Husson University senior running back John Smith was named Eastern Collegiate Football Conference offensive player of the year for the third straight season Thursday.
Smith was one of 15 members of the Husson program honored, a group that also included ECFC coach of the year Gabby Price and assistant coach of the year Grant Caserta, the Eagles’ defensive coordinator.
Price guided Husson to a 9-1 overall record, 7-0 in ECFC play this fall as the Eagles captured their second straight conference crown and third in the last four years. Husson will play at Springfield (Mass.) College on Saturday in an NCAA Division III Tournament first-round game.
Caserta coordinated an Eagle defense that allowed a league-low 11.2 points, 217.4 yards of total offense and 77.4 rushing yards per game this fall while recording the most interceptions (17) and sacks (29).
Smith, who leads NCAA Division III with 1,917 rushing yards this fall , also was named to the All-ECFC first team for the fourth consecutive year.
The Fayetteville, Ga., product was one of six Husson players to earn first-team all-conference recognition on offense, along with junior quarterback Cory Brandon, senior tight end D.J. Allen, senior wide receiver Robenson Saintard, junior guard Brad Weston and freshman tackle Jacob Cameron.
Senior rover Jean Gabriel, junior cornerback Quan Soyini, senior defensive tackle Luke Washburn and junior linebacker Elvin Suazo Jr., earned first-team All-ECFC status on defense, with Soyini also earning first-team accolades as a punt returner.
Second-team honorees on defense were freshman defensive end Frank Curran, junior defensive tackle Tarik Smith and sophomore placekicker Devin Pickett.
Brandon, Allen and Washburn are all second-year All-ECFC first-team selections.
OL Rivera earns academic award
Husson senior offensive lineman Luis Rivera has been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-District I Team.
The CoSIDA Academic All-District Teams recognize the nation’s top student-athletes for their excellence on the field and in the classroom. The district teams are divided into eight geographic regions and further delineated by Division I, II and III.
Rivera anchored Husson’s offensive line this fall as the Eagles led the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference with 2,732 rushing yards and scored a league-high 39 touchdowns on the ground in 10 games. Husson also topped 1,500 passing yards (1,740) for the third straight season and led the conference with 41.3 points per game and 4,472 yards of total offense.
Off the field, Rivera is a Business Management major who was named to the 2015 and 2016 All-ECFC Academic Team.
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