ITHACA, N.Y. – D3football.com released its first Team of the Week for the 2019 season on Monday evening, September 7 and Ithaca College senior Kyle Smith was recognized as a special team performer for his role in IC's 66-28 season-opening win at Saint Vincent last Saturday. This is the 21st season in which D3football.com has selected a Team of the Week, which honors the top player nationally at each position.
Smith blocked two punts and returned one of those blocks for a touchdown in the victory for Ithaca, which set a school record for points scored in a season-opener and was the 500th victory in program history.
Smith returned his first blocked punt 26 yards for a touchdown to give IC a 14-0 lead in the first quarter after a two-point conversion from senior Joe Germinerio to fellow senior James Jarvis. Just over two minutes later, he blocked the second punt and Ithaca scored four plays later. Smith would be credited with 53 punt return yards in the game.
The last time IC scored a touchdown off a blocked punt took place during the 2017 season when Ryan Bronson scooped up the deflection in the end zone against Rochester on October 7.
Smith is the 47th Bomber since its inception to land on the D3football.com Team of the Week.
Below is a full list of Bombers to be named to the D3football.com Team of the Week (position, name, year, week):
DB Ron Amato, 1999-03, 2000-02
DE Rob Barbieri, 2014-09
RB Thomas Bergerstock, 2008-03
P Brian Bicher, 2001-04
LB Tom Blumenauer, 2006-01
LB Kenneth Bradley, 2014-04
DL Phil Byers, 2006-05
RET Sam Carney, 2013-09
DB Jason Chier, 2008-01, 2008-11
DB Mike Conti, 2009-04
DB Justin Daly, 2002-03
CB RJ D'Amico, 2018-09
DL Adam Drescher, 2007-01
TE Jeff Erne, 1999-08
CB Brian Garvey, 2012-10
S Skylar Griffenberg, 2013-06
DT Andrew Haim, 2010-09
LB Brian Hardenberg, 2012-03
TE Dan Higgins, 2009-03
DL Jeff Kasarjian, 2003-09
DB Tommy Kenney, 2001-03
LB Quentin Kiah, 2006-09
K Brett Kitenplon, 2005-03
LB Dan Loizos, 2016-05
DB Pete Mayer, 2002-02
LB Mark McDonough, 2000-08, 2000-10
LB Pat Minogue, 2016-01
P Pat Minogue, 2018-03
ST Pat Minogue, 2018-11
DE Logan Murphy, 2015-06
RET Josh Oliver, 2013-04
S Noah Poskanzer, 2014-10
TE Jared Prugar, 2013-03
DL Dan Puckhaber, 2002-09
K Andrew Rogowski, 2009-03
K Max Rottenecker, 2013-08, 2014-10
RET Dan Ruffrage, 2011-05, 2011-07
ST Kyle Smith, 2019-01
K Seth Steinberg, 2000-08
DB Charlie Stephens, 2006-05
DB Bill Struzzi, 2005-04
DB Ryan Terlecki, 2007-11
LB Robert Truman, 2003-03
CB Mike Vulcano, 2013-04
TE Brian Weverbergh, 2007-11, 2008-02
CB Spencer White, 2011-05, 2011-09
OL Sean Mirkov, Chris Gray, Ben Garvey, Eric Russo, Jake Queener, 2008-10