ECAC Announces 2020 and 2019 Lambert Awards
DANBURY, Conn. - The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) has announced the 2020 and 2019 Lambert Awards. 2020 marks the first year that the ECAC will be taking over the awards after the passing of long-time award custodian Dennis Wilson in 2019.
The 2020 Lambert Trophy has been awarded to Army for the second time in three years. Under the direction of seventh year head coach Jeff Monken, the 2020 Army football team claimed its ninth Lambert Trophy in program and second under his guidance. The Black Knights also earned the distinction in 2018, prior to that the previous time the trophy resided at West Point was in 1958.
The Cadets captured their third Commander in Chief’s (CIC) Trophy in the last four years with back-to-back victories over Navy and Air Force. This was the first time in history that Army played its service academy foes in consecutive weeks.
Army blanked Navy, 15-0, in the 121st edition of the Army-Navy Game presented by USAA, which was played at Michie Stadium for the first time since 1943. This was the Cadets first shutout of the Mids since 1969. The following weekend the Black Knights topped the Falcons, 10-7, thanks to a late fourth quarter drive, which spanned 16 plays and 80 yards. The drive was capped off by a one-yard plunge into the end zone by fullback Jakobi Buchanan on fourth and goal with 1:13 remaining.
The Black Knights’ wins over Navy and Air Force were the cherry on top for what was another dominant season defending their home turf. Army went a perfect 8-0 at home, marking the first time in program history that it won eight games at Michie Stadium which opened in 1924. The Cadets outscored their opponents 250-76 in contests played at West Point. Dominance at home is not a new trend for the Black Knights, who are 24-2 at Michie dating back to the start of the 2017 season and currently own a 10-game home win streak. Army finished the season with a 9-3 record. The Cadets earned a berth to the 2020 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, where they narrowly fell to West Virginia, 24-21.
Under first-year defensive coordinator Nate Woody, Army’s defense soared to new heights. The Black Knights ranked first nationally in total defense (275.3 ypg), and second in passing yards allowed (160.8 ypg), scoring defense (14.8 ppg) and red zone defense (.645). Army’s patented ground game ranked fourth in the nation in rushing yards per game (273.0), representing the ninth time in the last 10 years that the Black Knights have finished in the top five.
The 2019 Lambert Trophy went to the Penn State Nittany Lions. Capped by a 53-39 win over No. 17 Memphis in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic on Dec. 28, 2019, the Nittany Lions posted their third 11-win season in four years with an 11-2 record. It marked Penn State's 18th 11-win season overall and eighth since joining the Big Ten. Penn State's last stretch with 11 wins in three-of-four years was 1968-71. Penn State finished in the Top 10 of the Associated Press (AP) poll and the Amway Coaches polls for its third Top 10 finish in both polls in the last four seasons. The Nittany Lions came in at No. 9 in the final AP and Amway Coaches polls. Additionally, Penn State was No. 10 in the final College Football Playoff Rankings. Entering the 2020 season, the Nittany Lions had ended the season in the AP Top 25 in four-consecutive seasons for the first time since a seven-year stint from 1993-99. Penn State was one-of-four teams (Clemson, Ohio State, Oklahoma) to rank in the Top 12 of the CFP final rankings in each of the last four seasons (2016-19).
The 2019 and 2020 Lambert Cup goes to the Dukes of James Madison University. The Dukes wrapped up 2019 with a 14-2 overall record, falling just short in the national title game, 28-20, to North Dakota State. JMU won 14 straight games, the second-longest win streak in school history, on its way to winning the Colonial Athletic Association championship with an 8-0 conference record. It was JMU's third outright conference title in four years and the fourth overall conference crown since 2015.The Dukes produced a program-record 10 All-Americans, headlined by Consensus All-American and Buck Buchanan Award runner-up
Ron'Dell Carter. Other All-Americans included
Liam Fornadel,
John Daka,
Ben DiNucci,
Dimitri Holloway,
Adam Smith,
D'Angelo Amos,
Percy Agyei-Obese,
Mac Patrick and
Ethan Ratke. JMU finished the 2019 season ranking in the top five of 13 statistical categories, which included leading the FCS in total defense (270.2), first-down defense (14.56), completion percentage (.706), blocks (9) and fourth-down conversions (.889). The Dukes also ranked second in third-down conversions (.536), third in scoring defense (15.7), scoring offense (40.0), rushing defense (74.8), third-down defense (.300) and first-down offense (24.81), fourth in pass efficiency (169.44) and fifth in team tackles for loss (8.5).
JMU completed its first spring football season in 2021 with a 7-1 overall record and reached the FCS semifinals, falling to eventual national champion Sam Houston. The Dukes went 5-0 during the regular season and 3-0 in Colonial Athletic Association play to win a share of the 2020 CAA championship with Delaware. It’s the second straight conference title for JMU and the fifth over the past six seasons. Five JMU student-athletes were named All-Americans, headlined by Ethan Ratke, who earned a spot on every All-America Team. Other All-Americans included Mike Greene, Percy Agyei-Obese, Raymond Gillespie and Kyle Davis. JMU ranked in the top 10 nationally in 10 different statistical categories, including second on fourth-down conversions (.857), third in rushing defense (72.4), fifth in total defense (243.4), sixth in rushing offense (232.6), yards per completion (14.82), time of possession (34:20) and pass efficiency defense (100.74), seventh in pass efficiency offense (156.28), eighth in scoring defense (16.5) and 10th in third-down conversions (.484).
The 2019 Lambert Division II Cup winners are The Golden Rams of West Chester University. West Chester finished 9-3 overall in 2019 and in second place in the PSAC Eastern Division standings. A thrilling 20-19 victory over California University of Pa., on Senior Day secured the program’s third consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament. There, a frantic second-half comeback fell one yard short in a 31-24 loss at Notre Dame of Ohio in the first round of the Super Region 1 playoffs. Senior DE Ch’aim Smith was named an American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II First Team All-American, leading the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) with 20.5 tackles for a loss that fall while ranking ninth in the country in Division II. His 8.5 sacks ranked sixth in the PSAC and 33rd nationally. Freshman RB Ja’Den McKenzie was named the Super Region 1 Freshman of the Year by the Don Hansen Football Gazette as well as PSAC East Freshman of the Year. McKenzie broke the school’s freshman rushing record with 917 yards on the ground while his 11 TDs came one score shy of the school mark.
The 2019 Lambert Division III Team of the Year has been awarded to Muhlenberg Mules. The Muhlenberg football team had a historic year in 2019, setting a school record with 13 wins and advancing to the semifinals of the NCAA Division III Tournament for the first time in program history. The Mules reached as high as No. 4 in the Division III polls, ending the year ranked No. 5 by the AFCA and No. 7 by D3football.com. Muhlenberg finished the regular season undefeated for the first time since 2007 and claimed its first outright Centennial Conference title since 2008. During their run, the Mules became the first team in Division III history to record shutouts in their NCAA Tournament first- and second-round games, vs. MIT and Brockport, respectively. They secured a spot in the "Final Four" with a 24-8 win at previously undefeated Salisbury.
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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