EDISON, N.J. ? Iona College senior running back Dane Samuels has been selected as the 2007 MAAC Football League Offensive Player of the Year, and the Gaels’ senior linebacker Adam Lipski has been named the 2007 MAAC Football League Defensive Player of the Year. Both players headline the 2007 All-MAAC Football League First Team, as chosen by the league’s head coaches.
Samuels led the league in rushing for the second straight year, carrying the ball 174 times for 1,018 yards and eight touchdowns this season for the Gaels. He was also first on the conference’s all-purpose list, averaging 174.9 yards per game. Samuels ranked fourth on the conference’s total offense list, averaging 92.5 yards per game, second in kick returns with 20 for 432 yards, and ninth on the reception chart with 33 catches for 474 yards and two touchdowns for the Maroon and Gold.
Lipski recorded 100 tackles (39 solo) along with 17.5 tackles for a loss of 74 yards and three sacks for the Gaels this season.
The 2007 MAAC Football League Offensive Co-Rookies of the Year are Caesar Sanchez of Iona and Deric Dudinski of La Salle University. The 2007 MAAC Football League Defensive Co-Rookies of the Year are Nathan Totino from Duquesne University and Rory Foley from Marist College.
Sanchez, a sophomore fullback, played nine games this season for the Gaels. He made six carries for 10 yards and one touchdown along with two receptions for 25 yards.
Dudinski, a freshman running back, led the Explorers in rushing with 100 carries for 290 yards. He also recorded three catches for 55 yards.
Totino, a freshman linebacker, recorded 93 tackles, including a league-best 50 solo stops and 1.5 tackles for a loss of three yards. He also tallied two passes defended, and one fumble recovery for the Dukes.
Foley, a freshman defensive back, was credited with 66 tackles, including 37 solo stops, as well as one tackle for a loss of four yards for the Red Foxes this season.
The Anaconda Sports/MAAC Coach of the Year award was awarded to Marist head coach Jim Parady. Parady led the Red Foxes to a 2-1 mark in the MAAC and a share of the 2007 MAAC Football League title.
2007 ALL-MAAC FOOTBALL LEAGUE TEAM ? First Team
First Team Offense
Pos. Name, School Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last School
QB Kevin Rombach, Duquesne So. 6-1 205 Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin
RB Dane Samuels, Iona Sr. 5-10 200 New City, N.Y./Hudson Valley C.C.
Obozua Ehikioya, Marist Sr. 5-11 220 West Hempstead, N.Y./West Hempstead
WR Bruce Hocker, Duquesne Sr. 6-4 205 Upper Marlboro, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt
Demarcus White, Iona Sr. 6-0 200 Laurel, Md./Hudson Valley C.C.
TE Calvin Gitter, Duquesne Sr. 6-2 245 Jamison, Pa./Central Bucks West
OL Hatim Chafi, Duquesne Sr. 6-4 305 Rockville, Md./Richard Montgomery
Matt Stansfield, Duquesne Sr. 6-1 255 Meadville, Pa./Meadville
JT Stefanik, Duquesne Jr. 6-5 270 Uniontown, Pa./Laurel Highlands
Jon Hill, Iona Jr. 6-2 285 Middle Village, N.Y./Christ the King
Rob Valletti, Iona Sr. 6-2 280 Valley Stream, N.Y./Valley Stream
Dan Cooper, Marist Sr. 6-2 250 Freehold, N.J./Freehold Township
Neil Walsh, Marist Jr. 6-2 235 Wantagh, N.Y./Wantagh
PK Mark Troyan, Duquesne Jr. 5-9 195 Ford City, Pa./Ford City
First Team DEFENSE
Pos. Name, School Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last School
DL Travis Decker, Duquense Sr. 6-2 225 Allentown, Pa./Parkland
Mykol Gardiner, Duquesne So. 6-3 255 Cleveland, Ohio/Benedictine
James McDonald, Iona Sr. 6-5 260 Bayport, N.Y./Sacred Heart
David Tash, Iona Sr. 6-4 270 Nanuet, N.Y./Spring Valley
Dan Walters, Iona Sr. 6-1 230 Wantagh, N.Y./MacArthur
Rob Wright, Iona Sr. 6-3 280 Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Arlington
Tony Riley, Marist So. 6-3 225 Longmeadow, Mass./Longmeadow
Dan Sullivan, Marist So. 6-2 240 Oakland, N.J./Indian Hills
LB Derron Thomas, Duquesne Gr. 6-1 235 Forestville, Md./Pittsburgh
Adam Lipski, Iona Sr. 6-0 225 Miller Place, N.Y./Miller Place
Dan Smith, Marist Sr. 6-2 225 Reston, Va./South Lakes
DB Paul Mulbah, Duquesne Sr. 6-1 205 Greenbelt, Md./Eleanor Roosevelt
Aaron Strader, Duquesne Jr. 6-3 190 Pittsburgh, Pa./Westinghouse
Reggie Dorsainvil, Iona Sr. 6-3 190 Spring Valley, N.Y./Hudson Valley C.C.
