NESCAC Football All-Conference Teams Announced
Williams' Lucey, Trinity's Soules Come Away with Player of the Year Honors
HADLEY, Mass. - Williams junior quarterback Patrick Lucey (Plymouth, Mass.) and Trinity senior defensive back Mike Soules (Simsbury, Conn.) have been named as the 2006 NESCAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively, as determined by the conference coaches. Williams earned its first NESCAC title since 2002 with a perfect 8-0 record this season, leading the league in offense by averaging 34.5 points per game while only allowing 9.2 points defensively, good enough for second among conference teams. In his third season with the Ephs, head coach Mike Whalen earned Coach of the Year as he guided his squad to only the sixth perfect season in the program’s 121-year history. Whalen is 20-4 over the course of his three seasons at Williams.
Lucey, who also received First Team All-Conference recognition, was the highest rated quarterback in the NESCAC in 2006 with an efficiency rating of 165.8. Playing in all eight games for the Ephs this season, Lucey completed a league-best 66.7 percent of his passes on 112-of-168 passing for 1,528 yards with 14 touchdowns and only four interceptions. Lucey also led the conference this season in total yards, collecting 1,634 as he added in 106 yards on the ground over the course of the season. Against rival Amherst to close out the regular season on Nov. 11, Lucey threw for a career-best 368 yards with three touchdowns as he completed 17-of-22 passes in a 37-7 victory.
Soules recorded 33 tackles, 17 solo, as part of a Bantam defense that led the league in most statistical categories, including points allowed per game (6.8), pass defense (117.5 yards/game) and rushing defense (42.5 yards/game). Soules was among the league leaders in interceptions this season, picking off three passes and returning them for a total of 46 yards. He also broke up three passes and recovered two fumbles. Along with the 2006 Defensive Player of the Year award, Soules earned NESCAC All-Conference First Team Defense for the second year in a row.
Joining Lucey on the 2006 NESCAC All-Conference First Team Offense were three running backs, seniors Gennaro Leo of Trinity and Jamie Walker of Bates along with Tufts junior Kevin Anderson. Leo, a First Team Offense selection in 2005, led the NESCAC in rushing and all-purpose yards this season, gaining 109.0 yards per game on the ground and 136.1 overall per game with nine rushing touchdowns. Walker was second among league rushers, running for an average 70.2 yards per game and five touchdowns.
The NESCAC All-Conference First Team Offensive line consisted of Colby senior Tom Bourdeau, Williams senior Chris Kenney and sophomore John Szalowski, Bowdoin junior Rogan Donelly, and Trinity juniors John Mihalko and Mike Robinson. Of the six linemen, only Kenney and Mihalko earned All-NESCAC honors last season, earning a spot on the Second Team Offense. The All-Conference honor for Kenney marks the second time in 2006 that he has received NESCAC recognition, as he was the NESCAC Baseball Player of the Year in the spring. Mihalko and Robinson were a part of a Bantam line that only allowed two sacks this season - best among league teams - while Kenney and Szalowski underpinned an Eph offensive line that surrendered just seven sacks, second to Trinity.
All three of the wide receivers on the 2006 First Team Offense return from the 2005 squad, Amherst senior Mark Hannon and Williams seniors Jonathan Drenckhahn and Brendan Fulmer. The three seniors were among the league leaders in most offensive categories this season. Drenckhahn led the league in both receptions per game (6.38) and receiving yards per game (95.2), while Hannon was third in receptions (5.75) and fourth in receiving yards (66.1). Fulmer averaged 82.1 yards per game, second only to Drenckhahn this season, and led all league wide receivers in touchdowns with eight, compared to seven for both Drenckhahn and Hannon. Hannon also earned recognition on the First Team as a return specialist for the second year in a row.
Middlebury senior Steve Hauschka garnered All-Conference First Team honors at both place kicker and punter this year, as he was named to the Second Team a year ago as the place kicker. Hauschka set a school record in 2006 with a league-best 10 field goals to bring his career mark to 20 with the Panthers, also a program-best. He finished second among league punters this season, averaging 37.9 yards over 52 punts with 17 falling inside the 20 this season.
