UNH and James Madison University favorites to win in Atlantic 10
PHILADELPHIA, PA - Juniors Ricky Santos of New Hampshire and James
Madison's Tony LeZotte, the 2005 Offensive and Defensive Players of the
Year, respectively, highlight the 2006 Atlantic 10 preseason football
All-Conference team, it was announced at today's Media Day, held at The
Renaissance Philadelphia Hotel.
In the same vote by the league's 12 head coaches and a panel of 15
media members, New Hampshire was selected to defend it's A-10 North
Division title, while James Madison was picked to win the South
Division.
This year's All-Conference team includes a trio of consensus preseason
All-Americans in New Hampshire teammates Santos and senior wide
receiver David Ball, along with LeZotte. Santos enters the 2006 season
as the program's all-time leader in passing yards (7,115) and scoring
tosses (70) after leading the Wildcats to appearances in the
quarterfinals of the NCAA playoffs each of the past two seasons. The
Bellingham, MA, native finished second in the voting for the 2005
Walter Payton Award after completing 301-of-429 passes for 3,797 yards
and 39 touchdowns.
Ball heads into the 2006 campaign with 45 career touchdown receptions,
five shy of Jerry Rice's (Mississippi Valley State, 1981-84) I-AA
record of 50, along with 3,541 receiving yards - the sixth-highest
total in Conference history. Among those joining Ball and Santos on the
preseason All-Conference offense are 2005 Atlantic 10 Offensive Rookie
of the Year Joe Casey of Rhode Island and Massachusetts senior Steve
Baylark, who is vying to join Jerry Azumah (New Hampshire, 1995-98) as
the lone players in league annals to post four seasons of 1,000 rushing
yards.
LeZotte led James Madison in tackles (95) and forced fumbles (three) a
year ago and enters the year with 239 career stops. He is joined
on the preseason All-Conference defense by teammates Akeem Jordan and
Kevin Winston, as well as Richmond's Sherman Logan, the 2005 A-10
Defensive Rookie of the Year.
New Hampshire received 22 of a possible 27 first-place votes cast in
the North Division. UNH (11-2, 7-1 in A-10) welcomes back 11 starters
as it seeks to become the first team from the Conference to make three
consecutive trips to the postseason since Delaware did so from 1995-97.
Massachusetts garnered five first-place votes and is picked second in
the North Division, followed by Maine, Hofstra, Rhode Island and
Northeastern.
James Madison received 17 first-place votes cast in the South Division.
The Dukes (7-4, 5-3 in A-10) return 13 starters, including a pair of
seniors who have rushed for more than 2,000 yards in Alvin Banks
(2,389) and Maurice Fenner (2,316). Defending South Division champion
and I-AA quarterfinalist Richmond is picked second, followed by
Delaware, William & Mary, Villanova and Towson. Richmond earned
nine first-place votes while Delaware received one. At least one of the
six current members of the A-10 South Division has advanced to the
quarterfinals of the NCAA playoffs each of the past four seasons.
The 2006 season commences on Thursday, Aug. 31, when Hofstra
visits Stony Brook and Rhode Island takes on Connecticut, one of a
league record-tying nine contests versus I-A opponents in
2006.
(courtesy Atlantic 10 Conference)