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Somerset, NJ - All five major Northeast Conference football awards are heading to the Keystone State.

After helping bring the NEC title to Loretto for the first time ever, Saint Francis sophomore receiver Kamron Lewis (Fresno, CA) became the third man in Red Flash history to capture the NEC Offensive Player of the Year award (Anthony Doria 2005; Khairi Dickson 2014).

Meanwhile, Chris Villarrial, the man who has presided over a Red Flash renaissance that culminated with the program’s first-ever FCS playoffs berth this November, earned the NEC Coach of the Year honor for the second consecutive season.

For the second year in a row, the NEC Defensive Player of the Year award belongs to Duquesne linebacker Christian Kuntz. The Pittsburgh-born All-American became the first player to earn the accolade in back-to-back years since Albany’s Colin Disch did so in 2005 and 2006.

Running back AJ Hines (Wilson, NC), the conference’s rushing leader, secured the NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year award, becoming the first Duquesne player to ever do so.

Robert Morris linebacker Gee Stanley (Miami, FL) has brought the NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year award back to Moon Township for the first time since 2012.

The NEC unveiled the major award winners along with a pair of 27-member all-conference teams via its Twitter account (@NECsports) on Wednesday afternoon, November 23.

Playoff-bound Saint Francis earned a league-high eight spots on the All-NEC First Team while co-champion Duquesne garnered the most overall all-NEC selections (13).

The aforementioned Lewis, Kuntz and Hines all earned All-NEC First Team status.

All seven NEC football programs earned multiple all-conference selections this season.

For only the second time in league history, the NEC Offensive Player of the Year award belongs to a wide receiver with Lewis accomplishing a feat initially achieved by Bryant alumnus Jordan Harris in 2012. The 6-foot-4 Lewis made an astronomical leap from a part-time freshman player to the Division I FCS leader in receiving yards as a sophomore. After totaling 11 catches for 107 yards in nine appearances as a rookie (2015), Lewis led the NEC in receptions (69), receiving yards (1,349) and receiving touchdowns (10) during the 2016 regular season. His yardage total ranks second in NEC single-season history behind only former Flash star Michael Caputo (1,433 yds – 2005).The Golden State product has made five receptions of at least 52 yards in length and his 19.6 yards per catch average is the highest in the nation amongst FCS receivers with at least 50 catches.

Lewis excelled during Saint Francis’ grueling non-conference slate, which began with four consecutive road games. He opened the season by snatching five passes for 83 yards at Big Sky member Montana. He caught two touchdowns at Towson in Week 2 and his 72-yard touchdown reception provided the winning margin at Columbia in Week 3. He went over the 100-yard receiving mark for the first time in Week 4, making nine catches for 121 yards at CAA member Albany. He proceeded the exceed the 120-yard mark in seven of the last eight games of the regular season. Although he was kept out of the end zone, Lewis made two key grabs (one on each of SFU’s touchdown drives) as part of his 135-yard performance in a 14-10 victory over rival Duquesne.
 
Kuntz followed up his All-American junior season by registering a career-high 11.5 sacks (tied for fourth-most in NEC single-season annals) as the Dukes won eight of 11 games in 2016. The outside linebacker finished the regular season ranked second amongst Division I FCS individual leaders in both sacks and tackles-for-loss (24.0). Kuntz, who made a habit of harassing opposing passers, was credited with seven quarterback hurries and a pair of pass break-ups. The 6-foot-2 Keystone State product forced three fumbles and recovered one of them for a touchdown in a win over rival Sacred Heart. Kuntz, who registered at least four tackles and 0.5 TFL in every game this season, accounted for eye-popping statistics during a Week 3 win over Dayton as he grounded the Flyers to the tune of nine total tackles, 6.0 TFL and 2.5 sacks. He made 3.5 hits for loss in the season finale at CCSU, a win that pulled Duquesne into a tie for first place.

Kuntz is the fourth man in league history to twice win the NEC Defensive Player of the Year award. The NEC’s all-time career leader in sacks (30.5) helped the Dukes to a share of three conference crowns during his days on The Bluff. Kuntz’s 71.0 tackles-for-loss are second most on the conference’s career leader board.

