University of Massachusets Athletics
Two UMass Football Players Earn All-New England Honors
December 03, 2001 | Football
Dec. 3, 2001
AMHERST, Mass. - Two members of the University of Massachusetts football team have been selected to the 2001 New England Football Writers Division I-AA All-Star team. Sophomore defensive end Valdamar Brower (Florence, Mass.) and senior free safety Jeremy Robinson (Syracuse, N.Y.) were both named to the squad. Members of the All-New England team will be honored at the New England Football Writers Captains & Awards Banquet, to be held this Thursday, Dec. 6, at the Lantana Restaurant in Randolph, Mass.
Brower, who was also named first team All-Atlantic 10 Conference, led the team in both tackles for loss (24 for 97 yards) and quarterback sacks (10 for 70 yards) on the year, with his total for sacks ranking as the sixth-best mark in the school history. He also finished the year and the Atlantic 10's leader in both sacks and tackles for loss. In addition, Brower totaled 57 tackles, seven quarterback hurries, three pass breakups, two blocked field goals and an interception this season. His top game of the year came against 15th-ranked Rhode Island on Nov. 17, when he recorded 10 total tackles with three sacks and six tackles for loss. During his two-year UMass career, Brower now has 114 total tackles, including 15 sacks and 35 tackles for loss.
Robinson, who has been named All-New England for the third-straight season, led the team with 97 total tackles on the year, including a team-high 76 solo stops. A first team All-Atlantic 10 Conference selection, he also paced the Minutemen with three interceptions, five pass breakups and three fumble recoveries. Robinson finished the season ranked seventh in the conference in total tackles, while placing second in fumble recoveries. He concludes his UMass career with 336 total tackles (including 244 solo stops), 15 interceptions for 171 yards and 25 pass breakups. He ranks fourth all-time at UMass in career interceptions, fifth in career solo tackles, and sixth in career interception return yards, pass breakups and total tackles.
UMass finished the 2001 season with an overall record of 3-8 and a 3-6 mark in the Atlantic 10 Conference.
A complete list of the 2001 All-New England team follows.
2001 NEW ENGLAND FOOTBALL WRITERS DIVISION I-AA ALL-STAR TEAM
Offense (School, Pos., Cl.)
Neil Rose (Harvard, QB, Jr.)
Stephan Lewis (New Hampshire, RB, Jr.)
Mike Malan (Brown, RB, Sr.)
L.J. McKanas (Northeastern, RB, Sr.)
Carl Morris (Harvard, WR, Jr.)
Charles Gessner (Brown, WR, Jr.)
Chad Hayes (Maine, TE, Sr.)
Jason Ball (New Hampshire, OL, Sr.)
Jim Bode (Northeastern, OL, Sr.)
Ben Sproul (Yale, OL, Sr.)
Justin Stark (Harvard, OL, Sr.)
Shane Vergari (Rhode Island, OL, Sr.)
Ryan Rolfert (Holy Cross, PK, Jr.)
Lennard Byrd (Maine, RS, Sr.)
Defense (School, Pos., Cl.)
Valdamar Brower (Massachusetts, DL, So.)
Marc Hayes (Rhode Island, DL, Jr.)
Marc Laborski (Harvard, DL, Sr.)
Sam Siaki (Holy Cross, DL, Sr.)
Dante Balestracci (Harvard, LB, So.)
Stephen Cooper (Maine, LB, Jr.)
Matt Mercer (Dartmouth, LB, Sr.)
Paul Picciotti (Rhode Island, LB, Sr.)
Andy Fried (Harvard, DB, Sr.)
T.J. Hill (Northeastern, DB, Sr.)
Jeremy Robinson (Massachusetts, DB, Sr.)
Lance Small (Rhode Island, DB, Sr.)
Alex Ware (Dartmouth, P, Jr.)
