CAA Has 16 Honored On STATS FCS All-America Squad
JMU's Rashard Davis

CAA Has 16 Honored On STATS FCS All-America Squad

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Rob Washburn

2016 STATS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM

RICHMOND, Va. (December 21, 2016) – Sixteen CAA Football players were honored on the 2016 STATS FCS All-America team which was released on Tuesday. The 16 players were the most of any FCS conference and came from nine different CAA schools.
 
Receiving first-team honors were James Madison senior offensive lineman Mitchell Kirsch, Villanova senior defensive lineman Tanoh Kpassagnon and James Madison senior punt returner Rashard Davis.
 
Chosen to the All-America second team were James Madison senior running back Khalid Abdullah, Richmond senior wide receiver Brian Brown, Stony Brook junior offensive lineman Timon Parris, Richmond senior defensive lineman Winston Craig, Villanova senior linebacker Austin Calitro, New Hampshire senior defensive back Casey DeAndrade and Richmond sophomore kicker Griffin Trau.
 
Earning third-team accolades were UAlbany sophomore running back Elijah Ibitokun-Hanks, William & Mary senior offensive lineman Jerry Ugokwe, Maine senior defensive lineman Pat Ricard, James Madison senior defensive back Taylor Reynolds, Towson senior punter Jake Ryder and Towson freshman kick returner Shane Simpson.
 
Kirsch has helped pave the way for a JMU offense that ranks second nationally in scoring offense (48.0 ppg), third in total offense (525.6 ypg) and fourth in rushing offense (281.6 ypg). The Dukes also lead FCS in completion percentage and passing efficiency. Kirsch made the STATS All-America second team and the AP All-America third team in 2015.
 
Kpassagnon, the 2016 CAA Defensive Player of the Year, led the conference and ranked among the top 15 in FCS with 11 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss. The senior lineman recorded 45 total tackles for a Villanova defense that led the nation in total defense (259.8 ypg) and scoring defense (15.0 ppg) and ranks fourth in FCS in rushing defense (87.6 ypg).
 
Davis the 2016 CAA Special Teams Player of the Year, set CAA and JMU season records by returning four punts for touchdowns. All four TD returns were longer than 70 yards and helped the senior average29.9 yards on 14 returns. He has also contributed as a wide receiver, making 39 receptions for 478 yards and two touchdowns.
 
Abdullah has rushed for a CAA-best 1,708 yards and 20 touchdowns on 272 carries heading into JMU’s national championship game in the NCAA FCS playoffs. The senior has eclipsed the 100-yard mark 10 times, scored at least one touchdown in 11 games and is averaging 6.3 yards per carry. He’s tied for the FCS lead in rushing TD’s and total TD’s (23), ranks second in rushing yards, sixth in rushing yards per game (122.0 ypg) and fourth in scoring (9.9 ppg).
 
Brown led the CAA and ranked among national leaders with 81 receptions for 1,485 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. The senior became the first player in Richmond history to record three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons and climbed to third place on the CAA’s all-time receiving yards list and eighth on the FCS list with 4,203 yards. His 247 career receptions are the fifth-most in CAA history.
 
Parris anchored the line for a Stony Brook offense that rushed for 152.3 yards per game and scored 17 touchdowns. The first-team All-CAA selection has started all 33 games in his Seawolves’ career.
 
Craig ranked second in the CAA with 8.0 sacks and was fifth in the league with 11.5 tackles for loss as part of a Richmond defense that ranked 13th in FCS against the run (317.0 ypg). The senior All-CAA lineman recorded 59 total tackles, eight quarterback hurries, one interception, one forced fumble and two blocked kicks.
 
Calitro garnered first-team All-CAA honors after tying for the team lead in tackles with 86 this season. The senior linebacker played a key role for the nation’s #1 ranked defense by recording 12 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks and four pass breakups.
 
DeAndrade received first-team All-CAA honors for the third time after ranking second in tackles (71), interceptions (3) and pass breakups (10) for a New Hampshire team that made its 13th straight playoff appearance. The senior averaged 30.1 yards on 14 kick returns and 7.0 yards on 22 punt returns. He was chosen to the STATS All-America second team and the AP All-America third team in 2015.
 
Trau tied a CAA record and set a new Richmond single-season mark by kicking 23 field goals this season. The sophomore ranked second in FCS with 1.77 field goals per game and was fifth in field goal accuracy (88.5%/23-of-26).  He was also a perfect 42-for-42 on extra points.
 
Ibitokun-Hanks rushed for 1,388 yards and 16 touchdowns on 247 carries this season to earn first-team All-CAA accolades. He led the CAA and ranked fourth in FCS with 126.2 yards per game rushing. Ibitokun-Hanks ran for a school-record 298 yards and three TD’s in a victory over New Hampshire on Nov. 12.
 
Ugokwe earned first-team All-CAA honors this season after leading a W&M offensive line that ranked 11th nationally in fewest tackles for loss allowed. The senior tackle helped clear the way for tailback Kendell Anderson, who was 11th nationally in rushing yards per game. Ugokwe has earned an invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl in January.
 
Ricard registered 50 tackles from the Black Bears’ defensive line and ranked second in the conference with 15.5 tackles for loss. The first-team All-CAA selection also recorded a team-high 5.5 sacks. He finished his career with 47.5 tackles for loss and 18 sacks.
 
Reynolds ranked second in the CAA with 12 pass breakups and recorded two interceptions, both of which came in the fourth quarter. The senior cornerback has made 51 total tackles, including 5.0 tackles for loss, heading into the national title game.
 
Ryder led the CAA and ranked second in FCS in punting this season with a school-record 45.8 yard average. The senior, who a first-team All-CAA pick, had a league-high 18 punts of over 50 yards and dropped 17 kicks inside the 20-yard line. The Tigers were fourth in FCS in net punting (40.4 avg.).
 
Simpson, the 2016 CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year, led the CAA and ranked 13th nationally in kickoff returns with a 26.9-yard average. He tied a Towson and CAA record with a 100-yard TD return vs. New Hampshire. Simpson also led the Tigers with 784 yards and 3 TD’s rushing and topped the CAA and ranked 6th in FCS in all-purpose yardage (166.8 ypg).