yards and three touchdowns on 141 attempts. Simpson also made himself known as one of the top kickoff returners in the FCS. He finished the season ranked third in combined kick returns (987.0 yards) and fourth in kickoffs returned for a touchdown (1.0). His 975 kickoff return yards also stand as second most in a season at Towson.
Delatour was named the Pioneer Football League (PFL) Freshman Defensive Player of the Year. He claims Marist’s third major award from the PFL in program history and first since 2013. Delatour led the Red Foxes with five sacks and nine tackles for loss this season. The redshirt-freshman registered 32 tackles, including 20 solo stops. Delatour led all freshman in the PFL in sacks (3), and ranked second tackles for loss (6).
Villarrial repeated as Northeast Conference (NEC) Coach of the Year after leading Saint Francis University to its first ever NEC Regular Season Title and FCS playoff bid in 2016. In his seventh season at the helm of the Red Flash, Saint Francis posted a 4-0 mark at Degol Field to remain perfect in home contests during the last two years. Villarrial helped place nine student-athletes on All-NEC teams at the conclusion of the season, and was also a finalist for the STATS FCS National Coach of the Year Award.
2016 ECAC Division I FCS Football All-Star Team
Offensive Player of the Year
Nick Shafnisky, Sr., Lehigh University
Defensive Player of the Year
Pat Afriyie, Jr., Colgate University
Offensive Rookie of the Year
Shane Simpson, R-Fr., Towson University
Defensive Rookie of the Year
Peter Delatour, R-Fr., Marist College
Coach of the Year
Chris Villarrial, Saint Francis University
Offense First Team
Alek Torgersen, Sr., University of Pennsylvania
Chase Edmonds, Jr., Fordham University
Khalid Abdullah, Sr., James Madison University
John Wilkins, Sr., Colgate University
Kamron Lewis, So., Saint Francis University
Troy Pelletier, Jr., Lehigh University
Justin Watson, Jr., University of Pennsylvania
Anthony Firkser, Sr., Harvard University
Zach Duffy, Sr., Lehigh University
Anthony Coyle, Jr., Fordham University
Nick Demes, Sr., University of Pennsylvania
Aaron Stinnie, R-Jr., James Madison University
Mitchell Kirsch, R-Sr., James Madison University
Defense First Team
Pat Afriyie, Jr., Colgate University
Richard Jarvis, Sr., Brown University
Justin Vaughn, Sr., Fordham University
Patrick Ricard, Sr., University of Maine
Randall LaGuerre, Jr., Central Connecticut State University
William Twyman, Sr., Brown University
Solomon Leaeno, Sr., Saint Francis University
Charles Bell, Jr., University of Delaware
Mike Basile, Jr., Monmouth University
Lorenzo Jerome, Sr., Saint Francis University
Mason Williams, So., University of Pennsylvania
Raven Greene, R-Jr., James Madison University
Special Teams First Team
Ed Mish, So., Lehigh University
Jake Ryder, Sr., Towson University
Rashard Davis, Sr., James Madison University
Honorable Mention
Bryan Schor, Jr., James Madison University; Marcus Bagley, Jr., Saint Francis University; Juston Christian, So., Marist College; Gatlin Casey, Jr., Lehigh University; Ryan Paulish, Jr., Colgate University; Jordi Dalmau, Sr., Colgate University; Max Rich, Sr., Harvard University; Larry Allen Jr., Jr., Harvard University; Marquise Watson, Sr., Bryant University; Wesley Nagaseu, Sr., Saint Francis University; Louis Vecchio, Jr., University of Pennsylvania; Colton Caslow, Sr., Lehigh University; Kyle Diener, Sr., Colgate University; Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga, Sr., University of Maine; Caleb Ham, Jr., Fordham University; Casey DeAndrade, Sr., University of New Hampshire; Shane Simpson, R-Fr., Towson University
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In the 77 years since its inception, the ECAC has emerged as the nation's largest Conference, ranging in location from Maine to Georgia, and westerly to Missouri. In 2015-16, the ECAC hosted nearly 100 championships in men's and women's sports as the sponsors of over 5,800 varsity teams and 111,000 student-athletes. For more information, visit www.ecacsports.com.
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