University of Richmond Athletics
Football Earns Eight VaSID All-State Honors
06/01/2021 | Football
RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Richmond football team placed eight members named All-State by Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Tuesday. The Spiders placed two members on the First Team All-State and had six members named Second Team All-State.
First Team All-State selections were defensive lineman Kobie Turner (Clifton, Va.) and sophomore linebacker Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.). The Spiders' six members named Second Team All-State included senior linebacker Tyler Dressler (Covington, Va.), senior defensive end Darius Reynolds (Yorktown, Va.) and redshirt sophomore cornerback Tyrek Funderburk (Indian Trail, N.C.) on defense while graduate tight end John Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md.), center Clayton McConnell (Foley, Ala.) and redshirt senior offensive tackle Tim Coleman (Stone Mount, Ga.) highlighted the offensive selections.
Turner became just the fifth Spider in program history to earn CAA Defensive Player of the Year accolades and the first since 2010 when Eric McBride was Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Turner became the first interior defensive lineman in the CAA to earn the award since 2011 (Ronnie Cameron, ODU). Turner finished the Spiders' four-game season with 19 total tackles, including 10 solo tackles. He was tied for the team lead with 6.0 tackles for loss and was second on the team with 3.5 sacks. His 1.50 tackles for loss per game ranked third in the CAA while his 0.88 sacks per game ranked fourth. He closed out the year with nine tackles, including 2.0 for loss against No. 1 James Madison.
Wheeler earned First Team All-CAA Honors this spring. The 2019 CAA Defensive Rookie of the year, Wheeler was named one of 18 finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award given to the top defender in all of NCAA FCS Football. He led the Spiders and the entire Colonial Athletic Association averaging 9.5 tackles per game in the 2021 spring season. He ranked 21st in the country in tackles per game, finishing the Spiders' four-game season with a team-high 38 tackles. Wheeler finished the season with 25 tackles in his last two games, posting a career-high 14 tackles in the Spiders' win over Elon (March 27) before closing out the season with an 11-tackle performance against No. 1 James Madison.
Dressler is a two-time First Team All-CAA Football selection. Dressler and Wheeler both earning First Team accolades marks the first time since 2009 that the Spiders have placed two linebackers on the first team (McBride & Collin McConaghy). Dressler was second on the team with 29 tackles, including 15 solo. He ranked seventh in the CAA at 7.2 tackles per game. He also added 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception on the year.
Reynolds earned his first career honor this year being named Second Team All-CAA. In his first full healthy season since 2019, Reynolds led the Spiders with 5.0 sacks in four games and was tied for the team lead with 6.0 tackles for loss. He led the CAA in overall sacks and sacks per game at 1.25. He finished fifth on the team overall with 17 tackles. Reynolds also earned a CAA Defensive Player of the Week honor earlier this year for his play against Elon.
Funderburk became the first Spiders cornerback to earn All-CAA honors since Ayo Ogunniyi in 2015, picking up Second Team All-CAA accolades. He finished second in the CAA and led the team with two interceptions in four games while also leading the team with a pair of pass breakups. He recorded interceptions in both games against Elon this year. Funderburk added 13 tackles on the year, including one for loss.
McConnell was named First Team All-Conference this spring, becoming the Spiders first offensive lineman to earn First Team All-CAA honors since Alex Light in 2017. He helped the Spiders offense finish fifth in the conference in rushing at 153.2 yards per game and allowed quarterback Joe Mancuso to rank second in the league in total offense at 224.0 yards per game.
Fitzgerald, a transfer from Cornell, was named First Team All-CAA in his first year at Richmond. He led all tight ends in the conference with 14 receptions while leading the position with 131 yards receiving. He scored his first career touchdown against William & Mary in the season opener, giving the Spiders the lead for good in the fourth quarter.
Coleman notched his second-straight All-Conference selection after earning accolades in 2019, earning Second Team All-CAA honors this spring. He was part of the Spiders' offensive line that helped Richmond have three rushers over 180 yards in four games this season. His play helped the Spiders rank fourth in the CAA in time of possession at 31:07.
