WHITTINGHAM, Vt. – The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) announced its third annual all-conference teams on Thursday and 12 Gallaudet University student-athletes earned 2011 honors. For the third year in a row a Bison earned conference Rookie of the Year honors as freshman Quentin Williams (Chesapeake, Va.) was selected, he was also named to the second team offense as a running back and return specialist. The Bison finished the season with a 5-5 overall record and 4-3 mark in the conference under second year coach Chuck Goldstein. In the past two years the Bison have earned 23 all-conference honors and have 38 total honors (tied for third most in the conference), three Rookie of the Year awards and one Coach of the Year award in three seasons.

Coach Goldstein had the honor of coaching five first-team, four second-team, four honorable mentions players and the ECFC Rookie of the Year as a total of 95 student-athletes representing eight different programs received recognition from the conference after completion of the 2011 regular season.

Two Bison student-athletes made the first team offense in senior offensive tackle Ryan Mahoney (Branson, Mo.) and junior wide receiver Ryne Worsham (Chicago, Ill.). Mahoney earns his second all-conference award in his career as he was picked as a 2009 honorable mention selection. He started all 10 games for the Bison and helped the GU rushing offense average 225 yards per game (3rd best in the league). Worsham moves up one team from last year's second team selection. He was tied for first in the ECFC with 11 touchdown receptions. He was named ECFC Offensive Player of the Week on Sep. 5 and also became the first-ever Bison to be selected to the D3football.com Team of the Week.

Junior linebacker Tom Pangia (Hammonton, N.J.) became the first-ever three-time All-ECFC first team defender with this year's selection. Pangia led the league with 103 tackles as the team co-captain had 11 or more tackles in six of the 10 games this season. Sophomore defensive end Matt Harris (Lynchburg, Va.) joins Pangia on the first team All-ECFC defense as he led NCAA Division III with 15.5 sacks and 26 tackles for a loss of 129 yards. Harris was named ECFC Defensive Player of the Week twice (Oct. 24, 31) and was picked to the D3football.com Team of the Week (Oct. 24). Junior cornerback Tony Tatum (Gardendale, Ala.) was the third Bison named to the first team defense after being a second team and Rookie of the Year selection last year. Tatum, Gallaudet's shutdown cornerback, only had 50 passes thrown his way in 2011 where 11 were caught and he picked off four passes (tied for third in the ECFC).

Williams leads Gallaudet's second team offense selections as he was picked at running back and return specialist. Williams won three ECFC Rookie of the Week honors (Sep. 12, Oct. 3, Oct. 24) and one ECFC Offensive Player of the Week (Oct. 31) award as he played six and a half games for the Buff and Blue. He scored seven touchdowns and passed for one score. He was nationally ranked for the majority of the season for kick-off return average (32.6 per return) and took two kicks back for a touchdown. In his final game this season he ran for 234 yards against Castleton State in 18 minutes of action before he was knocked out with a season-ending injury. Sophomore fullback Michael Hantge (Hutchinson, Minn.) was picked to the All-ECFC second team as he led the team with 636 rushing yards.

Freshman linebacker Jaris Alleyne (Waldorf, Md.) was the only Bison on the second team defense. He was named the ECFC Rookie of the Week back on October 10 and finished fourth in the conference with 90 tackles, third in the conference with 35 assisted tackles and tied for fifth in the league in interceptions with three.

Gallaudet had four student-athletes receive honorable mention honors including junior punter Shelby Bean (Arvada, Colo.), freshman offensive lineman Tyler Snider (Thornville, Ohio), sophomore defensive lineman Adham Talaat (Springfield, Va.) and senior defensive lineman John Van Wey (Alexandria, Va.). This is the third time Van Wey has been honored by the ECFC as he was selected to the second team defense last year and was an honorable mention pick in 2009. He also earned ECFC Defensive Player of the Week honors on October 10 this season. For Bean, Snider and Talaat this is their first time receiving all-conference honors. Talaat received ECFC Defensive Player of the Week honors back on September 5.

