Football Announces 2019 Team Awards

2019 UNH Football Seniors (L-R): Nick Velte, Pop Lacey, Matt Matulis, Mike Vailas, Nelson Thomas, Evan Gray, Prince Smith Jr., Isiah Perkins, Malik Love, Robbie Schumacher, Michael Balsamo, Drew Sanborn, Matt Sherlock, Josh Kania, Jack Carroll, Justin Malone-Woods, Jeff Carter, Patrick Kaplan, Sam Kowal

DURHAM, N.H.– Seniors Evan Gray (Centreville, Va.) and Prince Smith Jr. (Philadelphia, Pa.) were named Most Outstanding Players to highlight the 2019 University of New Hampshire football awards banquet, which was held March 1 at the Memorial Union Building.

Here is the complete list of award winners:

Most Outstanding Player (Offense)	Evan Gray, RB
Most Outstanding Player (Defense)	Prince Smith Jr., CB
Jack French Unsung Hero Award	Josh Kania, DE
Bo Dickson Spirit Award	Michael Balsamo, LB
Bob Demers 12th Man Award	Pop Lacey, S
Buck Buchanan Distinguished Service Award	Jeff Carter, OL
Eugene K. Auerbach Student-Athlete Award	Cameron Brusko, LB
Bill Bowes Coaches Award	Isiah Perkins, CB

Evan Gray - Most Outstanding Player (Offense)

Gray was tabbed to the CAA All-Conference First Team after carrying the ball 108 times for 646 rushing yards and four touchdowns. The 5-foot-10, 230-pound RB ranked third in the conference in yards/rush (6.0) and eighth in rushing yards/game (58.7). The co-captain collected a team season-best and career-high 123 rushing yards, including an 81-yard rush, in the home-opening 27-24 victory against Rhode Island on Sept. 21.

Prince Smith Jr. - Most Outstanding Player (Defense)

Smith Jr. ranked second on the team in pass breakups (seven) and interceptions (three) and third in tackles (64). His 0.27 interceptions/game tied for ninth in the CAA. The cornerback helped salt away a 28-10 win against Maine in the season finale by returning a fumble 30 yards for a touchdown; he added a forced fumble in that victory. Smith tallied two interceptions in a 16-10 loss at No. 24 Delaware on Oct. 19.

Josh Kania - Jack French Unsung Hero Award

Josh Kania (Milton, Ga.) earned the Jack French Unsung Hero Award. The 6-foot-3, 248-pound defensive end started all 11 games. The senior accumulated 30 tackles, including 8.0 tackles for loss for a team-best 41 yards. Kania notched four sacks, three quarterback hurries, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.

Michael Balsamo - Bo Dickson Spirit Award

Michael Balsamo (Atkinson, N.H.) was presented the Bo Dickson Spirit Award. After sustaining an injury in the season-opener at Holy Cross, the co-captain continued to demonstrate leadership among the linebackers while sidelined with an injury that cost him four games. Balsamo returned Oct. 12 at Stony Brook and saw action in the final six games of the season. The 6-foot, 224-pounder tallied 41 tackles, including 24 solo stops, highlighted by a career-high 10 tackles in the 28-20 upset victory over No. 11 Villanova on Nov. 2.

Pop Lacey (Reading, Pa.) was the recipient of the Bob Demers 12^thMan Award. The co-captain, who was named to the CAA Preseason All-Conference Team and Phil Steele's Preseason All-CAA Second Team, sustained a season-ending injury after making 35 tackles through the team's first five games. The senior safety recorded interceptions in back-to-back wins against Duquesne (Sept. 28) and Elon (Oct. 5) before a foot injury ended his illustrious career prematurely. Lacey demonstrated his leadership as a constant presence from the sidelines at every practice and game the remainder of the season.