Five defensive linemen received recognition on the NESCAC All-Conference First Team Defense. Returning from the first team last year was Bates senior Terence Ryan, while Middlebury senior Kevin Ryan followed up a 2005 season that saw him earn Second Team Defense with First Team honors this year. Amherst senior Brendan McKee, Trinity junior D.J. Lanz and Hamilton sophomore Taylor Soobitsky round out the newcomers on the line this fall. Kevin Ryan accumulated a conference-best 15.5 sacks this season, 14 of which were solo, to break both the Middlebury and NESCAC record for sacks in a season, while Terence Ryan collected 11.0 sacks this season to finish second among NESCAC Players. The two players reversed their positions atop the tackles for a loss column, with Terence leading the league with an average 2.50 per game and Kevin second with 2.31.
At linebacker on the First Team Defense were Trinity senior Christian Allen, Tufts senior Chris Decembrele, Williams senior Jon Dolan, Wesleyan graduate student Quincy Francis, and Middlebury junior Erik Woodring. Allen returns from last year’s First Team Defense at linebacker, while Decembrele earns First Team Defense honors for the second year in a row after a 2005 First Team Defense showing as a defensive lineman. Francis stepped from the 2005 Second Team to the 2006 First Team this fall, the second time in his career that he has earned First Team recognition (2002). Woodring completed 2006 with a league-high 88 tackles.
The defensive backfield is comprised of four players that come from Trinity and Williams. Joining Soules on the First Team Defense from the Bantams was junior Jared Boyd. The Ephs were represented by senior Elliot Moffie, a First Team Defense selection a year ago, and classmate Jon Poppe.
Rookie of the Year honors went to Hamiton’s John Lawrence (Baldwinsville, N.Y.) who was a key two-way player for the Continentals in 2006. Lawrence finished the season second on the team in rushing with an average of 11.6 yards per game and one rushing touchdown on offense. On defense, Lawrence collected 30 tackles, 24 of which were solo, for Hamilton while picking up four sacks for a combined loss of 33 yards to finish in a two-way tie for fifth in the NESCAC in sacks per game at 0.50. He also had a pass break-up and a fumble recovery.
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2006 NESCAC FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE
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First Team Offense |
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| QB |
Patrick Lucey |
Williams |
Jr. |
Plymouth, Mass. |
| RB |
Kevin Anderson |
Tufts |
Jr. |
Hopkinton, Mass. |
| RB |
Gennaro Leo |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Everett, Mass. |
| RB |
Jamie Walker |
Bates |
Sr. |
Needham, Mass. |
| OL |
Tom Bourdeau |
Colby |
Sr. |
Trumbull, Conn. |
| OL |
Rogan Donelly |
Bowdoin |
Jr. |
Osprey, Fla. |
| OL |
Chris Kenney |
Williams |
Sr. |
Walpole, Mass. |
| OL |
John Mihalko |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Shelton, Conn. |
| OL |
Mike Robinson |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Drexel Hill, Pa. |
| OL |
John Szalowski |
Williams |
So. |
Hatfield, Mass. |
| WR |
Jon Drenckhahn |
Williams |
Sr. |
New Canaan, Conn. |
| WR |
Brendan Fulmer |
Williams |
Sr. |
Leroy, N.Y. |
| WR |
Mark Hannon |
Amherst |
Sr. |
Glen Rock, N.J. |
| TE |
Jamie Staples |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Pacific Grove, Calif. |
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First Team Defense |
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| DL |
D.J. Lanz |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Suffield, Conn. |
| DL |
Brendan McKee |
Amherst |
Sr. |
Hull, Mass. |
| DL |
Kevin Ryan |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Shelton, Conn. |
| DL |
Terence Ryan |
Bates |
Sr. |
Milton, Mass. |
| DL |
Taylor Soobitsky |
Hamilton |
So. |
Simsbury, Conn. |
| LB |
