New England Small College Athletic Conference

Football All-Conference Teams Released

11/22/2016 12:00:00 AM

Brady and Donahue Receive Player of the Year Awards

HADLEY, Mass. – Tufts senior running back Chance Brady (Haverhill, Mass.) and Trinity senior Spencer Donahue (Naperville, Ill.) have been voted by the conference coaches as the NESCAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, respectively.

       OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

• Brady repeats as the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year after becoming the first player in Tufts history to garner the award last season. Brady finished his career as Tufts’ all-time leading rusher (2,692 yards) and single-season rushing leader (1,099). He registered a NESCAC-best 1,099 yards this season to become the first 1,000-yard back for the Jumbos since 2001 and just the fifth in program history. He also led the league in all-purpose yards (1,183), averaging 147.9 yards per game. His 17 rushing and two receiving touchdowns were six more than any other back in the conference this season. Brady helped Tufts post a record of 7-1, marking its best season since 1998. 
  
  DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR 
   
• Donahue is the seventh Bantam to be named Defensive Player of the Year since 2000 and the first since Rae Haynes in 2012. Donahue was a key cog in the Trinity defensive unit that ranked second in the league in scoring defense, allowing just 13.6 points per game. He led the Bantams in tackles (46) and was a disruptive force from his linebacker position. He recorded three sacks, three forced fumbles, collected four fumble recoveries and picked off two interceptions. He also was involved in five pass break-ups and blocked a kick. Donahue helped Trinity win the NESCAC Championship with a perfect 8-0 season.
  
  FIRST TEAM OFFENSE 
   
• Four members of the All-NESCAC First Team Offense are repeat selections, while six other players moved up to the First Team after earning Second Team honors last season.
• Trinity quarterback Sonny Puzzo, the 2013 NESCAC Rookie of the Year, guided the Bantams to an unbeaten campaign and their seventh NESCAC title. The junior led a Trinity attack that ranked first in scoring offense, averaging 38.1 points per contest. He completed 60.1 percent of his passes for 1,492 yards, averaging 186.5 yards per game and 16 touchdowns, while recording passer efficiency rating of 153.1.
• Brady was joined by Trinity’s Max Chipouras and Wesleyan’s Devon Carrillo as First Team running backs. Chipouras, the 2015 NESCAC Rookie of the Year and a second team selection last year, ranked second in the conference to Brady in rushing. The sophomore piled up 910 yards, averaging 113.8 yards per game. He also ranked third in the league with 983 all-purpose yards and ran for seven touchdowns. Carrillo, a senior, reached the end zone in every game for the Cardinals and finished the year with 12 rushing  touchdowns and 807 all-purpose yards. He was also selected to the Second Team as a kick returner.
• Sophomore Conrado Banky of Middlebury and senior Darrien Myers of Trinity are the two newcomers among the First Team wide receivers. Banky was a favorite target for the Panthers as he caught a conference-best 12 touchdowns and paced the league in receiving yards per game (115.6), while totaling 925 yards. Myers ranked second in the NESCAC in all-purpose yards (990), averaging 123.8 yards per game. Myers averaged 11.0 yards per catch and caught a team-best eight touchdowns. Myers and teammate Bryan Vieira accounted for 15 of Trinity’s 18 touchdowns via the air. Vieira, a junior, is the only First Team receiver to earn the accolade for the second straight year. Vieira totaled 550 receiving yards on 23 receptions. 
• Senior Devin Boehm of Amherst and junior Mike Breuler of Wesleyan moved from the Second Team last season to the First Team this year. Boehm, who had at least six receptions in every game this season, led the NESCAC with 57 catches and scored six touchdowns for the Purple & White. Breuler was the leading receiver for the Cardinals, totaling 512 yards and a team-best seven touchdowns.
• Senior Ben Kurtz of Wesleyan garnered All-NESCAC honors for the first time in his career. The senior tight end caught 16 passes for 159 yards.
• Trinity junior Chris Simmons, the 2014 NESCAC Rookie of the Year, repeats as an All-NESCAC First Team selection. He helped the Bantams lead the league in scoring offense (38.1 points per game) and rank second in total offense, averaging 418.6 yards in the air and on the ground.
• Wesleyan sophomore Joe Wilson, Amherst junior Elijah Zabludoff and Middlebury senior Andy Klarman were elevated from the All-NESCAC Second Team last year to the First Team this season to lead the offensive line corp. Wilson helped the Cardinals average 416 yards per game, while allowing 13 sacks. Zabludoff was part of an offense that averaged nearly 333 yards per game. Klarman helped the Panthers lead the league in passing offense, averaging 329.8 yards per game.
• Senior Jack Price of Tufts rounds out the offensive linemen named to the First Team. Price helped Brady post a prolific season on the ground as the Jumbos led the league in rushing offense averaging 239.2 yards per game.  
  
