Club News

                                                              Our Season

        The University of Delaware, which finished its 2011 football season Saturday with a win over rival Villlanova to complete at 7-4 record, placed 10 standouts on the All-Colonial Athletic Association teams announced by the league office Monday. The three teams were selected by a vote of the 11 league head coaches.

For Delaware, senior offensive guard Gino Gradkowski (Pittsburgh, Pa.), senior offensive tackle Sean Allard (Buzzards Bay, Mass.), and sophomore kicker Sean Baner (Southampton, Pa.) earned first team honors, senior center Rob McDowell (Silver Spring, Md.), junior wide receiver Nihja White (Wayne, Pa.), senior defensive end Michael Atunrase (Yardley, Pa.), junior linebacker Paul Worrilow (Wilmington, Del.) sophomore running back Andrew Pierce (Bridgeton, N.J.), and sophomore cornerback Travis Hawkins (Rockville, Md.) were named to the second team, and junior cornerback Marcus Burley (Richmond, Va.) was selected to the third team.

Gradkowski, Allard, McDowell, Atunrase, and Worrilow each earned All-CAA  honors for the second straight year with Gradkowski earning first team laurels for the second straight season, becoming the first Blue Hen to accomplish that since safety Charles Graves was a first team choice in 2008 and 2009 and the first UD offensive lineman since Conway Hayman was named first team All-Middle Atlantic Conference in 1968 and 1969.

James Madison, Maine, and Old Dominion each placed 12 players on the three times while Massachusetts had 11, Delaware placed 10, New Hampshire had nine picks, William & Mary placed eight on the teams, Towson had seven honorees, Rhode Island had five, Villanova had four, and Richmond put three players on the teams.

Towson captured the CAA conference title and has advanced to the NCAA  Tournament where the Tigers will be joined by fellow CAA schools James Madison, Maine, Old Dominion, and New Hampshire. Delaware, last year’s national runner-up, narrowly missed gaining one of the 10 at-large berths.

A three-year starter after transferring from West Virginia, Gradkowski led a senior-laden offensive line unit that also included current All-CAA picks Allard and McDowell. The group opened big holes for 1,000-yard rusher Pierce while helping the UD offense rank fifth in the CAA in both rushing offense (165.5 yards per game) and scoring offense (25.8 points per game). McDowell earned second team honors for the second straight year while Allard improved to the first team after earning third team laurels a year ago.

Baner, a second-year player who handled only kickoffs a year ago, won the kicking job from 2010 All-CAA selection Mike Perry during the pre-season and was reliable the entire campaign. He ranked second on the team in scoring with 74 points and was third in the CAA in kick scoring. He connected on a league-leading 15 field goals in 20 attempts and was the only regular placekicker in the league to be perfect on point-after attempts, nailing all 29 of his attempts. He also handled kickoffs again for Delaware.

The Hens placed six players on the second team led by Pierce, who was a first team pick in 2010 when he also was named the CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year. The sophomore enjoyed another outstanding season in 2011 as he carried 279 times for 1,279 yards and 16 touchdowns. He led the CAA  in carries while ranking third in rushing with 116.3 yards per game and second in touchdowns. He ranked 10th in the NCAA in scoring and was 13th in rushing yard per game. He came on stronger at the end of the season, surpassing the 100-yard mark in each of the last three games, including a 215-yard performance vs. Richmond. He also ranked second on the team in receptions with 42 for 212 yards.

Worrilow paced a Delaware defense that led the CAA in passing efficiency defense and was second in both scoring defense (20.0) and total defense (344.73) while becoming the only team in the NCAA FCS level to post two shutouts on the season. He led the Blue Hens in total tackles (97), solo tackles (55), and tackles for loss (11) and also recorded two pass breakups, an interception, a fumble recovery, and a forced fumble. He also earned second team All-CAA honors in 2010 as a sophomore.

White ranked among the league’s top pass-catchers all season long, leading the Blue Hens with 50 grabs for 673 yards (13.5 avg.) and four touchdowns. He went over the 100-yard mark twice and will enter the 2012 season having caught a pass in 33 straight games. He ranked third in the CAA in receiving yards per game with 67.3 yards per game and was fifth in catches per game with a 5.0 mark.

Atunrase, who earned third team All-CAA honors a year ago, anchored the Blue Hen defensive front. A third-year starter in 2011, he led all Blue Hen down linemen with 44 tackles and ranked sixth on the squad in that category. He led the team with 4.5 sacks and was second behind Worrilow with nine tackles for loss. He also intercepted a pass and blocked a kick during the season.

