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University of Massachusets Athletics
Holmes Named CAA Co-Defensive Player Of Year
November 22, 2010 | Football
Junior linebacker Tyler Holmes was named the CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year on Monday. He was also named to the CAA First-Team along with senior receiver Anthony Nelson and senior lineman Greg Niland. Junior tailback Jonathan Hernandez and junior receiver Julian Talley were on the second team and senior tailback John Griffin took third-team honors. Holmes is the first UMass player to earn league defensive player of the year honors since Shannon James was the Atlantic 10's top player in 2004. Prior to James, the last honoree was Brian Corcoran in 1994.
Here is the full release and team from the CAA.
RICHMOND, Va. (November 22, 2010) -- CAA Football, which placed a national best four in the 2010 NCAA Division I Football National Championships for the third time since 2004, announced its 2010 All-Conference honors Monday.
The awards, voted on by the 10 CAA Football head coaches, were handed out following a 2010 season which saw seven teams ranked among the Top 25 for a record nine-straight weeks. Within that same span the league also saw five of its own among the Top 10 in four-straight weeks. CAA Football also extended its string of wins against FBS opponents to eight in the last nine seasons.
Delaware senior quarterback Pat Devlin was chosen as the 2010 CAA Football Offensive Player of the Year. The league's Defensive Player of the Year honor was awarded to both Massachusetts junior linebacker Tyler Holmes and Richmond senior linebacker Eric McBride. William and Mary junior kick returner Jonathan Grimes logged CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Year honors and Rhode Island second-year head coach Joe Trainer picked up the CAA Football Coach of the Year award. Delaware freshman running back Andrew Pierce and James Madison linebacker Stephon Robertson were the league's Offensive and Defensive Rookies of the Year, respectively.
Devlin was the Blue Hens' offensive leader enroute to a share of the 2010 CAA Football crown. The Downingtown, Pa., native is tops in the league and sixth nationally in passing efficiency over 10 of Delaware's 11 games with a mark of 151.3. Devlin, one of 10 finalists for the Unitas Golden Arm Award, ranks second in the league averaging 215.8 yards passing per contest. The senior, one of the 20 finalists for The Sports Network/Fathead.com Walter Payton Player of the Year Award, heads into next weekend's postseason after completing 179 of 266 passes for 2,158 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Holmes and McBride are two of the league's four Buck Buchanan Defensive Player of the Year finalists. Holmes, a Blacksburg, Va., native finished his junior campaign with 110 tackles and five sacks in 11 contests. He also tied for the league lead in interceptions after hauling in five over 11 games, including two returned for touchdowns in the same contest. McBride, who ended his Richmond career with 54-straight starts at linebacker, ranks second in the league with 118 tackles in 11 games. The three-time First Team All-CAA Football honoree also leads the league in recovered fumbles with three.
Grimes, one of the most decorated student-athletes in CAA Football history having now earned eight honors in just three seasons, ranks second in the league with a mark of 25.3 yards per kickoff return. The junior leads the conference with 1,428 all-purpose yards on the season and is 12 yards shy of landing on the CAA Football career Top 10 all-purpose yards list. On top of his special teams duties, the Palmyra, N.J., native also ranks fifth in the league with 787 rushing yards for a William and Mary squad which won a share of the league title.
Trainer took the reigns at Rhode Island in 2009, and after going winless in the league last season, led the Rams to a 4-4 mark in CAA Football play in 2010. The second-year Rhody leader saw seven student-athletes win All-CAA Football recognition, including two First Team picks. Trainer, a long-time assistant under current Villanova head coach Andy Talley, finished the year with a mark of 3-3 against ranked foes including wins over No. 8 New Hampshire and No. 3 Villanova. The Rams special teams led CAA Football and ranked among the nation's Top 15 in kickoff returns averaging 23.8 yards a return.
Pierce made a name for himself within the Delaware offensive scheme immediately when he opened the season with four-straight 100-yard rushing games. The Bridgeton, N.J., native, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard rushing mark in week 10, enters the postseason with a league-best 1,149 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 234 carries. Pierce garnered six CAA Football Rookie of the Week honors and another Offensive Player of the Week award pushing his total to a league record seven weekly honors in just one season.
Robertson, a two-time CAA Football Rookie of the Week winner, was the second leading tackler on a Dukes defense which ranked second in the league in total defense. The Alexandria, Va., native had a game-high 13 stops in James Madison's epic win over then-nationally ranked Virginia Tech in September. The freshman also forced a Darren Evans' fumble with five minutes left in the game which gave the ball back to the Dukes and allowed them to ice the contest. Robertson, who finished the season averaging nine tackles a game, ranked among the league's best in forcing fumbles with three.
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2010 CAA Football Major Awards (as voted on by the head coaches)
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Pat Devlin, Delaware, Sr., QB, Downingtown, Pa.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Tyler Holmes, Massachusetts, Jr., LB, Blacksburg, Va.
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Eric McBride, Richmond, Sr., LB, Richmond, Va.
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR -- Jonathan Grimes, William and Mary, Jr., KR, Palmyra, N.J.
OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR -- Andrew Pierce, Delaware, Fr., RB, Bridgeton, N.J.
DEFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR -- Stephon Robertson, James Madison, Fr., LB, Alexandria, Va.
