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University of New Hampshire Athletics
Football Celebrates Championship Season at Team Banquet
3/11/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
DURHAM, N.H. – The University of New Hampshire football team received its 2014 CAA championship rings, and seniors Nico Steriti (Toms River, N.J.) and Andy Vailas (Bedford, N.H.) received the Todd Walker Teammate Award as part of the annual team banquet, which was held Sunday at the Memorial Union Building on the UNH campus.
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The Wildcats, who went 8-0 in conference play to win their first outright league title since 1994, were recognized for setting school records for victories (12), consecutive wins (12) and longest home winning streak (14 games).
The Todd Walker Teammate Award is normally presented annually to a Wildcat on the final day of spring practice. In a special exception, the honor was extended to Steriti and Vailas, two of Todd's best friends and members of the last graduating class to play with the 20-year-old UNH wide receiver who was murdered March 18, 2011, while protecting a female friend during a robbery attempt in Boulder, Colo. Todd's parents, Mark and Pam, were on hand for the presentation, and they were the first two Wildcats to receive 2014 CAA championship football rings from head coach Sean McDonnell, the Eddie Robinson Award winner as national FCS coach of the year.
In other awards, All-America wide receiver R.J. Harris (Odenton, Md.) and defensive end Cody Muller (Telford, Pa.) were named the team's most valuable players. Harris tallied a school single-season record 100 catches to match the program benchmark for single-season yards at 1,551. Harris led the nation in receiving yards and ranked third in receiving yards per game; he also ranked ninth in receptions per game (7.1) and fifth in receiving TDs (15). He paced the CAA in receiving yards, receiving yards/game, receptions per game and receiving TDs.
Muller, a co-captain, ranked fifth in the CAA and tied for 27th nationally with 10 sacks. The defensive end totaled 44 tackles to anchor the front four. He notched a career-high nine stops, including two sacks, to power the Wildcats past Maine, 20-12, in the Battle for the Brice-Cowell Musket at Alfond Stadium on Nov. 22.
Center Mike Coccia (Bethlehem, Pa.) and middle linebacker Shane McNeely (Whitehall, Pa.) received the Bill Bowes Coaches Award.
Coccia, who solidified the Wildcats' offensive line as the starting center all 14 games, paved the way for the second-highest scoring offense in the CAA at 36.0 points per game. UNH ranked third in the conference in both pass offense (269.0 yards/game) and rushing offense (169.5 yards/game). Coccia, who was sidelined by an injury six weeks into his junior season, bounced back as a senior to be named to the Walter Camp All-America Team, the Associated Press All-America Second Team and the Beyond Sports Network All-America Third Team.
McNeely, who started all 14 games at middle linebacker, ranked second on the team with 75 tackles, including 42 solo stops. He added a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, an interception and five pass breakups.
The Bo Dickson Spirit Award was bestowed upon defensive tackle Matt Kaplan (Franklin, N.H.), a Granite State native who worked his way from freshman walk-on to two-year starter on the d-line. Kaplan tallied 41 tackles, 29 solo, with six sacks and a career-high 12 tackles for loss in his final season. The DT produced a monstrous effort in the Wildcats' NCAA second-round victory over Fordham by notching 3.5 sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss in a 44-19 victory.
Co-captain Rob Bowman (Cheshire, Conn.), a three-year starter on the offensive line, was presented the Buck Buchanan Distinguished Service Award. Bowman was UNH's nominee for the CAA Chuck Boone Leadership Award for embodying the highest standards of leadership, integrity, teamwork and sportsmanship in his academic and athletic achievements.
The Jack French Unsung Hero Award went to wide receiver Jimmy Giansante (Jefferson Hills, Pa.) and defensive end Brian Ciccone (Manchester, Mass.). In 14 games, Giansante made 30 receptions for 364 yards and three touchdowns. Ciccone amassed a career-high 28 tackles, including 5.5 sacks and eight tackles for loss as a first-year starter.
Harold Spears (Perkasie, Pa.), a member of the College Sporting News 2014 Fabulous 50 FCS All-America Team, received the Bob Demers 12th Man Award. Spears was selected to the Beyond Sports Network All-America First Team, The Sports Network All-America Second Team and College Sports Madness All-America Second Team after establishing career highs in both receptions (56) and receiving yards (838).
The team's Eugene K. Auerbach Student-Athlete Award went to punter Brad Prasky (Groton, Mass.), an economics major and three-time member of the CAA Academic All-Conference Team, and safety Nick Cefalo (Basking Ridge, N.J.), a communication major who was tabbed to the Capital One Academic All-District Football Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Game balls were distributed for each victory of the record-setting season:
• Ciccone made three tackles, including a sack for a 10-yard loss, in a 45-27 victory over Lehigh on Sept. 13.
• Vailas came off the bench to orchestrate a 15-play, 80-yard game-winning drive to propel the Wildcats past No. 17 Richmond, 29-26, at Robins Stadium (Sept. 20).
• McNeely notched five tackles and in interception as part of the first night game in Cowell Stadium history, a 52-19 dismantling of Dartmouth (Sept. 27).
• Steven Thames (Fort Washington, Md.) returned an interception 55 yards for a TD as part of UNH's 48-14 win at Elon (Oct. 4).
• Steriti was feted for scoring three touchdowns --two receiving, one rushing-- in a convincing 32-3 defeat of William & Mary on Homecoming (Oct. 11).
• Jimmy Owens (West Deptford, N.J.) rumbled for a 51-yard TD in the fourth quarter as part of his seven-carry, 74-yard rushing performance in the Wildcats' 28-20 defeat of Stony Brook (Oct. 25).
• Center Tim Johnson (Oakdale, Pa.) garnered the game ball for his role in UNH's 49-24 win over Albany at Cowell Stadium on Nov. 1.
• Offensive lineman Alex Blane (North Andover, Mass.) was recognized for helping the offense accumulate 534 yards in a 41-14 win at Rhode Island (Nov. 8).
• Spears broke out for eight catches for 108 yards and three TDs in a 43-14 win over Delaware (Nov. 15).
• Robbie Zauck (Ocean City, N.J.) collected a sack, forced fumble and four tackles to help the 'Cats retain possession of the Brice-Cowell Musket in a 20-12 win at Maine (Nov. 22).
• Kaplan amassed 4.5 tackles for loss, including 3.5 sacks, to power a stifling defensive effort in a 44-19 NCAA second-round win over Patriot League champion Fordham (Dec. 6).
• Harris had TD receptions of 49 and 61 yards in a seven-catch, 172-yard outburst in a 35-30 NCAA quarterfinal win over Chattanooga (Dec. 13).
UNH (12-2), the ECAC Team of the Year and the FCS Lambert Award winner, wrapped up a memorable 2014 season ranked No. 3 in the nation, which was the highest year-end ranking in program history. The 'Cats reached the NCAA Division I FCS Championship semifinals for the second year in a row, matching the deepest postseason run in school history, and competed in the playoffs for the 11th straight year, which is the longest active streak in the nation. New Hampshire, which was ranked No. 1 the final three weeks of the regular season, has been in the Top-25 for 155 consecutive weeks, FCS football's longest streak that dates back to Sept. 13, 2004.
For more information about the UNH football program, visit www.unhwildcats.com.