Mount Ida senior running back Johrone Bunch was named the ECFC Offensive Player of the Year for the second time in three years, Norwich senior kicker Long Ding took home his second consecutive ECFC Special Teams Player of the Year award, Norwich senior lineman Rob Sturgis was picked as the ECFC Offensive Lineman of the Year while Cadet head coach Mark Murnyack was picked by his peers as this year's ECFC Coach of the Year as Norwich finished with a perfect 7-0 conference record. There were Co-Defensive Players of the Year as SUNY Maritime junior linebacker Keith Barnes was selected for the second year in a row and was joined by Mount Ida defensive end A.J. Knibbs. Barnes finished the season with 88 tackles (ranked fifth in the ECFC), nine for loss (tied for 15th), three sacks (tied for 12th), two forced fumbles (tied for 4th) and two interceptions. Knibbs had 41 tackles (tied for 42nd in the conference), 13 for a loss (tied for 11th) of 66 yards (5th) and nine sacks which was second most in the conference behind Harris' 15.5.

The league's coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players, voted on the All-ECFC teams. The ECFC will be represented in postseason play by Norwich University and Mount Ida College. Norwich will represent the conference in the NCAA Division III tournament on November 19, against Delaware Valley in Doylestown, Pa. Mount Ida will compete in the ECAC North Atlantic Bowl Game against Endicott College on November 19. 

Below is a brief paragraph on each Gallaudet honoree (stats and rankings as of 11/14/2011).

ECFC FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Ryan Mahoney, Sr., Offensive Line Started all 10 games at offensive tackle for the Bison...helped the GU rushing offense average 225 yards per game (ranked 3rd in the ECFC and 27th in Division III)...was part of the 2nd highest scoring offense in the conference (30.10 points per game)...helped the Bison rush for over 300 yards on three different occasions...best rushing game came on Oct. 29 when the Bison ran for a program record 532 rushing yards...helped GU's quarterback pass for more than 114 yards in seven different games (season high 201 passing yards on Oct. 8) a big difference from two years ago when GU's best passing game was 45 yards...Gallaudet's offensive line only allowed 14 sacks in 10 games, only gave up two in the first five games...2009 ECFC Honorable Mention.
Ryne Worsham, Jr., Wide Receiver D3football.com Team of the Week (Week 1) at WR...ECFC Offensive Player of the Week (Sep. 5)...tied for 1st in the ECFC with 11 receiving touchdowns...ranked 2nd in the ECFC with 78.4 receiving yards per game, which ranks 67th in Division III...3rd in the conference for receptions with 44...had five games where he caught two touchdown passes, including three games in a row from Oct. 22-Nov. 5...had a streak of one touchdown pass or more for five games (Oct. 8-Nov. 5)...best game was against Otterbein where he had seven receptions for 155 yards and two touchdowns...his season-long reception was a 59-yard pass against Husson...2010 ECFC Second Team Offense.

ECFC FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Matt Harris, So., Defensive Line D3football.com Team of the Week (Week 8) at Defensive End...Two-time ECFC Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 24, Oct. 31)...leads NCAA Division III for total sacks at 15.5...ranked 2nd in the NCAA Division III for sacks per game at 1.55, leader is at 1.56 per game...ranked 1st in the nation and led the ECFC in tackles for loss with 26 for a total loss of 129 yards...his tackle for loss numbers are the best in the nation compared to Division I (FBS, FCS), Division II...his 15.5 sacks are tied with the Division I FCS leader but are better then both Division I FBS and Division II leaders...led the ECFC in forced fumbles (five)...tallied seven sacks against Becker on Oct. 22, breaking a Gallaudet single-game record and was a half sack shy of tying the NCAA Division III single-game record for sacks in a game.
Tom Pangia, Jr., Linebacker Team co-captain...heart and soul of the defensive unit...led the ECFC in total tackles with 103, an average of 10.3 per game, which ranks him 42nd in Division III...His standout game came on Oct. 1 against Anna Maria, where he piled up 16 tackles, three of them for a loss, and snagged an interception which he returned 61 yards...he had 11 or more tackles in 6 of the 10 games played this season ...started all 10 games this season...2010 ECFC 1st Team Defense...2009 ECFC 1st Team Defense...2009 ECFC Co-Rookie of the Year...2009 ECAC Division III Northeast Region Rookie of the Year.
Tony Tatum, Jr., Defensive Back Tatum is Gallaudet's shutdown cornerback...only had 50 passes thrown his way in 2011 where 11 were caught...he broke-up eight passes, ranked 2nd in the ECFC...picked off four passes, tied for 3rd in the ECFC...his 100 interception yards ranks 2nd in the conference...ranks No. 37 in passes defended in Division III (1.25 per game)...went up against two of the top 25 passing offenses in Division III...started all nine games he played...2010 ECFC Rookie of the Year...2010 ECFC 2nd Team Defense.