Hawkins, a first-year transfer from Maryland, doubled up as the Hens’ top cornerback and as the squads top kick returners this fall. He ranked third on the team with 52 tackles, including 41 solo stops, and was among the national leaders in passes defended with 13, breaking up a team-high nine passes while also intercepted four passes, returning them for 29 yards. He also averaged 27.6 yards per kickoff return and had an 80-yard return for a touchdown vs. Towson.

Burley, a third-year standout in the UD defensive secondary but a full-time starter for the first time this fall, ranked fifth on the squad with 55 stops, including 28 solos stops and one tackle for loss. He also intercepted two passes and ranked second on the team with seven pass breakups.

New Hampshire quarterback Kevin Decker, who led the league in both passing yardage and passing rating, was named the CAA Offensive Player of the Year while Old Dominion defensive end Ronnie Cameron, who registered a league-high 15.5 tackles for loss, was the CAA Defensive Player of the Year. William & Mary senior Jonathan Grimes was the Special Teams Player of the Year for the second straight year after averaging 22.1 yards per kickoff return.

Towson freshman running back Terrance West, who rushed for 1,242 yards and led the league with 27 touchdowns, was selected as the CAA Offensive Player of the Year while Villanova linebacker Dillon Lucas, who led all CAA rookies with 92 tackles, was named the CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year. Towson third-year head coach Rob Ambrose, who led one of the biggest turnarounds in college football this season, was named the CAA Coach of the Year.

Towson had won just four games combined over the last three years before improving to 9-2 this year and winning the league title.

AGATE:

1st Team All-Colonial Athletic Association: Offense: QB - Kevin Decker (New Hampshire); RB - Jonathan Grimes (Wm. & Mary), Terrance West (Towson); FB/HB - Emil Igwenagu (UMass); WR - Tre Gray (Richmond), Nick Mayers (Old Dominion), Maurice McDonald (Maine); Julian Talley (UMass); TE - Alex Gottlieb (Wm. & Mary); OL - Gino Gradkowski (Delaware), Shea Allard (Delaware), Chris Howley (Maine), James Pagliaro (Wm. & Mary), Dan Shirey (Villanova), Earl Watford (James Madison); K - Sean Baner (Delaware); KR - Jesse Julmiste (UMass); PR - Trevor Coston (Maine); Defense: DL - Frank Beltre (Towson), D.J. Bryant (James Madison), Ronnie Cameron (Old Dominion), Brian McNally (New Hampshire); LB - Matt Evans (New Hampshire), Tyler Holmes (UMass), Stephon Robertson (James Madison), Craig Wilkins (Old Dominion); CB - James Pitts (Villanova), B.W. Webb (Wm. & Mary); S - Jordan Dangerfield (Towson), Jerron McMillian (Maine); P - Jonathan Plisco (Old Dominion)

2nd team All-Colonial Athletic Association: Offense: QB - Warren Smith (Maine); RB - Andrew Pierce (Delaware), Dae’Quan Scott (James Madison); FB/HB - Brian Barlow (James Madison); WR - Anthony Baskerville (Rhode Island), Nihja White (Delaware), R.J. Harris (New Hampshire); TE - Justin Perillo (Maine); OL - Ricky Archer (New Hampshire), Roane Babington (James Madison), Jason Foster (Rhode Island), Henry Glackin (Towson), Rob McDowell (Delaware), Josh Spearin (Maine); PK - Mike McArthur (New Hampshire); KR - Derrick Joseph (Towson), Dae’Quan Scott (James Madison); Defense: DL - Michael Atunrase (Delaware), Michael Cole (Maine), Marcus Hyde (Wm. & Mary), Willie McGinnis (Rhode Island); LB - Vinson Givans (Maine), Darius McMillan (Richmond), Pat Williams (James Madison), Paul Worrilow (Delaware); CB - Travis Hawkins (Delaware), Eriq Lewis (Old Dominion); S - Trevor Coston (Maine), Brian Thompson (Wm. & Mary); P - David Skahn (James Madison).

