For Immediate Release
November 16, 2011
League Champion New Haven Places 18 Student-Athletes on All-Conference Teams
South Easton, Mass. – Southern Connecticut State University senior running back Rashaad Slowley was named the Northeast-10 Most Valuable Player by the conference's head coaches it was announced today.
Slowley leads all of college football in scoring with 27 touchdowns and 162 total points, posting an average of 18 points per game. He also ranks third in Division II in rushing yards per game (151.7) and eighth in the country in all-purpose yards (176.3). His 27 touchdowns in 2011 set a So. Connecticut single-season school record.
In the Owls' game against Saint Anselm College, Slowley set another school-record as he scored six touchdowns in a 59-34 win. Two weeks later, with So. Connecticut trailing by 14 points at halftime against Assumption College, he ran for 236 of his 288 yards after the break to ignite an Owls' comeback. The 236 yards were the second-highest single-half total in NCAA Division II history, trailing only former teammate Jarom Freeman's 251-yard effort in the first half of a November 2nd, 2007 game against Bryant.
In all, Slowley carried the ball 247 times for 1,365 yards and 25 rushing touchdowns. He also hauled in 20 catches for 222 yards and two receiving touchdowns. He led the Northeast-10 Conference in rushing and touchdowns and was second in all-purpose yards.
The University of New Haven's Ryan Osiecki was named the 2011 Offensive Player of the Year. Osiecki helped lead the Chargers to a Northeast-10 Championship as they finished the season a perfect 8-0 in conference play and 10-1 overall. Osiecki and the Chargers received a first round bye in the upcoming NCAA Tournament and will host a second round game later this month. The junior quarterback threw for 2694 yards on 185 completions, 30 of which were good for touchdowns. Osiecki also added another eight touchdowns on the ground, as he accounted for 38 touchdowns in the team's eleven games. He was also named to the 2011 Northeast-10 All Conference First Team.
Merrimack College had two student-athletes honored on the defensive side as Shawn Loiseau was named Defensive Player of the Year and Tony Johnson was named Defensive Lineman of the Year.
Loiseau had another remarkable season for the Warriors as the conference's head coaches honored him for the second consecutive year with this honor. The senior linebacker finished the 2011 campaign with 114 tackles, which lead the NE-10, 3.5 sacks, and fifteen tackles for a loss, which was tied for sixth in the conference. His 114 tackles also ranked him tied for seventh nationally in all of Division II. Loiseau was also named to the 2011 Northeast-10 All Conference First Team.
Loiseau's teammate Tony Johnson was also honored for the second straight year as the conference's Defensive Lineman of the Year. Johnson, who finished his career at Merrimack with 36 sacks, had 7.5 in 2011, tied for second best in the NE-10. He also registered 16 tackles for loss, which was tied for the league-lead. The senior had three fumble recoveries (tied for first); three forced fumbles (tied for second); and blocked a kick this season. Overall, Johnson recorded 37 tackles in helping lead a defense that was third in the NE-10 in yards per game allowed with 354.9. He was also named to the 2011 Northeast-10 All Conference First Team.
New Haven's David Stedman was honored as the 2011 Offensive Lineman of the Year. Stedman, who plays guard for the Chargers, helped anchor an offensive front that led the conference in scoring with 42.9 points per game. The Chargers were second best in the Northeast-10 with 274 passing yards per game, and the offensive line yielded only 26 sacks during the season. Stedman was also named to the 2011 Northeast-10 All Conference First Team.
American International College's Kevin Arduino was honored as the 2011 Rookie of the Year by the conference's head coaches. The first-year quarterback for the Yellow Jackets appeared in ten games and accounted for better then 250 yards per game of total offense. Arduino completed 154 passes for 1780 yards, and added another 725 yards on the ground. The freshman signal-caller threw thirteen touchdown passes and added ten more scores on the ground. Arduino was also named to the NE-10's All Rookie Team.
After leading his team to a Northeast-10 regular season championship and a berth in the upcoming NCAA Division II National Tournament, New Haven's Peter Rossomando was named the Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year for the second straight season. Rossomando led the Chargers to a 10-1 mark, including that unblemished 8-0 mark in NE-10 play, with their only loss coming at the hands of football subdivision member William & Mary. New Haven is currently ranked fifth in the country and Rossomando had 18 of his players named to either the first or second team in 2011.
To see the complete list of 2011 Northeast-10 Conference First and Second All Conference and All Rookie teams, please see below.
The Northeast-10 is an association of 16 NCAA Division II colleges and universities located in New England and New York that is committed to supporting balanced academic and athletic opportunities for more than 5,500 student-athletes. Each year, 4,000 of those student-athletes compete in Conference championships in 23 sports, making the NE-10 the largest DII conference in the country. Leading the way in the classroom, on the field and within the community, the Northeast-10 is proud of its comprehensive program and the experience it provides student-athletes.
2011 Northeast-10
Conference
Football All-Conference Teams
First Team
Offense Yr. Pos. School Hometown
Ryan Osiecki Jr. QB New Haven Seymour, Conn.
Matt Pedone So. RB Assumption Holden, Mass.
Rashaad Slowley Sr. RB So. Connecticut Mount Vernon, N.Y.
Isaiah Voegeli Jr. WR Merrimack Hyannis, Mass.
Jason Thompson Jr. WR New Haven Stuart, Fla.
Marc Wilson Sr. WR Saint Anselm Farmington, Conn.