Daniel Diaz, Marist Sr. 5-11 172 Newfield, N.Y./Newfield Central
P Daniel Kovalcik, Duquesne Sr. 5-10 185 Chantilly, Va./Chantilly
Brad Rowe, Marist Sr. 5-11 165 Stratham, N.H./Exeter
2007 ALL-MAAC FOOTBALL LEAGUE TEAM ? Second Team
Second Team Offense
Pos. Name, School Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last School
QB Steve McGrath, Marist Sr. 6-1 190 Manasquan, N.J./Manasquan
RB Greg Hough, Duquesne Jr. 6-1 220 Gibsonia, Pa./Pine-Richland
Rudy Arcara, Iona Sr. 5-11 210 Harrison, N.Y./Harrison
Deric Dudinski, La Salle Fr. 5-9 180 Sterling, Va./Park View
WR Alex Roberson, Duquesne Jr. 6-3 200 Waynesboro, Ga./Curtis Baptist Upper School
Tim Mastrino, Iona Jr. 5-9 155 Elmhurst, Ill./Immaculate Conception
TE Sean Bunevich, Duquesne So. 6-4 215 North Ridgefield, Ohio/North Ridgefield
Mike Day, Iona Jr. 6-2 240 New City, N.Y./Clarkstown North
OL Matt Kitka, Duquense So. 6-4 280 Upper St. Clair, Pa./Upper St. Clair
Steve Kuhns, Duquesne So. 6-3 315 Lafayette, N.Y./Christian Brothers Academy
Mike Butler, Iona So. 6-3 295 Malverne, N.Y./Nassau C.C.
Kevin Waters, La Salle Sr. 6-3 275 Norristown, Pa./Norristown
Jake Dembow, Marist Jr. 6-3 270 Merrimack, N.H./Merrimack
PK Chris Collins, Marist Sr. 6-3 200 Poughkeepsie, N.Y./Roy C. Ketcham
Second Team DEFENSE
Pos. Name, School Yr. Ht. Wt. Hometown/Last School
DL Ronnie Garvin, Duquesne So. 6-0 290 Aiken, S.C./Aiken
Lou Levine, Duquesne Sr. 6-2 260 Export, Pa./Franklin Regional
Ralph Pierre-Lewis, La Salle So. 5-11 260 Rahway, N.J./Rahway
O.G. Igbinosun, Marist Jr. 6-2 215 Rahway, N.J./Rahway
LB John Simmons, Duquesne Sr. 6-1 215 Pittsburgh, Pa./Plum
Nathan Totino, Duquesne Fr. 5-10 200 Pittsburgh, Pa./Seton-La Salle
Jared Scotto, Iona Sr. 6-2 240 Staten Island, N.Y./Moore Catholic
Casey Walsh, La Salle Jr. 6-1 220 Ocean City, Md./Stephen Decatur
DB Ed Localzo, Iona Sr. 5-9 190 Seaford, N.Y./Sacred Heart
Matt McGuire, Iona Jr. 5-9 185 Clifton, N.J./Bergen Catholic
John Costello, La Salle Sr. 5-10 190 West Chester, Pa./WC Henderson
Kwame Carlor, Marist So. 5-10 200 Southbridge, Mass./Southbridge
Rory Foley, Marist Fr. 5-10 206 West Roxbury, Mass./Boston Latin School
P Chris Lofrese, Iona Sr. 6-0 175 Middletown, N.Y./Middletown
Anthony Perlozzo, La Salle Jr. 5-10 165 Ocean City, Md./Stephen Decatur
2007 MAAC Offensive Player of the Year: Dane Samuels, Iona
2007 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year: Adam Lipski, Iona
2007 MAAC Offensive Co-Rookies of the Year: Caesar Sanchez, Iona
Deric Dudinski, La Salle
2007 MAAC Defensive Co-Rookies of the Year: Nathan Totino, Duquesne
Rory Foley, Marist
2007 Anaconda Sports MAAC Coach of the Year: Jim Parady, Marist