COACH OF THE YEAR -- Joe Trainer, Rhode Island, Two Seasons
| 2010 All-CAA Football First Team (as voted on by the head coaches) | |||
| OFFENSE | |||
| Position | Player | School | Class |
| QB | Pat Devlin | Delaware | Senior |
| RB | Jonathan Grimes | William and Mary | Junior |
| RB | Andrew Pierce | Delaware | Freshman |
| FB/HB | Kendall Gaskins | Richmond | Sophomore |
| FB/HB | Jimmy Hobson | William and Mary | Senior |
| WR | Terrance Fox | New Hampshire | Senior |
| WR | Tre Gray | Richmond | Junior |
| WR | Anthony Nelson | Massachusetts | Senior |
| WR | Norman White | Villanova | Junior |
| TE | Alex Gottlieb | William and Mary | Junior |
| OL | Brant Clouser | Villanova | Senior |
| OL | Gino Gradkowski | Delaware | Junior |
| OL | Keith Hill, Jr. | William and Mary | Senior |
| OL | Ben Ijalana | Villanova | Senior |
| OL | Greg Niland | Massachusetts | Senior |
| PK | Wil Kamin | Richmond | Sophomore |
| KR | Travis Hurd | Rhode Island | Freshman |
| PR | Justin Rogers | Richmond | Senior |
| | | | |
| DEFENSE | |||
| Position | Player | School | Class |
| DL | Victor Adesanya | Rhode Island | Senior |
| DL | Ronnell Brown | James Madison | Senior |
| DL | Brian McNally | New Hampshire | Junior |
| DL | Martin Parker | Richmond | Senior |
| LB | Tyler Holmes | Massachusetts | Junior |
| LB | Marquis Kirkland | Villanova | Senior |
| LB | Eric McBride | Richmond | Senior |
| LB | Terence Thomas | Villanova | Senior |
| CB | Justin Rogers | Richmond | Senior |
| CB | Dino Vasso | New Hampshire | Senior |
| CB | B.W. Webb | William and Mary | Sophomore |
| S | Anthony Bratton | Delaware | Senior |
| S | Hugo Souza | New Hampshire | Senior |
| P | David Miller | William and Mary | Senior |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| 2010 All-CAA Football Second Team (as voted on by the head coaches) | |||
| OFFENSE | |||
| Position | Player | School | Class |
| QB | Chris Whitney | Villanova | Senior |
| RB | Jonathan Hernandez | Massachusetts | Junior |
| RB | Jamal Sullivan | James Madison | Senior |
| FB/HB | Tyler Wharton | Towson | Junior |
| WR | Ryan Moody | William and Mary | Sophomore |
| WR | Hakeem Moore | Towson | Senior |
| WR | Julian Talley | Massachusetts | Junior |
| TE | Derek Buttles | Maine | Junior |
| OL | Roane Babington | James Madison | Junior |
| OL | Drew Lachenmayer | Richmond | Senior |
| OL | Rob McDowell | Delaware | Junior |
| OL | Seth Price | New Hampshire | Senior |
| OL | Theo Sherman | James Madison | Senior |
| PK | Mike Perry | Delaware | Junior |
| KR | Jonathan Grimes | William and Mary | Junior |
| PR | B.W. Webb | William and Mary | Sophomore |
| | | | |
| DEFENSE | |||
| Position | Player | School | Class |
| DL | Siddiq Haynes | Delaware | Senior |
| DL | Marcus Hyde | William and Mary | Junior |
| DL | Yaky Ibia | Towson | Senior |
| DL | Michael Stover | William and Mary | Senior |
| LB | Dante Cook | William and Mary | Sophomore |
| LB | Matt Evans | New Hampshire | Sophomore |
| LB | Matt Hansen | Rhode Island | Senior |
| LB | Matt Marcorelle | Delaware | Senior |
| CB | Tyrone Grant | Delaware | Senior |
| CB | Anthony Walters | Delaware | Senior |
| S | Fred Maldonado | Villanova | Senior |
| S | Jerron McMillian | Maine | Junior |
| P | Dominic Scarnecchia | Villanova | Junior |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| 2010 All-CAA Football Third Team (as voted on by the head coaches) | |||
| OFFENSE | |||
| Position | Player | School | Class |
| QB | R.J. Toman | New Hampshire | Senior |
| RB | Aaron Ball | Villanova | Senior |
| RB | John Griffin | Massachusetts | Senior |
| RB | Dontra Peters | New Hampshire | Sophomore |
| WR | Anthony Baskerville | Rhode Island | Junior |
| WR | Chase Hill | William and Mary | Senior |
| WR | Derek Session | Maine | Junior |
| TE | Colin Naugle | Delaware | Junior |
| OL | Shea Allard | Delaware | Junior |
| OL | Kyle Bogumil | Rhode Island | Junior |
| OL | Jason Foster | Rhode Island | Junior |
| OL | Chris Howley | Maine | Sophomore |
| OL | James Pagliaro | William and Mary | Junior |
| OL | Dan Shirey | Villanova | Sophomore |
| PK | Mike MacArthur | New Hampshire | Freshman |
| KR | Steven Barker | Maine | Senior |
| PR | Dae'Quan Scott | James Madison | Freshman |
| | | | |
| DEFENSE | |||
| Position | Player | School | Class |
| DL | Michael Atunrase | Delaware | Junior |
| DL | Frank Beltre | Towson | Sophomore |
| DL | Antoine Lewis | Villanova | Freshman |
| DL | Thomas Weaver | Villanova | Senior |
| DL | Steve Young | New Hampshire | Senior |
| LB | Donte Blakey | Towson | Senior |
| LB | Donte Dennis | Maine | Junior |
| LB | Stephon Robertson | James Madison | Freshman |
| LB | Paul Worrilow | Delaware | Sophomore |
| CB | James Pitts | Villanova | Junior |
| CB | Jarrod Williams | Rhode Island | Senior |
| S | John Dempsey | Villanova | Senior |
| S | Darryl Jones | Delaware | Senior |
| P | Ed Wagner | Delaware | Senior |