ECAC Announces Football Players of the Month for October
DANBURY, Conn. - The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the Football Players of the Month for October 2019.
Division II
Offensive Player of the Month
Emmett Hunt, Jr., QB, Lincoln University
Hunt played in all four October games posting a passing efficiency of 153.84. Hunt threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns against Johnson C. Smith including an 81-yard touchdown pass as he became the fifth QB in program history to throw for over 300 yards in game.
Defensive Player of the Month
Jarey Elder, Sr., DB, West Chester University
Elder was a ballhawk for Lincoln in the month of October. The senior recorded two interceptions, two forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, and two pass break ups. On top of the turnovers, Elder had 40 tackles and two tackles for loss.
Special Teams Player of the Month
Solomon Bassett, Sr., DL/Special Teamer, Lincoln University
Bassett gets was CIAA special teams player of the week once in October as he has blocked four kicks for Lincoln. His four blocked kicked are the most in NCAA D2 this season and is one of only five players at any level to have four blocked kicks this season.
Rookie of the Month
Ja'Den McKenzie, Fr., RB, West Chester University
The West Chester leading rusher continued his strong rookie year. McKenzie picked up 413 yards and four touchdowns this month on 80 carries, a 5.16 yards per carry average. The freshman averaged over 100 yards per game.
Division III - North
Offensive Player of the Month
Ike Irabor, So., RB, Union College
Irabor led the way for Union carrying the ball 71 times for 453 yards and a 6.38-yard average. He was named Liberty League Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 191 yards and two touchdowns in a win over #21 Hobart. The two-time Liberty League weekly honor roll honoree went for a season-high three touchdowns in a win over Rochester.
Defensive Player of the Month
Nick Milgate, Sr., LB, Alfred University
Milgate leads a defense that is sixth in the nation in rushing defense and seventh in total defense. The senior linebacker registered 38 total tackles and now has five games with double-digit tackles, including a four-game streak of double-digit figures. This earned him an Empire 8 Defensive Player of the Week award and a spot on the D3football.com Team of the Week.
Special Teams Player of the Month
Nick Whitaker, Fr., KR, Wilkes University
Whitaker returned two kickoffs for touchdowns in the month boasting an average of 34.7 yards per-kick return. He went 85 yards for a score against Albright, and then 93 yards against Misericordia for his two scores in the month.
Rookie of the Month
Colton Ray., Fr., DL, USMMA
Ray registered 24 tackles, four sacks, one forced fumble & one quarterback hurry. Ray was named the NEWMAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week after his team-leading 11 tackle, three sack game in the Mariners' double-overtime win over MIT, earning a spot on the D3Football.com National Team of the Week.
Division III - South
Offensive Player of the Month
Wesley Schools, Sr., RB, Grove City College
Schools opened the month with a 176-yard rushing effort in a 29-26 overtime win over previously-undefeated Carnegie Mellon. The next week, he ran for 191 yards and four touchdowns in a 43-41 win at Westminster. Schools then closed the month by setting Grove City's regular season single-game rushing record as he charged through the Waynesburg defense for 324 yards and five touchdowns. School earned PAC Offensive Player of the Week honors and D3football.com Team of the Week honors. Schools ranks second in the nation with 1,161 rushing yards and 16 touchdown runs this year.
Defensive Player of the Month
Chas Blango, Sr., DE, Bethany College
Blango stuffed the statsheet from his Defensive End position recording 40 tackles, 6.5 sacks, one interception, three forced fumbles, two fumble recoeries, and two pass breakups. His biggest game came against Carnegie Mellon where he picked up 3.5 sacks, and had 4.5 tackles for a loss, forced two fumbles and recovered one, while breaking up one pass and making one interception.
Special Teams Player of the Month
Chris Holbrook, Fr., KR, Albright College
Holbrook Returned two kickoffs back for touchdowns against Wilkes. He was named MAC Special Teams player of the week and earned a spot on D3football.com Team of the Week at returner. For the month Holbrook averaged 31.3 yards per-kick return.
Rookie of the Month
Zach Vanscovich, Fr., WR, Widener University
Vanscovich has been a chain mover for Widener this season. Nine of his 13 catches in October went for first downs or touchdowns. He Posted a career-high five catches, all for first downs, at Stevenson and has had at least two catches in every game he played.
ABOUT THE ECAC
The ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) is an eighty-two-year-old organization with well over 200 member schools across all three NCAA Divisions - I, II and III. The ECAC exists to enhance the experience of student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics and provides great value for universities and colleges by sponsoring championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments and other competitions throughout the Northeast. The ECAC's esports platform is growing and now totals more than sixty colleges and universities and is expanding the geographic footprint for the conference nationally. The ECAC is also sponsoring competitions and leagues involving other varsity and club sports that do not fall under the umbrella of the NCAA.
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