Christian Allen |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Abington, Mass. |
| LB |
Chris Decembrele |
Tufts |
Sr. |
Walpole, Mass. |
| LB |
Jon Dolan |
Williams |
Sr. |
Lowell, Mass. |
| LB |
Quincy Francis |
Wesleyan |
Gr. |
Stamford, Conn. |
| LB |
Erik Woodring |
Middlebury |
Jr. |
Cos Cob, Conn. |
| DB |
Jared Boyd |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Hackettstown, N.J. |
| DB |
Elliot Moffie |
Williams |
Sr. |
Wallingford, Conn. |
| DB |
Jon Poppe |
Williams |
Sr. |
Upper Saddle River, N.J. |
| DB |
Mike Soules |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Simsbury, Conn. |
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First Team Specialists |
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| PK |
Steve Hauschka |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Needham, Mass. |
| P |
Steve Hauschka |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Needham, Mass. |
| RS |
Mark Hannon |
Amherst |
Sr. |
Glen Rock, N.J. |
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Second Team Offense |
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| QB |
Nick Kehoe |
Amherst |
Sr. |
Washington Depot, Conn. |
| RB |
Stefan Hrdina |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
West Redding, Conn. |
| RB |
Brian Morrissey |
Williams |
So. |
Winchester, Mass. |
| OL |
Matt Mascioli |
Amherst |
Sr. |
Morgantown, W. Va. |
| OL |
Ryan McGeary |
Tufts |
Sr. |
Sudbury, Mass. |
| OL |
Henry Szalowski |
Williams |
So. |
Hatfield, Mass. |
| OL |
Ben Willig |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Barnegat, N.J. |
| WR |
Dylan McNamara |
Bates |
Sr. |
San Francisco, Calif. |
| WR |
Chris Olenoski |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Shelton, Conn. |
| WR |
Ryan Walsh |
Wesleyan |
So. |
Milton, Mass. |
| TE |
Jim O'Leary |
Williams |
Sr. |
Stamford, Conn. |
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Second Team Defense |
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| DL |
Jeff Carpenter |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Pottstown, Pa. |
| DL |
Mike Eisert |
Williams |
Jr. |
Cranford, R.I. |
| DL |
Chad Guerrero |
Middlebury |
Jr. |
Essex, Vt. |
| DL |
Zach Hammond |
Bowdoin |
Sr. |
Holliston, Mass. |
| DL |
Adam Kowalski |
Williams |
Sr. |
Chelmsford, Mass. |
| LB |
Nile Lundgren |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Guilford, Conn. |
| LB |
Andrew Heaney |
Colby |
Sr. |
Reading, Mass. |
| LB |
Trevor Pedrick |
Hamilton |
So. |
Wallkill, N.Y. |
| LB |
John Regan |
Bowdoin |
Sr. |
Newburyport, Mass. |
| LB |
Matt Rettig |
Trinity |
Jr. |
Branford, Conn. |
| DB |
Paul Mounds |
Trinity |
Sr. |
East Hartford, Conn. |
| DB |
Joe Pepe |
Wesleyan |
Sr. |
East Haven, Conn. |
| DB |
Matt Pitarresi |
Hamilton |
Jr. |
New Hartford, N.Y. |
| DB |
Scott Secor |
Middlebury |
Sr. |
Lake Odessa, Mich. |
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Second Team Specialists |
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| PK |
Scott Sobolewski |
Williams |
Fr. |
Clifton Park, N.Y. |
| P |
Brendan Fulmer |
Williams |
Sr. |
Leroy, N.Y. |
| RS |
Chris Olenowski |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Shelton, Conn. |
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Offensive Player of the Year |
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| QB |
Patrick Lucey |
Williams |
Jr. |
Plymouth, Mass. |
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Defensive Player of the Year |
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| DB |
Mike Soules |
Trinity |
Sr. |
Simsbury, Conn. |
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Rookie of the Year |
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| RB/LB |
John Lawrence |
Hamilton |
Fr. |
Baldwinsville, N.Y. |
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Coach of the Year |
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Mike Whalen |
Williams |
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