UAlbany and Bryant Student-Athletes Comprise More Than Half of Preseason All-NEC Team
Staff Report
College Sports Journal
SOMERSET, NJ – Defending champion UAlbany and Bryant each placed a league-high six players on the 25-member 2012 Preseason All-Northeast Conference Football Team, the composition of which the NEC announced on Thursday morning via both Twitter and a media teleconference.
Duquesne, which shared the 2011 title with UAlbany but lost the head-to-head matchup, also enjoyed a strong presence on the Preseason All-NEC Team. The Dukes’ three selections mean that the top-three teams (UAlbany, Duquesne, Bryant) in the league’s preseason coaches’ poll accounted for 60 percent of the spots on the team.
Bryant running back Jordan Brown (Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury), the reigning NEC Offensive Player of the Year, was the only player to earn multiple preseason all-NEC selection. He led all of NCAA FCS in rushing (1,815 yards) last year and earned honors at both running back and return specialist.
The 2011 NEC Defensive Player of the Year is also back for another season and finds himself on the Preseason All-NEC Team. Duquesne senior safety Serge Kona (Gaithersburg, MD/Gaithersburg) was a key force on the conference’s top-ranked pass defense (139.3 ypg allowed) last season. Like Brown, he has also been named a Preseason All-American by numerous publications.
Offense
Pos Name School Yr Ht Wt Hometown/Previous School
QB Sean Patterson Duquesne Sr. 6-2 210 Toledo, OH/St. John’s Jesuit
RB Jordan Brown Bryant Sr. 5-9 185 Glastobury, CT/Glastonbury
RB Larry McCoy Duquesne Sr. 5-11 215 Wytheville, VA/George Wythe
WR Jordan Harris Bryant Jr. 6-2 200 Lincoln University, PA/Avon Grove
WR Ryan Kirchner UAlbany Sr. 6-1 180 Rumson, NJ/RFH
TE Tyler George Monmouth Sr. 6-5 245 Berkeley Heights, NJ/Gov. Livingston
OL Steve Ciocci Wagner Sr. 6-4 290 Royersford, PA/Spring-Ford
OL Justin Martel Sacred Heart Sr. 6-4 305 Manchester, NH/Manchester Central
OL Mike Murphy Monmouth Sr. 6-4 300 Toms River, NJ/TR East
OL Chris Willadsen Bryant Sr. 6-6 265 South Windsor, CT/Canterbury
OL Kadeem Williams UAlbany Jr. 6-7 300 Jersey City, NJ/Hudson Catholic
Defense
Pos Name School Yr Ht Wt Hometown/Previous School
DL Tyler Foehr Sacred Heart Sr. 6-3 225 Florence, NJ/Florence
DL Jordan Kelly Bryant Sr. 6-4 240 Canton, MA/Xaverian Brothers
DL Eric Macik Monmouth So. 6-2 250 Landisville, PA/Hempfield
DL Nolan Nearhoof Robert Morris Sr. 6-2 265 Allison Park, PA/North Allegheny
LB Lorenzo Baker CCSU Sr. 5-10 210 Middletown, CT/Middletown
LB Kyle Jordan UAlbany So. 6-2 200 Bernardsville, NJ/Immaculata
LB Jon Morgan UAlbany Sr. 6-2 225 Copiague, NY/Copiague
DB Serge Kona Duquesne Jr. 5-10 215 Gaithersburg, MD/Gaithersburg
DB Cam Chadwick Robert Morris Sr. 6-1 215 Vista, CA/College of Canyons
DB Leon Saddler UAlbany Sr. 5-10 170 Syracuse, NY/Christian Brothers Academy
DB Jeremy Woodson Bryant Jr. 5-7 150 Houston, TX/Hightower
Special Teams
Pos Name School Yr Ht Wt Hometown/Previous School
K Chris Rogers Sacred Heart So. 5-10 160 Cazenovia, NY/Cazenovia
P Paul Layton UAlbany Jr. 6-1 190 Burnt Hills, NY/Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake
R Jordan Brown Bryant Sr. 5-9 185 Glastonbury, CT/Glastonbury