  FIRST TEAM DEFENSE 
   
• Nine of the 15 All-NESCAC First Team Defense honorees are repeat all-league selections.
• Bates senior linebacker Mark Upton headlines the defensive unit. Upton earned All-NESCAC First Team honors for the third straight year. He ranked second in the league in tackles for loss with 14 for 66 yards and third in tackles with 87, including 52 solo tackles. He also registered a team-high seven sacks and one interception.
• Trinity junior Liam Kenneally is another repeat First Team selection. He led the Bantams with six sacks for 61 yards and 9.5 tackles for loss and recorded 44 tackles. He also registered a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and one interception.
• Junior John Jackson of Middlebury earns his first All-NESCAC honor. He led the league in sacks with 7.5 and led the Panthers in tackles with 61. He also picked off one interception and forced a pair of fumbles.
• Three of the five defensive backs on the All-NESCAC First Team are repeat honorees, led by Trinity seniors Paul McCarthy and Yosa Nosamiefan. McCarthy and Nosamiefan anchored a Trinity defense that led the conference in forced turnovers (23). McCarthy tallied 27 tackles, hauled in three interceptions and broke up five passes. Nosamiefan was fourth on the team with 33 tackles, including 26 solo stops, to go along with five pass breakups and an interception.
• Middlebury senior Nate Leedy is a First Team repeat selection. He led the Panthers with five pass breakups and totaled 19 tackles, 18 of which were solo tackles.
• Tufts sophomore Tim Preston and Wesleyan junior Nate Taylor round out the defensive backs on the First Team and earn All-NESCAC accolades for the first time in their careers. Preston led the NESCAC in interceptions with five picks, totaling 137 yards and also broke up six passes. Taylor led the Cardinals with three interceptions and had 18 solo tackles.  
• Three of the five All-NESCAC First Team defensive lineman are repeat honorees. Seniors Jordan Stone of Wesleyan and Matt D’Andrea of Trinity earn First Team honors for the second straight year, while senior Niyi Odewade of Amherst moves from the Second Team to the First Team. Stone led the Cardinals with 4.5 sacks for 30 yards and seven tackles for loss. He anchored a defense that allowed a league-low 12 touchdowns and 220.6 yards per game, including 77.6 yards per game on the ground. D’Andrea tallied 19 tackles and registered two sacks for the NESCAC Champions, while Odewade led the Purple & White in sacks with 4.5 and added 9.5 tackles for loss for 43 total yards.
• Tufts junior Doug Harrison and Hamilton sophomore Tyler Hudson are the two newcomers on the All-NESCAC First Team for the defensive linemen. Harrison recorded 24 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks for the Jumbos. Hudson led the Continentals in sacks with four and also registered 12 tackles for loss for 46 yards. He had 47 tackles on the season and added three pass breakups.

FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS 

• Senior Willie Holmquist of Tufts was named to the First Team as a punter for the first time in his career. He averaged 38.5 yards per punt, to lead the league. He had 15 punts downed inside the 20-yard line and six result in fair catches. He also handled the kicking duties for the Jumbos and was 8-for-11 on field goals and 28-for-31 in PATs to land on the Second Team as a placekicker after being named to the First Team a year ago.
• Trinity sophomore Eric Sachse is the All-NESCAC First Team kicker. He was perfect for the Bantams this season, going 13-for-13 on field goals and 37-for-37 on PATs.
• Trinity senior Darrien Myers was selected as the First Team return specialist for the second consecutive year. He was the only player in the league to return a kickoff for a touchdown this year. He averaged 22.7 yards per kick return and 14.6 yards per punt return.
  
  ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
   
• Greg Holt is the third Tufts player since 2000 to earn NESCAC Rookie of the Year honors. Donnie Simmons won the accolade in 2008 and Adam Arsenault was the Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2004. Holt lead the league in tackles with 98 and averaged 12.3 tackles per game to also earn First Team Defensive plaudits.
  
  COACH OF THE YEAR 
   
• Jeff Devanney of Trinity was selected as the NESCAC Coach of the Year for the third time in his career. He guided Trinity to an undefeated season at 8-0, as the Bantams captured their seventh NESCAC crown. Trinity led the league in scoring offense, averaging 38.1 points per contest. The Bantams also posted the best pass efficiency rating in the league at 157.5. Trinity forced a league-best 23 turnovers and posted a +13 turnover margin. Devanney was previously recognized by his peers in 2008 and 2012.