Duquesne lost its primary ball carrier from its 2015 championship run, but Hines made sure no one noticed. The true freshman exploded onto the scene by winning the NEC Rookie of the Week award an unprecedented 10 times this season. The rookie running back topped the entire conference with 1,291 rush yards and 14 total touchdowns. Hines, who ranks sixth amongst FCS rushing leaders, ran for at least 110 yards in seven of his last nine contests. The 220-pound bruising ball carrier was also effective in the passing game at times, totaling 15 receptions for 200 yards.

Hines, who went over the 1,000-yard mark on his 60-yard touchdown run in a win over Wagner, has rushed for more yards than any freshman in the Dukes’ FCS history. After only 19 rush yards on five attempts in the season opener at Youngstown, he broke through in a Week 2 win over Bucknell as three of his 10 carries went for touchdowns. The 5-foot-11 running back logged a season-high 246 yards from scrimmage in the NEC opener, a 31-24 win over Steel City rival Robert Morris. His single-game rushing high came in the form of 189 yards in a double-digit triumph over Dayton.

Stanley wasted little time establishing himself as one of the conference’s most-feared pass rushers. The freshman from Florida recorded a pair of sacks in each of his first two collegiate contests. The 6-foot-2 linebacker finished the season with 8.5 quarterback takedowns, ranking second amongst Division I FCS rookies. He was third on the circuit in sacks and tackles-for-loss (12.5), leading the Colonials in both categories.

Stanley, who finished with 59 total tackles (29 solo), recorded at least 2.0 hits for a loss on four occasions this season. The disruptive force, who set his season high with 2.5 TFL against first-place Saint Francis, was credited with four quarterback hurries and one pass break-up. He forced three fumbles and made three recoveries, too, including a pair during RMU’s Week 10 visit to Bryant.

Villarrial won Saint Francis’ first-ever NEC Coach of the Year award in 2015 and the former NFL All-Pro offensive guard added a second one this season. With a postseason date against Villanova looming, Villarrial has led the Flash to a FCS single-season program-record seven wins and a share of the conference crown for the first time ever. SFU had never posted a winning overall record at the FCS level until last year’s 6-4 mark. Villarrial’s Red Flash topped the NEC in scoring defense (18.8 ppg), total defense (304.5 ypg) and takeaways (23) during the regular season.

ALL-NEC FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QUARTERBACK
Dillon Buechel, Duquesne (Sr., 6-4, 200)
Accounting for the top touchdown-to-interception ratio in the NEC, the 6-foot-4 Buechel fired 23 scoring strikes and was picked off only 10 times. He threw for at least 295 yards on five occasions this season and became the first passer in league annals to reach the 10,000-yard plateau during a Week 11 win over Sacred Heart. Buechel, who totaled 2,865 yards through the air this fall, set conference single-game season highs  in passing yards (394) and touchdown passes (6) during a 54-35 road win over Jacksonville.

RUNNING BACK
Marcus Bagley, Saint Francis (Jr., 5-11, 230)
Despite being slowed by injury throughout the season, the hard-running 230-pounder totaled the second-most rush yards (868) on the circuit. Bagley, the 2014 NEC Offensive Rookie of the Year, started strong by totaling at least 100 yards from scrimmage in each of the Flash’s first four games. He set the conference single-game season high by rushing for 220 yards in a win over Columbia.

AJ Hines, Duquesne (Fr., 5-11, 220)
The rookie running back found paydirt 14 times and totaled nearly 1,500 yards from scrimmage for the NEC co-champion Dukes. Becoming the first Duquesne freshman to rush for 1,000 yards at the FCS level, Hines totaled 1,291 yards on the ground and added 200 yards receiving.

TIGHT END / H-BACK
Ryan Owens, Wagner (Sr., 6-4, 235)
Moving up to the First Team after occupying a spot on the Second Team in 2015, Owens was a key piece to Wagner’s offense. The 6-foot-4 Empire State product coupled run-blocking ability with contributions in the passing game. He ranked third on the team in both receptions (23) and receiving yards (283).

