University of Richmond Athletics
Richmond Has League-Leading 16 Selected To All-CAA Football Team
Nov. 23, 2009
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The University of Richmond, which won a share of the 2009 CAA Football Championship and posted its first 10-win regular season in school history, had a league-leading 16 players selected to the All-CAA Football Team that was chosen by the league's head coaches. The six Spiders on the First Team were senior OL Matt McCracken, senior OL Michael Silva, junior LB Eric McBride, senior LB Collin McConaghy, junior CB Justin Rogers and senior PR Derek Hatcher.
The fourth-ranked Spiders finished the regular season 10-1 overall, 7-1 in league play and shared the CAA Football title with Villanova. Richmond has won or shared five conference titles since 1998, which is the most of any league team in that span.
Junior WR Kevin Grayson and junior DT Martin Parker were picked to the Second Team, with senior QB Eric Ward, senior TB Justin Forte, freshman FB Drew Lachenmayer, senior NG Parker Miles, junior LB Patrick Weldon and senior SS Michael Ireland making the Third Team.
McCracken, Rogers and McBride are each repeat selections on the First Team at their respective positions.
Although Ward will go down as one of the winningest quarterbacks in CAA Football history, the senior was both denied a spot on the First Team and as the league's Offensive Player of the Year. The four-year starter, who has a National Championship and two CAA crowns under his belt, currently stands third in the league in passing efficiency, fifth in total offense and sixth in passing yards. His 15 TD passes were second-most in the league and he rushed for three more scores.
Ward led the Spiders on fourth-quarter game-winning drives this season over South Division foes Delaware, James Madison, and William & Mary - three of the eight game-winning drives in his career. He beat every team in the league at least once during his career, including a 4-0 mark versus the rival Tribe and 3-1 versus the Blue Hens. His top two career passing games came this season -- 394 yards in the win over VMI and 297 yards in a last-second loss to Villanova.
The Atlanta, Ga. native, who is 16-6 in his career versus Top-25 teams and 6-1 in the NCAA Playoffs, was the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2006.
McConaghy, McBride and Weldon are the starters on arguably the best linebacker corps in the league. The three lead the teams in tackles with 83, 81 and 75, respectively. The trio has combined for 12 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, three interceptions, nine pass breakups, three fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles this season.
McBride was both the league's Defensive Rookie of the Year and a Second Team pick in 2007, and made the First Team in 2008. McConaghy was a Third Team choice last season, with Weldon earning his first CAA postseason honor this year.
McCracken, Silva and Lachenmayer anchor a standout offensive line that features four seniors and a junior. Richmond led the league with fewest sacks allowed (1.5 per game) and finished fifth in rushing offense. McCracken made the Second Team in 2007 and the First Team in 2008. Silva was a Second Teamer last season.
The much-decorated Rogers has been a First Team honoree in each of the last three years, as the junior earned the honor at cornerback in 2008 and 2009 and at kick returner in 2007, along with being named the league's Special Team Player of the Year as a rookie. Rogers has picked off three passes and made 25 tackles this season.
Hatcher led the league in punt return average this season and returned a punt 90 yards for a touchdown versus Maine. The son of Cincinnati Reds' first-base coach and former major leaguer Billy Hatcher, Derek was named as the league's Second Team punt returner in 2007 and 2008.
Richmond's stonewall defense, anchored by lineman Parker and Miles, is third nationally in rushing and eighth in scoring. Parker leads the team in sacks (6.5) and is third in the league in tackles for loss (15.0), while Miles has made 37 tackles, picked off two passes and returned one for a TD. Both awards are the first of their careers.
At wide receiver, Grayson and Gray headlined a group of talented targets for Ward. Grayson finished the regular season with 38 grabs for 444 yards and two TDs. The junior was named the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2007 and was a First Teamer in 2008. Earning his first CAA postseason honor, Gray led the team in both catches (45) and yards (605) and ranked seventh in the CAA in yards per game (55.0).
Forte, who followed in the footsteps of First Team All-CAA players Tim Hightower (2007) and Josh Vaughan (2008), stands fourth in the league in rushing at 82.1 yards per game. Three of his four career 100-yard rushing games have come during his senior campaign.
Gaskins was a productive fullback for the Spiders in his true rookie season, collecting five TDs on the ground and catching another. Of his 30 carries this season, 19 have either resulted in first downs or touchdowns.
Ireland earned his first career CAA postseason award after finishing the regular season fifth on the team in tackles and tying Rogers for the team lead with three interceptions. Although his 91-yard interception return versus Massachusetts came a yard shy of reaching the end zone, it stands as the second-longest in school history.
Villanova, which had 15 all-league selections, saw the versatile Matt Szczur win both the Offensive and Special Teams Player of the Year awards and Andy Talley garner Coach of the Year accolades. James Madison's Arthur Moats was the Defensive Player of the Year and the Dukes' Justin Thorpe was the Offensive Rookie of the Year. William & Mary's B.W. Webb was the Defensive Rookie of the Year.