ECFC SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Michael Hantge, So., Fullback Ranked 8th in the ECFC and led the team with 636 rushing yards...His standout game came on Oct. 29 against Castleton, where he had 26 carries for 164 yards and a touchdown...played in nine games (started eight).
Quentin Williams, Fr., Running Back & Return Specialist ECFC Rookie of the Year In only seven games this season, Williams was awarded ECFC Rookie of the Week honors three times (Sep. 12, Oct. 3, Oct. 24)...ECFC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 31...As a freshman, Williams had a huge impact right away for the Bison...Playing running back and quarterback at times, Williams ranked 6th in the ECFC in rushing yards per game (87.0)...scored seven rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown...He also scored two return touchdowns on nine attempts, as he led the ECFC and ranked third in Division III nationally with 32.6 yards per kick return... had a career long 85-yard touchdown return against Catholic University on Sep. 9 as he returned five kick-offs for 181 yards against the Cardinals…had a career long 86-yard touchdown run against Castleton State on Oct. 29...amassed 234 rushing yards on 20 carries in just 18 minutes against the Spartans before having his season end with an injury in the second quarter.

ECFC SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Jaris Alleyne, Fr., Linebacker ECFC Rookie of the Week (Oct. 10)...tied for 2nd in the ECFC with two fumble recoveries...ranks fourth with 90 total tackles in the conference...3rd in the ECFC with 35 assisted tackles...tied for 5th in the conference with three interceptions...had 12 or more tackles in a game on four different occasions...had a career best 17 tackles against Catholic on Sep. 9...started all 10 games this season.

ECFC HONORABLE MENTIONS

Shelby Bean, Jr., Punter ranked third in the ECFC in punting yardage with 1,446 yards (34.4 yards per punt)...Third in punts downed inside the 20...had no punts blocked all season...seven of his 42 punts were fair caught, three against Norwich...two punts went for touchbacks, also against the Cadets...season long was a 47 yard punt against Otterbein...had 273 punting yards against Norwich...this was his first season punting for the Bison, he is also a starting strong safety for the Bison...started all 10 games this season.
Tyler Snider, Fr., Offensive Line Started nine games at offensive tackle for the Bison...helped the GU rushing offense average 225 yards per game (ranked 3rd in the ECFC and 27th in Division III)...was part of the 2nd highest scoring offense in the conference (30.10 points per game)...helped the Bison rush for over 300 yards on three different occasions...best rushing game came on Oct. 29 when the Bison ran for a program record 532 rushing yards...helped GU's quarterback pass for more than 114 yards in seven different games (season high 201 passing yards on Oct. 8) a big difference from two years ago when GU's best passing game was 45 yards...Gallaudet's offensive line only allowed 14 sacks in 10 games, only gave up two in the first five games.
Adham Talaat, So., Defensive Line ECFC Defensive Player of the Week (Sep. 5)...led the ECFC in blocks with three...tied for 8th in the ECFC with 3.5 sacks...made 32 total tackles (22 solo) as 13 were tackles for a loss of 33 yards...the 6-foot-6 defensive end blocked a potential game-winning 32-yard field goal against Otterbein University as time expired in regulation on Sep. 5...started all 10 games this season.
John Van Wey, Sr., Defensive Line ECFC Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 10)...ranked No. 13 in the nation for tackles for loss (1.94 per game), ranked 2nd in ECFC...tied for No. 14 in Division III in sacks (0.94 per game), ranked 2nd in ECFC...in just nine games he had 8.5 sacks for a loss of 72 yards and 19 tackles for a loss of 101 yards...made four tackles for a loss of 34 yards, including two sacks for a loss of 26 yards, in a 35-0 win over Husson on Oct. 8...2010 ECFC 2nd Team Defense...2009 ECFC Honorable Mention.

Also see:

• 2011 ECFC All-Conference Teams (PDF)