Football All-Conference Teams

First Team Offense Position Name Institution Class Hometown QB Sonny Puzzo Trinity Jr. West Caldwell, N.J. RB Chance Brady Tufts Sr. Haverhill, Mass.  RB/WR Devon Carrillo Wesleyan Sr. Middletown, Conn. RB Max Chipouras Trinity So. Longmeadow, Mass. OL Andy Klarman Middlebury Sr. Branford, Conn. OL Jack Price Tufts Sr. Lambertville, N.J. OL Chris Simmons Trinity Jr. Manchester, Conn. OL Joe Wilson Wesleyan So. Portland, Ore. OL Elijah Zabludoff Amherst Jr. Rancho Palos Verdes, Calif. WR Conrado Banky Middlebury So. Katy, Texas WR Devin Boehm Amherst Sr. Wilmette, Ill. WR Mike Breuler Wesleyan Jr. Hamden, Conn. WR Darrien Myers Trinity Sr. North Andover, Mass. WR Bryan Vieira Trinity Jr. Hull, Mass. TE Ben Kurtz Wesleyan Sr. Wyoming, Ohio           First Team Specialists Position Name Institution Class Hometown P Willie Holmquist Tufts Sr. Dix Hills, N.Y.  PK Eric Sachse Trinity So. Jefferson, Mass. RET Darrien Myers Trinity Sr.  North Andover, Mass.            First Team Defense Position Name Institution Class Hometown DL Matt D'Andrea Trinity Sr. Darien, Conn. DL Doug Harrison Tufts Jr. Lincoln, R.I. DL Tyler Hudson Hamilton So. Whitesboro, N.J. DL Niyi Odewade Amherst Jr. Newark, N.J. DL Jordan Stone Wesleyan Sr. Brooklyn, N.Y. LB Spencer Donahue Trinity Sr. NAperville, Ill. LB Greg Holt Tufts Fy. Temecula, Calif. LB John Jackson Middlebury Jr. Hood River, Ore. LB Liam Kenneally Trinity Jr. Reading, Mass. LB Mark Upton Bates Sr. Winthrop, Mass. DB Nate Leedy Middlebury Sr. Naples, Fla. DB Paul McCarthy Trinity Sr. North Attleboro, Mass. DB Yosa Nosamiefan Trinity Sr. Boston, Mass. DB Tim Preston Tufts So. Nashua, N.H. DB Nate Taylor Wesleyan Jr. Brooklyn, N.Y.           Second Team Offense Position Name Institution Class Hometown QB Jared Lebowitz Middlebury Jr. Burlington, Vt. QB Mark Piccirillo Wesleyan So. Shelton, Conn. RB Diego Meritus Middlebury So. Yarmouthport, Mass. OL Austin Baiardi Trinity Fy. Smithtown, N.Y. OL Joe Farrah Trinity Jr. West Hartford, Conn. OL Robert McClure Hamilton Sr. Longmeadow, Mass. OL TJ Muzzonigro Tufts Sr. Gibsonia, Pa. OL Matt Polacek Wesleyan Sr. Providence, R.I. WR James Burke Middlebury Sr. West Barnstable, Mass. WR Charles Ensley Hamilton Sr. San Diego, Calif. WR Nick Widen Amherst Sr. Weston, Mass. TE Nik Dean Tufts Sr. Windermere, Fla.           Second Team Specialists Position Name Institution Class Hometown PK John Baron Colby Jr. Medfield, Mass. PK Willie Holmquist Tufts Sr. Dix Hills, N.Y. P Justin Foley Bates So. Lynnfield, Mass.  RET Devon Carrillo  Wesleyan  Sr.  Middletown, Conn.            Second Team Defense Position Name Institution Class Hometown DL Micah Adickes Tufts Jr. Houston, Texas DL Paul Johnson Amherst Sr. Moorestown, N.J. DL Jameson Law Trinity Sr. Brewster, Mass. DL Grant Williams Wesleyan So. Lacey, Wash. LB Parker Chapman Amherst Sr. St. Paul, Minn. LB Shayne Kaminski Wesleyan Jr. Hopkinton, Mass. LB Addison Pierce Middlebury Sr. Greenwich, Conn. LB Andrew Yamin Amherst So. Cheshire, Conn. DB Elias Camacho Wesleyan Jr. Canton, Mass. DB Zac Cuzner Wesleyan Sr. Marblehead, Mass. DB Patrick Dorsey Trinity Sr. Lynn, Mass. DB Archi Jerome Trinity Sr. Brockton, Mass. DB Trevor Lyons Bates Sr. South Hamilton, Mass.

Offensive Player of the Year Chance Brady, Tufts  Defensive Player of the Year Spencer Donahue, Trinity Rookie of the Year Greg Holt, Tufts Coach of the Year Jeff Devanney, Trinity