RECEIVERS
Wayne Capers, Duquesne (Sr., 6-1, 205)
Capers exchanged his 2015 second team honors for a spot on the top unit in 2016. Averaging 19.0 yards per catch, the former Arizona Wildcat ranked second amongst NEC leaders in receiving yards (948) and touchdowns (9). He produced two of the top-five single-game performances in the league this season – his 235-yard day at Jacksonville was the conference high while his 172 yards in the finale at CCSU ranked fifth.

Kamron Lewis, Saint Francis (So., 6-4, 195)
The sophomore sensation exceeded the 180-yard receiving mark three times this season and also logged 135 yards in a crucial win over NEC rival Duquesne. Lewis made three receptions of at least 72 yards in length, all in wins.

Blair Roberts, Duquesne (Gr., 6-3, 197)
The graduate transfer from Old Dominion appeared to feel right at home in the NEC, logging the third-most receiving yards (782) on the circuit as well as eight touchdowns. His 153-yard performance powered the Dukes past Bryant and earned him a NEC Offensive Player of the Week honor.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Jimmy Marks, Saint Francis (Sr., 6-4, 300)
The Pennsylvania product has made 38 consecutive starts for the Flash. The 6-foot-4 interior lineman made the transition from guard (where he was a second team all-league honoree in 2014) to center as a junior and proceeded to earn two consecutive all-NEC first team selections.

Sam Freireich, Saint Francis (Sr., 6-4, 300)
The left guard’s second season in a Red Flash uniform yielded a second consecutive all-NEC selection, this time as part of the top unit. Freireich, a junior college transfer from the Lone Star State, has started 22 consecutive contests for SFU.

Matt Diaz, Wagner (Sr., 6-6, 295)
The Garden State product was a rock at left tackle for the Seahawks in 2016, protecting quarterback Alex Thomson’s blindside for all 11 games after missing five games due to injury last year.

Ben Huss, Duquesne (Jr., 6-2, 298)
The right guard earned a spot on the All-NEC First Team for the second year in a row. A mainstay up front for the conference’s top-ranked offense, the 6-foot-2 Huss made 11 starts this season and has 33 in his career.

Shane McQuillan, Central Connecticut (Sr., 6-5, 290)
Starting on CCSU’s line for the second season is a row, the right tackle was part of a unit that averaged a league-high 267.2 pass yards per contest.

ALL-NEC FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DEFENSIVE LINE
Jordan Baskerville, Wagner (Jr., 6-2, 260)
The defensive end posted team highs in tackle-for-loss (10.0) and sacks (5.5). He ended the season with a monster effort in a win over Saint Francis, logging 2.0 sacks, a forced fumble and one quarterback hurry.

Ryan Lewis, Robert Morris (Sr., 6-5, 280)
The 6-foot-5 Keystone State product harassed opposing passers to the tune of 4.5 sacks and six quarterback hurries. The veteran defensive end totaled 48 tackles, including 6.5 hits for a loss.

Wesley Nagaseu, Saint Francis (Sr., 6-1, 310)
Anchoring the Flash’s defensive front, the behemoth tackle made 6.5 hits for a loss and 1.0 sack. Nagaseu, a key reason why the Flash limited opposing rushers to a league-low 3.1 yards per carry, was also credited with four pass break-ups, one quarterback hurry and a fumble recovery.

Marquise Watson, Bryant (Sr., 6-0, 309)
The former linebacker changed positions to help Bryant fill a void up front and became the program’s all-time leading tackler in the process. The Garden State product, who ran his career total to a record 256 stops, recorded 53 tackles, including 6.5 hits for a loss, during his senior campaign.

LINEBACKER
Christian Kuntz, Duquesne (Sr., 6-2, 228)
After capturing the Division I FCS ADA Linebacker of the Year award, Kuntz’s production remained an elite level as the Dukes claimed a share of the conference crown for the third time during the linebacker’s career. The Pittsburgher led the conference in TFL and sacks for the second year in a row.

