D3Football.com 2014 All-East Region Team
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Following record-breaking football seasons this past fall, senior receiver Nate Lewis (Acushnet, Mass.) and graduate student defensive end Andrew Holfinger (Sterling, Mass.) have been named to the D3Football.com All-East Region Team. Lewis shattered Endicott's single-season receiving records and led the nation in catches per game en route to being placed on the All-East Second Team while Holfinger, ranked 11th in NCAA Division III in sacks and the program's new single-season sack record holder, was named to the All-East Third Team.
Playing in the nation's ninth-ranked offense, Lewis hauled in 97 balls for 1,344 yards and seven touchdowns in 2014. His reception and receiving yard totals eclipsed former wide out Mike Murphy's '13 single season marks of 61 catches and 880 yards from the 2012 season. In all but three games this season Lewis had over 100 yards receiving with a season and career-high of 198 yards coming in a 33-28 loss at Western New England. In three games, Lewis grabbed over 10 passes from quarterback Drew Frenette (New Bedford, Mass.) including a program-record 18 receptions for 172 yards in the team's regular season finale at Salve Regina.
Lewis, who led the New England Football Conference (NEFC) in most receiving categories, was named to the NEFC First Team and just prior to Thanksgiving was awarded New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England honors.
Holfinger broke the single-season sack record, previously held by Kevin Eagan '12, with 9.5 quarterback takedowns in his grad year and accumulated 14 tackles for a loss of 65 yards. In total, Holfinger had 62 tackles, 24 solo, 9.5 sacks, 14 TFLs, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble, five pass breakups, and a blocked kick. He will finish second on Endicott's all-time sacks list (16.0), second in TFLs (47.5), and third in total tackles (212).
Holfinger became a two-time NEFC First Teamer in 2014 and now collects his second career All-Region award after being named an ECAC Division III North All-Star Second Team winner in 2013. This fall, he earned his second-ever NEFC Defensive Player of the Week award after recording his fourth straight game with a sack as he took down the Curry quarterback twice in a 28-6 Endicott win.
Lewis and Holfinger were among six players from NEFC institutions to be named to the D3Football.com All-East Region Team. The 2014 NEFC champion MIT Engineers saw sophomore guard Elliot Tobin (First Team) and senior running back Justin Wallace (Second Team) earn all-region spots as did Curry's senior defensive end Parrish Rogers-Reed (Second Team) and Western New England's senior running back Kevin Cook (Third Team).