3rd Team All-Colonial Athletic Association: Offense: QB - Taylor Heinicke (Old Dominion); RB - Pushaun Brown (Maine), Jonathan Hernandez (UMass); FB/HB - Tyler Wharton (Towson); WR - Reid Evans (Old Dominion), Jesse Julmiste (UMass); Kerby Long (James Madison), Joey Orlando (New Hampshire); TE - Rob Blanchflower (UMass); OL - Kyle Bogumil (Rhode Island), Jeremy Hensley (Old Dominion), Stephane Milhim (UMass); Seamus O’Neill (New Hampshire), Eric Pike (Towson), Nick Speller (UMass); K - Jarod Brown (Old Dominion); KR - Jonathan Grimes (Wm. & Mary); PR - Reid Evans (Old Dominion); Defense: DL - Chris Burnette (Old Dominion), Kevin Byrne (UMass), Raibonne Charles (Maine), Lamar Middleton (James Madison); LB - Doug Johnson (Rhode Island), Dillon Lucas (Villanova), Perry McIntyre (UMass), Jabrel Mines (Wm. & Mary); CB - Marcus Burley (Delaware), Kendall James (Maine); S - Dean Marlowe (James Madison), Colin Pehanick (Richmond); P - Mark Hamilton (Villanova). Offensive Player of the Year: Kevin Decker (QB - New Hampshire) Defensive Player of the Year: Ronnie Cameron (DL - Old Dominion) Special Teams Player of the Year: Jonathan Grimes (KR - Wm. & Mary) Offensive Rookie of the Year: Terrance West (RB - Towson) Defensive Rookie of the Year: Dillon Lucas (LB - Villanova) Coach of the Year: Rob Ambrose (Towson)

The club would like to recognize the following players for the outstanding performace in the Villinova game

Co-Offensive Players

Andrew Pierce (So., RB, Bridgeton, N.J.)

Rushed a career-high 40 times for 109 yards and a touchdown and caughtone pass for two yards....40 carries was the third highest single game total in Delaware history...carried 9 straight times at one point and had 13 carries in final drive of the first have that resulted in his one-yard scoring dive with 12 seconds left in the half...ended season with 1,279 yards rushing and 16 TDs.

Defensive Player

Michael Atunrase (Sr., DE, Yardley, Pa./Lawrenceville HS)

Led defensive effort vs. Villanova as he posted four tackles....had two sacks for six yards in the final quarter to thwart Villanova comeback attempts...also added another tackle for loss...blocked extra point in third quarter to help Delaware stay in front 16-13.

Special Teams Player

Sean Baner (So., K/P, Southampton, Pa./William Tennent HS)

Named CAA Special Teams Player of the Week....scored a career-high 14 points - one shy of the UD single game record for a kicker - on four field goals and two extra points....tied his own school record of four field goals set vs. Old Dominion back in September...booted field goals of 26, 34, 40, and 29 yards with his final 29-yarder with 2:11 left putting the Hens up for good at 19-16...finished year kicking 15 of 20 field goals.

                                                                                *****

                                                 A note from our historian Harold Heitmann

                                                 on our upcoming game with Villanova

The hens travel to Chester, Pa. this Saturday to meet old rival Villanova.  The Wildcats have been victorious the past five years and now hold a 23-20-1 lead in this series.

Villanova is exploring the possibility of moving up to 1AA  This would appear to be a huge challenge as the schools home attendance average per game was just 8573 during the 2010 season.  2011 has been the worst season since Andy Talley became head coach in 1985.  Prior to the Delaware game the week, the Wildcats record is just two wins and eight losses.

The wins  30-21 over Penn and 34-17 over UMass.

The losses 42-7 to Temple, 31-10 to Towson, 20-9 to Mammouth 20-16 to William and Mary , 47-17 to New Hampshire 34-10 to James Madison, 37-14 to Old Dominion and 41-25 to Maine.  Willanova has been conference champions 5 times and won the National Championship in 2009.  Coach Andy Talley posts a 190 win and 115 losses in his twenty six years as head coach.

                                        ******

Delaware completed its 2010 football season with 12 wins and three losses. This marked the fourth time a Blue Hen team recorded 12 wins. This successful season moved us from eighth to  a sixth place tie with Dartmouth for the most wins in the IAA sub division.

                 Ten winniest teams through this years playoffs

                             Team             Wins               Loses

                           1 Yale               864                 342

                           2 Harvard         812                 380

                           3 Penn.              813                 458

                           4 Princeton       785                  378

                           5 Fordam          748                  450

                           6 Delware         651                  415

                           6 Darthmouth    651                  432

                           7 Lafayette        650                  552

                           8 Lehigh            638                  565

                           9 Cornell            620                 474