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Seven Rochester Players Earn All-Liberty League Honors

More news about: Rochester

ROCHESTER, N.Y..- Seven players from the University of Rochester have been named to the Liberty League All-Star team after voting by the league's head coaches. This is Rochester's highest total for one season since 2015 when 11 players earned the honor.

Rochester has five players on the Second Team and two players accorded Honorable Mention status. The returning All-Liberty League honoree is senior linebacker Caden Cole. This is his third Liberty League honor in as many seasons.
 
Cole is joined on the Second Team defensive unit by classmate Nicholas Petruzziello at defensive end. The offensive selections on the Second Team are sophomore Daniel Papantonis, junior tight end Ryan Pasquali, and sophomore offensive lineman Luke Wilson. Sophomore Simon Weeren and first year Alex Wing are the honorable mentions.
 
Rochester finished the 2021 campaign with a 3-7 record, 1-5 in the Liberty League (sixth place). Six of the 10 opponents were listed in at least one weekly poll at some point. The polls are conducted by D3Football.com and by the American Football Coaches Association: Case Western Reserve, SUNY Brockport, Rensselaer Polytechnic, Ithaca College, Union College, and Hobart College. RPI won the league's regular season title and advances to the first round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
 
These are the seven all-stars:
DEFENSE:
Caden Cole (Sr. LB, Lehi, Utah/Skyridge): Third All-Liberty League selection… Third year as a starter at MLB…Named Second Team as a first-year, honorable mention as a sophomore… Led the team with 80 total tackles (34 primary, 46 assists)… Seven TLs for 21 yards in losses, 2.5 sacks for 15 yards… two forced fumbles… Career totals of 112 unassisted tackles, 127 assisted for 239 total tackles… Eight passes defended… Single-game high of 15 tackles at College of Brockport on September 25… Finished fourth in the league in tackles per game (8.0), second in total tackles (80)… Five games with 10 or more tackles… In tackle records dating back to 1981, Cole is the first Rochester defender to lead the team in tackles for three consecutive seasons. Four men have done it twice.
 
Nicholas Petruzziello (Sr., DL, Randolph, NJ/Randolph): Started all 10 games as a defensive lineman in 2021… Finished with 53 total tackles (23 primary, 30 assists)… Season high of eight tackles on opening night vs. Case Western Reserve (four primary, four assists)… Had six tackles (one primary) vs. Alfred State in week two, then seven at Buffalo State (three primary, four assists), and five apiece at St, Lawrence and Hobart (four primary, one assist)… Team-high three sacks for nine yards in losses… Overall, 12 TLs totaling 27 yards in losses… Scooped a fumble at Brockport on September 18 and returned it 50 yards for a TD to put Rochester ahead, 9-7… One of three players to score a defensive touchdown this year (Jack Yensel on an INT at Hartwick and J.T. Monahan on a fumble recovery vs. Hartwick.) Career totals of 107 tackles (49 primary, 58 assists with 20.5 TLs for 55 yards in losses, 6.5 sacks for 26 yards in losses.
 
OFFENSE:
Daniel Papantonis (So. RB, Glen Gardner, NJ/Delbarton School): 10 games played with eight starts… Rushed for 100+ yards three times, including season's high 151 yards on 22 carries vs. Hobart in season finale. Named Liberty League Rookie of the Week for that performance… Rushed for 143 yards on 24 carries vs. Alfred State and 115 yards on 23 carries vs. Case Western Reserve… Caught one TD pass vs. CWRU and one vs. Buffalo State. Finished with seven catches for 117 yards and two TDs… Ran for 788 yards on 161 carries – highest rushing total for a Rochester player since 2009 when Clarence Onyiriuka rushed for 1,245 yards (and 12 TDs).
 
Ryan Pasquali (Jr. TE, Andover, NJ/Blair Academy): Finished with 18 catches (third highest total on the team) for 152 yards and one TD… Caught passes in seven of 10 games. Highs of five catches vs. Union, four vs. Buffalo State… 10 games played with seven starts.
 
Luke Wilson (So. OL, Alexandria, VA/T.C. Williams): 10 starts on the offensive line… One of just nine players to start in every game (three were offensive linemen)… Team rushed for a net of 1,367 yards and scored 15 TDs on the ground. (Highest yardage total since 2007 and most rushing TDs since 2016)… Passed for 1,477 yards… Allowed 15 sacks in 10 games, fourth fewest in the Liberty League final statistics total.
 
HONORABLE MENTION:
Simon Weeren (So. DB Leesburg, VA/Riverside): Started all 10 games as a defensive back… Second overall in tackles – 35 primary, 30 assists for 65 total… Career best 15 tackles at College of Brockport (seven primary, eight assists)… Amazing run in mid-season with 35 tackles in three consecutive games: 15 at Brockport on 9/18, 10 at RPI on 10/3. 10 vs. Hartwick on 10/10… had two TLs for two yards in losses. Three pass breakups, two interceptions (one vs. Alfred State, one at Hartwick – both games were victories).
 
Alex Wing (FY Punter, Wauconda, IL/Mundelein): Punted over the last nine games, booting 43 balls for 1,672 yards (38.9 average) with five fair catches, one touchback, three punts of 50+ yards and 15 balls inside the 20 yard line… Named to the D3Football.com Team of the Week for games on November 6. He punted seven times vs. Hartwick in 42-28 victory. He had a 42.3-yard average with a long of 49 yards and four punts inside the 20. His season long came in his first game – 59 yards vs. Alfred State… Best punting average since 2016 (Paul Mokrzycki 39.1 average on 42 punts)… Longest punt (59 yds.) since 2004 when Brad DiPietro had a 63-yarder

Dec. 15: All times Eastern
Final
Cortland 38, at North Central (Ill.) 37
@ Salem, Virginia
Video Box Score Recap Photos
Dec. 9: All times Eastern
Final
North Central (Ill.) 34, at Wartburg 27
Box Score Recap
Final
Cortland 49, at Randolph-Macon 14
Box Score Recap Recap Recap Photos
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