ECAC All Stars

[Arundel]

The following student athletes were named to the East Coast Athletic Conference team:

2012 ECAC Division I Football Bowl Sub-Division All-Stars
Player of the Year
Khaseem Greene, LB, Sr. Rutgers University
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Stefon Diggs, WR/RS, Fr. University of Maryland
Defensive Rookie of the Year Tyler Matakevich, LB, Sr., Temple University

Tyler Matakevich, LB, Sr., Temple University
Quarterback
Geno Smith Sr. West Virginia University

Running Back
Ray Graham Sr. University of Pittsburgh
Montel Harris Sr. Temple University

Wide Receiver
Tavon Austin Sr. West Virginia University
Stedman Bailey Jr. West Virginia University
Alec Lemon Sr. Syracuse University
Conner Vernon Sr. Duke University

Defensive Line
Aaron Donald Jr. University of Pittsburgh
Steven Means Sr. University of Buffalo
Joe Vallano Sr. University of Maryland
Scott Vallone Sr. Rutgers University

Linebacker
Nick Clancy Sr. Boston College
Khaseem Greene Sr. Rutgers University
Kahlil Mack Jr. University of Buffalo
Sio Moore Sr. University of Connecticut

Offensive Line
Oday Aboushi Sr. University of Virginia
Josh Cabral Sr. U.S. Naval Academy
Joe Madsen Sr. West Virginia University
Ryan Paulson Sr. U.S, Naval Academy
Justin Pugh Sr. Syracuse University

Defensive Back
Walt Canty Sr. Duke University
Ross Cockrell Jr. Duke University
Logan Ryan Jr. Rutgers University
Shamarko Thomas Sr. Syracuse University

Punter
Pablo Beltran So. U.S. Naval Academy
Brandon McManus Sr. Temple University

Placekicker
Nick Sloan Fr, U.S. Naval Academy

Return Specialist
Tavon Austin Sr. West Virginia University

For those as unfamiliar as I was about what the ECAC is, the conference represents Eastern seaboard schools, in all divisions/classes cross standing conference affiliations. For Division 1 FBS schools, these include the following schools:

Boston College Atlantic Coast Conference
University at Buffalo Mid-American Conference
University of Connecticut Big East Conference
Duke University Atlantic Coast Conference
Pennsylvania State University Big Ten Conference
University of Pittsburgh Big East Conference
Rutgers University Big East Conference
University of Maryland - College Park Atlantic Coast Conference
University of Wisconsin Big 10
West Virginia University Big 12 Conference
Syracuse University Big East Conference
Temple University Big East Conference
University of Virginia Atlantic Coast Conference
U.S. Military Academy IND
U.S. Naval Academy IND
East Carolina University Conference USA

A slightly different looking conference than what we are used...

FCS All Stars were also named:

2012 ECAC Division I Football Championship Sub-Division All-Stars

The lists of ECAC participating schools in FCS is much longer - if interested in looking it up please go to their site.

The one local student athlete I recognized on the list was RJ Harris, University of New Hampshire, (Arundel) named first team WR. If there are others you see, please acknowledge them

Congrats to our local athletes continuing to do great things at the next level. Alec and Tavon have torn up the record books at Syracuse and West Virginia and will be squaring off against each other on 29 December in the Pinstripe Bowl in NYC. Expect a shootout with each of them putting up big numbers!

[GREYHOUND ALUM]

Tavon isn't POY? That's horrible!

[eaglesinsider]

The ECAC is an odd collegiate organization. At the Division III level, it functions almost as a regional NCAA, sponsoring post-season play among member institutions, who pay a fee to be a member. These are regional tournaments for teams that don't make the NCAA playoffs. They take the form of 6 Regional Bowl Games for Division III football. ECAC competitions are most useful in individual sports, especially in track & field, where they function as a "last chance" meet, meaning if you hit an NCAA qualifying time during the ECAC Championship, you can advance to the NCAA National Meet.

Outside of Division III, the ECAC pretty much just puts out all-star teams and regional polls.

I'm honestly surprised that WVU is even allowed to be on their all-star team anymore. I figured that going to the Big 12 would disqualify them from the all-star team like it did for the Lambert Cup (award given by ECAC to best football team among member schools in each division). That is only open to schools in NY, NJ, PA, and New England or schools in DE, MD, WV, OH and VA that play more than 1/2 their schedule against eligible teams. To give you some idea of how weak that field is now at the FBS level, here is your final Top 10:

1. Rutgers (9-3)
2. Cincinnati (9-3)
3. Syracuse (7-5)
4. Penn State (8-4)
5. Pittsburgh (6-6)
6. Connecticut (5-7)
7. Temple (4-7)
8. Buffalo (4-8)
9. Army (2-10)
10. Boston College (2-10)

There is definitely some anti-WVU bias among the ECAC media, who wouldn't be happy that WVU left a traditionally Eastern conference (Big East) for a traditionally Mid/South-Western one (Big XII).