--UR--
First Team All-State selections were defensive lineman Kobie Turner (Clifton, Va.) and sophomore linebacker Tristan Wheeler (Bethlehem, Pa.). The Spiders' six members named Second Team All-State included senior linebacker Tyler Dressler (Covington, Va.), senior defensive end Darius Reynolds (Yorktown, Va.) and redshirt sophomore cornerback Tyrek Funderburk (Indian Trail, N.C.) on defense while graduate tight end John Fitzgerald (Baltimore, Md.), center Clayton McConnell (Foley, Ala.) and redshirt senior offensive tackle Tim Coleman (Stone Mount, Ga.) highlighted the offensive selections.
Turner became just the fifth Spider in program history to earn CAA Defensive Player of the Year accolades and the first since 2010 when Eric McBride was Co-Defensive Player of the Year. Turner became the first interior defensive lineman in the CAA to earn the award since 2011 (Ronnie Cameron, ODU). Turner finished the Spiders' four-game season with 19 total tackles, including 10 solo tackles. He was tied for the team lead with 6.0 tackles for loss and was second on the team with 3.5 sacks. His 1.50 tackles for loss per game ranked third in the CAA while his 0.88 sacks per game ranked fourth. He closed out the year with nine tackles, including 2.0 for loss against No. 1 James Madison.
Wheeler earned First Team All-CAA Honors this spring. The 2019 CAA Defensive Rookie of the year, Wheeler was named one of 18 finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award given to the top defender in all of NCAA FCS Football. He led the Spiders and the entire Colonial Athletic Association averaging 9.5 tackles per game in the 2021 spring season. He ranked 21st in the country in tackles per game, finishing the Spiders' four-game season with a team-high 38 tackles. Wheeler finished the season with 25 tackles in his last two games, posting a career-high 14 tackles in the Spiders' win over Elon (March 27) before closing out the season with an 11-tackle performance against No. 1 James Madison.
Dressler is a two-time First Team All-CAA Football selection. Dressler and Wheeler both earning First Team accolades marks the first time since 2009 that the Spiders have placed two linebackers on the first team (McBride & Collin McConaghy). Dressler was second on the team with 29 tackles, including 15 solo. He ranked seventh in the CAA at 7.2 tackles per game. He also added 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack and one interception on the year.
Reynolds earned his first career honor this year being named Second Team All-CAA. In his first full healthy season since 2019, Reynolds led the Spiders with 5.0 sacks in four games and was tied for the team lead with 6.0 tackles for loss. He led the CAA in overall sacks and sacks per game at 1.25. He finished fifth on the team overall with 17 tackles. Reynolds also earned a CAA Defensive Player of the Week honor earlier this year for his play against Elon.
Funderburk became the first Spiders cornerback to earn All-CAA honors since Ayo Ogunniyi in 2015, picking up Second Team All-CAA accolades. He finished second in the CAA and led the team with two interceptions in four games while also leading the team with a pair of pass breakups. He recorded interceptions in both games against Elon this year. Funderburk added 13 tackles on the year, including one for loss.
McConnell was named First Team All-Conference this spring, becoming the Spiders first offensive lineman to earn First Team All-CAA honors since Alex Light in 2017. He helped the Spiders offense finish fifth in the conference in rushing at 153.2 yards per game and allowed quarterback Joe Mancuso to rank second in the league in total offense at 224.0 yards per game.
Fitzgerald, a transfer from Cornell, was named First Team All-CAA in his first year at Richmond. He led all tight ends in the conference with 14 receptions while leading the position with 131 yards receiving. He scored his first career touchdown against William & Mary in the season opener, giving the Spiders the lead for good in the fourth quarter.
Coleman notched his second-straight All-Conference selection after earning accolades in 2019, earning Second Team All-CAA honors this spring. He was part of the Spiders' offensive line that helped Richmond have three rushers over 180 yards in four games this season. His play helped the Spiders rank fourth in the CAA in time of possession at 31:07.
--UR--
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DL
/ Football
LB
/ FootballFootball Weekly Press Conference November 19
Wednesday, November 19
Football Postgame - Lafayette
Saturday, November 15
Football Weekly Press Conference - November 12th
Wednesday, November 12
Football Postgame vs Georgetown
Saturday, November 08