Jeff Carter - Buck Buchanan Distinguished Service Award

Jeff Carter (Jericho, Vt.) received the Buck Buchanan Distinguished Service Award. The 6-foot-4, 297-pound offensive lineman, a former walk-on who became the first Wildcat football player to earn a Nursing degree, balanced the demands of being the starting right tackle for all 11 games while handling the rigorous academic challenges of the nursing graduate program. It was not uncommon for the high-achieving Carter to follow an overnight shift in the hospital with an early-morning practice to begin his day.

Cameron Brusko - Eugene K. Auerbach Student-Athlete Award

Cameron Brusko (Bethlehem, Pa.) earned the Eugene K. Auerbach Student-Athlete Award as the top academic Wildcat. Brusko, who boasted a 3.98 grade point average while earning his undergraduate degree in Justice Studies prior to the start of the season, competed his final season while studying for his master's in political science. The linebacker received highest honors every semester of his undergraduate career, was named to the CAA Football Commissioner's Academic Honor Roll, was a member of the 2018 Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District Team and was inducted into Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athlete Honor Society.

Isiah Perkins - Bill Bowes Coaches Award

The Bill Bowes Coaches Award was bestowed upon senior co-captain Isiah Perkins (Williamstown, N.J.). Perkins, a three-year starter at cornerback, led the squad with eight pass breakups while starting all 11 games. The 6-foot, 191-pound CB notched 39 tackles, including 29 solo, with one interception, one forced fumble and 1.5 TFL.

In addition to the major awards, select Wildcats were also awarded game balls for each of UNH's six victories.

UNH 27, Rhode Island 24 – Sept. 21, 2019   Wildcat Stadium
Game Ball: WR Malik Love (Alcoa, Tenn.)
•Love set the tone on the second play from scrimmage when he made a 78-yard TD reception to jumpstart the Wildcats' first win of the season. Love finished with four catches for a team-leading 92 yards.

UNH 23, Duquesne 6 – Sept. 28, 2019          Wildcat Stadium
Game Ball: OL Jack Carroll (Oakton, Va.)
•Carroll's blocking helped UNH set season highs for rushing attempts (45) and yards (231), including a Gray 72-yard rushing score.

UNH 26, Elon 10 – Oct. 5, 2019                    Wildcat Stadium
Game Ball: S Pop Lacey (Reading, Pa.)
•Lacey registered a game-high 10 tackles and recorded the fifth of UNH's five turnovers with an interception at the Wildcat 30 late in the fourth quarter to help lock up the victory in what turned out to be his last game of the season.

UNH 20, Stony Brook 14 – Oct. 12, 2019     LaValle Stadium
Game Ball: P Drew Sanborn (Amherst, N.H.)
•Sanborn averaged 46.2 yards on four punts for his highest average of the season in UNH's upset victory over the 22^nd-ranked Seawolves. Three of his four punts landed inside the 20, two went for more than 50 yards, including a 54-yarder, and was subsequently recognized as the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week.

UNH 28, Villanova 20 – Nov. 2, 2019           Wildcat Stadium
Game Ball: LB Michael Balsamo (Atkinson, N.H.)
•Balsamo set a career high with 10 tackles to UNH to the upset of No. 11 Villanova in the CAA's battle of the Wildcats.

UNH 28, Maine 10 – Nov. 23, 2019              Wildcat Stadium
Game Ball: OL Matt Matulis (Boynton Beach, Fla.)
•The senior stepped into the starting lineup and fortified the line for an offense that accumulated 127 rushing yards and 256 passing yards to defeat the Black Bears and bring the cherished Brice-Cowell Musket back to the Wildcats' locker room.

The 2019 Wildcats posted a winning record for the 15^thtime in 16 seasons, including a perfect 5-0 mark at Wildcat Stadium with two wins against ranked opponents. Season tickets are on sale now for the 2020 season at www.unhwildcats.com.

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Michael Balsamo

Cameron Brusko

Jack Carroll

Jeff Carter

Evan Gray

Josh Kania

Pop Lacey

Malik Love

Matt Matulis

Isiah Perkins

Drew Sanborn

Prince Smith Jr.

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