Randall Laguerre, Central Connecticut (Jr., 6-2, 235)
The 6-foot-2 junior paced the circuit in tackles this season, logging 116 stops in 11 games. Laguerre, who was the lone NEC player to average at least 10.0 stops per outing, was credited with 2.0 sacks and three takeaways (INT, 2 FR).

Solomon Leaeno, Saint Francis (Sr., 5-11, 245)
Bringing tremendous instincts to the inside linebacker spot, the 5-foot-11 Hawaiian recorded the third-most tackles (92) in the NEC and made a number of impact plays for the NEC’s top-ranked defense. He ranked second to only Kuntz on the NEC leader board in both TFL (15.0) and sacks (9.5) while also logging five pass break-ups and recovering three fumbles.

Nathan Stone, Duquesne (Jr., 5-11, 234)
In his third season as a starter, the former NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year logged 73 tackles for the league’s second-ranked unit. The stout inside linebacker accounted for 8.0 tackles-for-loss (2.5 sacks), two forced fumbles, two pass brak-ups and two quarterback hurries.

DEFENSIVE BACK
Marcelis Branch, Robert Morris (Sr., 5-11, 190)
The fifth-year senior, whose career began with the 2012 NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year honor, made a successful transition from cornerback to safety to help offset an injury in the secondary. The native Floridian made 71 tackles, including 39 solo stops. He accounted for two interceptions, five pass break-ups and the first blocked field goal return for a touchdown (at Duquesne) in RMU’s program history.

Lorenzo Jerome, Saint Francis (Sr., 6-0, 195)
The ultra-talented safety, who lost two games to injury, made a league-high six interceptions and five pass break-ups en-route to his fourth consecutive selection to the All-NEC First Team. Jerome performed well early against prime competition, picking off a pair of passes at Montana in Week 1 before returning a fumble 89 yards for a score the following week at CAA member Towson. The former high school quarterback is the Division I FCS active career leader in interceptions (18) heading into the 2016 postseason.

Tim Hayes, Wagner (Sr., 5-10, 200)
His second season on Grymes Hill after transferring from Wyoming was remarkablely productive. Hayes led the NEC in passes defended (16) and his five interceptions were second most amongst league leaders.

Charles Wingate, Bryant (Sr., 5-9, 170)
Wingate traded his 2015 second team selection for first team honors this fall. Establishing himself as a top cover cornerback, the Garden State product accounted for 12 passes defended (10 PBU, 2 INT) and 36 stops (28 solo). He also found paydirt on a blocked field goal return against Brown.

ALL-NEC FIRST TEAM SPECIALISTS
KICKER
James Cooper, Wagner (Gr., 6-1, 195)
The former Temple kicker brought his big leg to Grymes Hill and proceeded to connected on 80 percent of his field goal attempts. Cooper accounted for the most field goals (16) and the longest kick (52 yards) in the NEC this season. In addition to tying Wagner legends Piotr Czech (2004-07) and David Lopez (2009-12) for the program’s single-season record for field goals, Cooper averaged 60.5 yards on 62 kickoffs and booted 20 for touchbacks.

PUNTER
Ed Groth, Central Connecticut (Sr., 5-10, 195)
Groth put together a fine senior season handling both the punting and placekicking duties for the Blue Devils. He led the conference in punting average (39.9) and placed eight of his 30 kicks inside of the opponent’s 20-yard line.

RETURN SPECIALIST
Lorenzo Jerome, Saint Francis (Sr., 6-0, 195)
Earning his third all-league honor as a kick returner, the senior logged three runbacks of at least 74 yards this season. On his way to the STATS FCS National Special Teams Player of the Week award, Jerome totaled 237 return yards (196 KOR, 41 PR) in the season opener at Big Sky member Montana. In the Flash’s first league game, he returned the opening kickoff 74 yards at Robert Morris. He again showed his speed and quickness by returning a punt 81 yards for a touchdown against Duquesne, but the play was negated by an illegal block.