University of Richmond Athletics
Six Earn Preseason All-America Honors From College Sporting News
Aug. 25, 2009
UNIVERSITY OF RICHMOND, Va. - The College Sporting News has released it 2009 Preseason All-Americans and six players from the University of Richmond were honored, including First Team selections OL Matt McCracken, LB Eric McBride and DB Justin Rogers.
On the Second Team were OL Drew Lachenmayer and K Andrew Howard, with QB Eric Ward earning a Third Team nod. The Spiders six selections were the third-most in the Football Championship Subdivision.
The reigning National Champions captured six of FCS-leading 47 spots garnered by athletes from CAA Football schools. The league, which is regarded as the nation's premier FCS conference, has had four National Champions since 1998. The conference with the next-most selections was the Southern Conference, with 16.
Rogers, who is also on the watch list for the 2009 Buck Buchanan Award, enjoyed one of the most prolific seasons by a defensive back in Spider history in 2008, leading to his second-consecutive All-America award. The rising junior, who may be one of the most dangerous all-around threats in the FCS, had seven interceptions last season (fourth-most in school history), returned two picks and one fumble for touchdowns and blocked a punt.
McCracken is a two-time All-America selection and returns to anchor an offensive line that is one of the most experienced at the FCS level. Including McCracken, who was named one of four senior captains, four of Richmond's five projected starters on the O-line are fifth-year seniors - Lachenmayer, who was also named a Second Team Preseason All-America from Phil Steele, is a junior.
McBride enjoyed an All-American season in 2008, leading the team in tackles for the second-consecutive season. The rising junior from nearby L.C. Bird High in Richmond was in on 108 stops last season after collecting 126 as a redshirt freshman on his way to CAA Football Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. The linebacker has started all 30 games of his career.
A Second Team All-Conference pick last season, Howard enters his senior campaign as the Spiders' all-time leading scorer with 277 points, the teams' all-time leader in field-goal accuracy (67.7 pct.) and among the all-time leaders in NCAA history in extra-point accuracy (98.7 pct.).
Ward, regarded by some as the FCS's best prospect at his position in 2009, returns as the Spiders' career leader in completion percentage (62.0), ranks third in career passing yards (6,573) and second in TD passes (45). The senior owns a 6-1 career record in the playoffs and is 30-10 overall in three years as the Spiders' starting signal-caller. He was among the NCAA's leaders in passing efficiency, guiding the Spiders to the National Title.
Richmond captured the school's first NCAA Championship in 2008 and enters 2009 as the nation's top-ranked FCS team. The Spiders open Sept. 5 at Duke, with their CAA opener set for the following Saturday at Delaware.
Season tickets to watch the Spiders play for the 81st and final season at UR Stadium are now on sale. Contact the Robins Center Ticket Office at 1-877-SPIDER-1 for more information.