Coastal Athletic Association (CAA Sports)

SIX CAA FOOTBALL TEAMS RANKED; MADISON REMAINS ON TOP

10/1/2008 4:00:00 AM

RICHMOND, Va. (October 1, 2008) -- James Madison is holding on to No. 1 in both polls this week, marking the first time CAA Football has held the top-spot in consecutive weeks since 2006.  Also making national news was Northeastern defensive back Nate Thellen and Villanova placekicker Joe Marcoux who earned more National Player of the Week honors for CAA Football.

Thellen, who was recognized a National Defensive All-Star by the College Sporting News, hauled in an astounding mark of three interceptions during the Huskies’ 27-10 win over UC Davis in Brookline, Mass.  The sophomore, who also earned CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week and ECAC Defensive Player of the Week honors, returned his final interception of the game 92 yards for a touchdown.  Thellen’s three interceptions rank as the second-best total in school history equalling a feat accomplished by Matt Lanagan against Lehigh in 1988, while his return for a touchdown is the first for Northeastern since 2002.

Marcoux picked up National Special Teams honors from both The Sports Network and College Sporting News after accounting for more than half of Villanova’s points in its, 26-20, win over Richmond.  The now two-time CAA Football Special Teams Player of the Week finished the game 4-for-4 in field goal attempts and connected on both of his PAT tries.  Marcoux, a native of Campbell Hall, N.Y, recorded field goals of 21, 25, 29 and a career-long of 48 which ranked as the sixth-longest field goal in Villanova history.

After just five weeks of play CAA Football has already garnered recognition nine times (at least one honor in each of the five weeks) -- a total that is five more than any other FCS conference has won.  CAA Football athletes were honored nine of the 12 weeks in 2007, and boasted a total of 15 national winners.  CAA Football’s total trailed only the Southern Conference’s 16 National Player of the Week honorees last season.

Both the Sports Network Top-25 and FCS Coaches’ Top-25 include six of CAA Football’s 12 member programs.  League schools in this week’s polls include Delaware (No. 16 in Sports Network, No. 14 in FCS Coaches’ Poll), James Madison (No. 1 in both), Massachusetts (No. 18 in Sports Network, No. 12 in FCS Coaches’ Poll), New Hampshire (No. 5 in both), Richmond (No. 6 in Sports Network, No. 7 in FCS Coaches’ Poll) and Villanova (No. 14 in Sports Network, No. 16 in FCS Coaches’ Poll).  William and Mary earn votes in both polls, while Hofstra also picked up votes in the FCS Coaches’ Poll.

No. 1 James Madison carries on what is now a two-week span CAA Football has owned the top-spot in The Sports Network Poll.  The Dukes’ No. 1 ranking also marks the first time since Sept. 5, 2005 it has been at the top of The Sports Network Top-25.

Last week (Sept. 22) both Richmond (No. 1) and James Madison (No. 2) became the first duo from a single-league to hold the Top-2 spots in The Sports Network Poll since 1991.  It also marked the first time in the league’s 62-year history (Atlantic 10 and Yankee Conference) it has ever held the Top-2 spots in any National Top-25.

JMU’s top-ranking is the second-straight week a CAA Football team has been at No. 1 -- The last time a CAA Football school was ranked No. 1 in consecutive weeks was in 2006 -- New Hampshire held on to No. 1 from Sept. 11-Oct. 9 that season.

CAA Football’s six ranked squads in the Sports Network’s Top-25 mark the second-straight season the league has had six teams ranked following the fifth week of the season.  The league’s six teams in the poll is also more than any other conference can boast, as both the Missouri Valley and SoCon show only five in this week’s poll.  CAA Football teams among the 2008 Sports Network rankings continue a weekly string of at least three league squads ranked among the Top 25 since the poll’s inception.

CAA Football also extends its string of at least two teams in the Sports Network Top-10 to 46-straight weeks.  The league can now boast having at least two teams in the Sports Network Top-10 in 72 of the last 76 weeks.  The last time CAA Football placed at least six among the Top-25 in six consecutive weeks was between Sept. 24-Oct. 29, 2007 which included Delaware, Hofstra, James Madison, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Richmond and Villanova.

James Madison’s No. 1 ranking in this week’s poll marks the first time CAA Football has owned the top spot in the FCS Coaches’ Poll in consecutive weeks.

Last week (Sept. 22), James Madison (No. 1) and Richmond (No. 2) held the Top-2 spots in the poll, marking another first-ever for CAA Football in the FCS Coaches’ Poll.  Since the poll debuted in 2007 no league has held the Top-2 spots in the same week.

James Madison’s No. 1 ranking in last week’s poll also marked a first for CAA Football, as no team from the league had ever been ranked No. 1 by the Coaches since the poll’s debut in 2007.

Since the FCS Coaches Poll debut, CAA Football has had at least four squads ranked every week (19 weeks).  The league’s total of six in this week’s poll mark the sixth-consecutive edition with as many CAA Football squads listed, and the 13th week overall.

CAA Football’s five teams among the poll’s Top-15 mark the fifth-straight week the league has had at least five squads among the Top-15 -- something only accomplished by CAA Football.  The league has had four-or-more teams among the Coaches’ Top-15 each of the last 18 weeks of the Top-25 -- the poll has been released a total of 19 weeks dating back to the Preseason 2007 edition.

Below is a comparison showing both National Polls released Sept. 29.