College Football Network Names 21 Minutemen To 2023 All-Independent Teams

AMHERST, Mass. - Twenty-one members of the University of Massachusetts football team were named to the 2023 College Football Network All-Independent Teams for Offense, Defense and Special Teams. Junior Anthony Simpson and redshirt sophomore Greg Desrosiers Jr., highlighted the accolades with individual All-Independent honors.

Simpson was tabbed Wide Receiver of the Year to lead the All-Independent Offense honors, while earning a spot on the First Team. Running back Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams, flex Desrosiers Jr., and guard Marcellus Anderson joined Simpson on the First Team list.

Wide receivers George Johnson III and Mark Pope, and center Josh Atwood landed on the Second Team, with quarterback Taisun Phommachanh, tight end Gino Campiotti and offensive tackle Jonny Hassard receiving an honorable mention.

Eight Minutemen were selected to the All-Independent Defense teams. Defensive tackle Billy Wooden, edge JB Brown, linebacker Nahji Logan and cornerback Juan Lua placed their names on the Second Team, with honorable mentions presented to defensive tackle Aaron Beckwith, linebacker Jerry Roberts Jr., cornerback Jordan Mahoney and safety Te'Rai Powell.

Desrosiers Jr., was named the Kick Returner of the Year and was selected to the First Team All-Independent Specialists. Three members garnered Second Team honors in punter CJ Kolodziey, punt returner Isaac Ross and special teamer Lua. Kolodziey earned an honorable mention as a kickoff specialist and Derrieon Craig tabbed a special teamer honorable mention.

All-Independent Football Team Honors
Player of the Year: Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame
Offensive Player of the Year: Audric Estime, RB, Notre Dame
Defensive Player of the Year: JD Bertrand, LB, Notre Dame
Specialist of the Year: Spencer Shrader, Notre Dame
Newcomer of the Year: Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame
Coach of the Year: Jeff Monken, Army

All-Independent Offense
Quarterback of the Year: Sam Hartman, Notre Dam
Running Back of the Year, Audric Estime, Notre Dame
Wide Receiver of the Year: Anthony Simpson, UMass
Tight End of the Year: Justin Joly, UConn
Offensive Tackle of the Year: Joe Alt, Notre Dame
Offensive Guard of the Year: Christian Haynes, UConn
Offensive Center of the Year: Zeke Correll, Notre Dame
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Christian Haynes, UConn
Offensive Line of the Year: Notre Dame
Offensive Newcomer of the Year: Sam Hartman, QB, Notre Dame

First Team All-Independent Offense
QB: Sam Hartman, Notre Dame
RB: Audric Estime, Notre Dame
RB: Kay'Ron Lynch-Adams, UMass
WR: Anthony Simpson, UMass
WR: Cameron Moss, UConn
WR: Chris Tyree, Notre Dame
TE: Justin Joly, UConn
FLEX: Greg Desrosiers Jr., UMass
OT: Joe Alt, Notre Dame
OG: Christian Haynes, UConn
OC: Zeke Correll, Notre Dame
OG: Marcellus Anderson, UMass
OT: Chase Lundt, UConn

Second Team All-Independent Offense
QB: Ta'Quan Roberson, UConn
RB: Camryn Edwards, UConn
RB: Victor Rosa, UConn
WR: George Johnson III, UMass
WR: Mark Pope, UMass
WR: Jaden Greathouse, Notre Dame
TE: Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame
FLEX: Bryson Daily, Army
OT: Valentin Senn, UConn
OG: Pat Coogan, Notre Dame
OC: Josh Atwood, UMass
OG: Rocco Spindler, Notre Dame
OT: Blake Fisher, Notre Dame

Honorable Mention All-Independent Offense
QB: Taisun Phommachanh, UMass
RB: Kanye Udoh, Army
RB: Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
WR: Tobias Merriweather, Notre Dame
WR: Isaiah Alston, Army
WR: Jordan Faison, Notre Dame
TE: Gino Campiotti, UMass
FLEX: Holden Staes, Notre Dame
OT: Connor Funucane, Army
OG: Jackson Filipowicz, Army
OC: Brady Small, Army
OG: Noel Ofori-Nyadu, UConn
OT: Jonny Hassard, UMass

All-Independent Defense
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Howard Cross III, DT, Notre Dame
EDGE Defender of the Year: Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame
Defensive Interior of the Year: Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
Lineback of the Year: JD Bertrand, Notre Dame
Cornerback of the Year: Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
Safety of the Year: Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
Defenive Line of the Year: Notre Dame
Secondary of the Year: Army
Defensive Newcomer of the Year: Mumu Bin-Wahad, CB, UConn

First Team All-Independent Defense
EDGE: Javontae Jean-Baptiste, Notre Dame
DT: Howard Cross III, Notre Dame
DT: Rylie Mills, Notre Dame
EDGE: Pryce Yates, UConn
LB: JD Bertrand, Notre Dame
LB: Marist Liufau, Notre Dame
LB: Jackson Mitchell, UConn
CB: Benjamin Morrison, Notre Dame
CB: Bo Nicolas-Paul, Army
CB: Chris Shearin, UConn
S: Xavier Watts, Notre Dame
S: Quindrelin Hammonds, Army
FLEX: Jelani Stafford, UConn

Second Team All-Independent Defense
EDGE: Eric Watts, UConn
DT: Dal'Mont Gourdine, UConn
DT: Billy Wooden, UMass
EDGE: JB Brown, UMass
LB: Leo Lowin, Army
LB: Nahji Logan, UMass
LB: Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
CB: Mumu Bin-Wahad, UConn
CB: Juan Lua, UMass
CB: Cameron Jones, Army
S: Max DiDomenico, Army
S: Clarence Lewis, Notre Dame
FLEX: Jabari Moore, Army

Honorable Mention All-Independent Defense
EDGE: Nana Osafo-Mensah, Notre Dame
DT: Kyle Lewis, Army
DT: Aaron Beckwith, UMass
EDGE: Jordan Botelho, Notre Dame
LB: Noah Plack, UConn
LB: Kalib Fortner, Army
LB: Jerry Roberts Jr., UMass
CB: Malcolm Bell, UConn
CB: Jordan Mahoney, UMass
CB: D'Mon Brinson, UConn
S: Ramon Henderson, Notre Dame
S: Te'Rai Powell, UMass
FLEX: Cam Hart, Notre Dame

All-Independent Special Teams
Kicker of the Year: Spencer Shrader, Notre Dame
Punter of the Year: George Caratan, UConn
Kick Returner of the Year: Greg Desrosiers Jr., UMass
Punt Returner of the Year: Chris Tyree, Notre Dame
Special Teamer of the Year: Jack Kiser, Notre Dame
Kickoff Specialist of the Year: Spencer Shrader, Notre Dame
Special Teams Newcomer of the Year: Spencer Shrader, Notre Dame

First Team All-Independent Specialists
PK: Spencer Shrader, Notre Dame
KOS: Spencer Shrader, Notre Dame
P: George Caratan, UConn
KR: Greg Desrosiers Jr., UMass
PR: Chris Tyree, Notre Dame
ST: Jack Kiser, Notre Dame

Second Team All-Independent Specialists
PK: Joe MCFadden, UConn
KOS: Cole Talley, Army
P: CJ Kolodziey, UMass
KR: Bryan Domino, UConn
PR: Isaac Ross, UMass
ST: Juan Lua, UMass

Honorable Mention All-Independent Specialists
PK: Quinn Maretzki, Army
KOS: CJ Kolodziey, UMass
P: Cooper Allen, Army
KR: Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
PR: Cameron Jones, Army
ST: Derrieon Craig, UMass

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