Kameel Lashley Sr. TE New Haven Boston, Mass.
Dan Duggan Sr. OL Assumption Boston, Mass.
Nick Halloran Sr. OL Bentley Somerville, Mass.
Alex (A.J.) Riker Sr. OL Bentley Haskell, N.J.
Zach Gilbert Jr. OL Merrimack Salem, Mass.
David Stedman Sr. OL New Haven Hasbrouck Heights, N.J.
Chris Hazelton Sr. PK So. Connecticut Bristol, Conn.
Stephen Neville Sr. RS Stonehill Foxborough, Mass.
First Team
Defense Yr. Pos. School Hometown
Nick Haag Jr. DL Assumption Grafton, Mass.
Tony Johnson Sr. DL Merrimack Lynn, Mass.
Tom Herd Jr. DL New Haven Sparta, N.J.
Raheem Stanley Sr. DL New Haven Hartford, Conn.
Ike Igbinosun Sr. DL So. Connecticut Rahway, N.J.
Nick Diantonio Sr. LB Assumption Milford, Mass.
Shawn Loiseau Sr. LB Merrimack Shrewsbury,Mass.
Mike Gomes Sr. LB New Haven Brockton, Mass.
Charlie Hatchett Sr. LB New Haven Bridgeport, Conn.
Shane O'Donnell Sr. LB Saint Anselm Dracut, Mass.
Max Brown Sr. DB American Int'l Paterson, N.J.
Sonny Dillinger Sr. DB Assumption Naples, Fla.
Artis Holt Jr. DB Merrimack Baltimore, Md.
Desmond Anderson Sr. DB New Haven Jacksonville, Fla.
Bernard Risco Jr. DB New Haven Philadelphia, Pa.
Daniel Backx Fr. P American Int'l Evesham, England
Second Team
Offense Yr. Pos. School Hometown
Bryant Johnson Gr. QB Bentley Hopedale, Mass.
Jimon Hill Jr. RB Merrimack North Chicago, Ill.
Mike DeCaro So. RB New Haven Weston, Fla.
Wade Critides Gr. WR Bentley Wayland, Mass.
Willie Epps Jr. WR So. Connecticut Norwalk, Conn.
Andre Privott Sr. WR So. Connecticut Middletown, Conn.
Trevor Perryman Sr. TE American Int'l Centereach, N.Y.
Lance Chapman Sr. OL New Haven So. Glens Falls, N.Y.
Zach Conklin Jr. OL New Haven Otisville, N.Y.
James Malloy Jr. OL New Haven Englewood, N.J.
Chris Bolte Jr. OL Stonehill Tilton, N.H.
Bill Chaffin Jr. OL So. Connecticut Amston, Conn.
Chris Scifo Jr. PK New Haven Coral Springs, Fla.
Mike DeCaro So. RS New Haven Weston, Fla.
Second Team
Defense Yr. Pos. School Hometown
Khalid Pitts Jr. DL Assumption Clifton, N.J.
Matt Welch Sr. DL Bentley Woburn, Mass.
Michael Wiggins Jr. DL Merrimack Dolton, Ill.
Rob Hill Sr. DL New Haven Suffield, Conn.
Scott Schultz Sr. DL New Haven Wayne, N.J.
Joel Bowen So. LB American Int'l Brooklyn, N.Y.
Mike Bates So. LB Assumption Holden, Mass.
Sam-uel Johnson Sr. LB So. Connecticut Newark, N.J.
Chevar Rankins Gr. LB So. Connecticut Middletown, Conn.
Wausa Onigbanjo Sr. DB American Int'l Paterson, N.J.
David Lopez Sr. DB Pace Ozone Park, N.Y.
Michael Escobar Sr. DB So. Connecticut Danbury, Conn.
Jareed Gaines Jr. DB Stonehill Lumberton, N.J.
Chris Rooney Sr. P Stonehill Quincy, Mass.
All Rookie
Team Pos. School Hometown
Kevin Arduino QB American Int'l Cornwall, N.Y.
Daniel Backx P American Int'l Evesham, England
Joel Bowen LB American Int'l Brooklyn, N.Y.
George Grosz OL American Int'l Clifton, N.J.
Jaquawne Simpkins LB American Int'l Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Kevin Bumpus QB Assumption Bridgewater, Mass.
Brad Keirstead DB Bentley Waltham, Mass.
Chris Unis LB Merrimack Gloucester, Mass.
Cameron Davis WR Pace Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
Isaac Jorgenson LB Saint Anselm Eldersburg, Md.
Zach Lombard OL Saint Anselm Manchester, Conn.
Dominick Diglio OL So. Connecticut East Haven, Conn.
Mike Hogan LB Stonehill Westborough, Mass.
Zaire Reiph WR Stonehill Norwalk, Conn.
Eric Schneider DL Stonehill Camarillo, Calif.
Brandon Weiss DL Stonehill Freehold, N.J.
Most Valuable Player – Rashaad
Slowley, So. Connecticut
Offensive Player of the Year – Ryan
Osiecki, New Haven
Defensive Player of the Year –
Shawn Loiseau, Merrimack
Offensive Lineman of the Year –
David Stedman, New Haven
Defensive Lineman of the Year –
Tony Johnson, Merrimack
Rookie of the Year – Kevin Arduino,
American Int'l
Coach of the Year – Pete
Rossomando, New Haven
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