University of Massachusets Athletics
Four Football Players Named to the All-Atlantic Region Team
February 16, 2005 | Football
Feb. 16, 2005
Amherst, Mass.,-- University of Massachusetts All-American junior defensive back Shannon James was named to the Don Hansen 2004 Football Gazette NCAA 1-AA All-Atlantic Region Team First Team Defense, announced today.
Senior offensive lineman Rob Kane and sophomore punter Christian Koegel were recognized as second-team honorees while junior running back Steve Baylark was a member of the third-team.
James, a native of Stratford, Conn., who was also the A-10 Defensive Football Player of the Year, led the Conference and shared the national lead in interceptions with eight. He registered 75 tackles, including 59 solo stops. The junior picked off two passes in three of Massachusetts' 11 games this season and his 16 career interceptions are the most of any active player in I-AA.
Kane, who hails from Londonderry, N.H., has been the stalwart of the UMass offensive line as the senior captain. He has headed up the crew that led to Baylark's huge season. Behind Kane, the UMass offensive line helped the Minutemen to 138.8 rushing yards per game and 366.4 yards of total offense each game. Kane was named to the All-Conference second team last season.
Koegel, from Deerfield Beach Fla., finished as the A-10's second-best punter in average with a 41.3, which was the third-best season in school history. Koegel had 15 punts inside the 20 yard-line. He also boomed a 76-yard punt vs. Delaware, the third longest in school history. Koegel set the Atlantic 10 record for punt yardage (526) at Boston College. He was named A-10 Special Teams Player of the Week on Sept. 26. He had at least one punt of 47 yards or more in each game this season.
Baylark, who hails from Apopka, Fla., led the A-10 in rushing with 1,138 yards (103.5 per game). He gained more than 100 yards in five games this season including four in a row late in the season. He currently ranks fifth all-time in career rushing yards with 2,235 after just two seasons. His 1,138 yards this season is the 11th best single-season total in UMass history and his 243 carries stands ninth on the list. He rushed for 191 yards on 43 carries, third-most in a game at UMass history, at New Hampshire. On the season, he also had nine catches for 90 yards. Baylark was a All A-10 Second team honoree last season.
For more information, please visit the Football Gazette on-line at www.donhansen.com
