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| By Mike Dear for d3photography.com; Stevenson file photo |
Alfred quarterback Tyler Johnson and Stevenson’s Austin Tennessee, a safety, lead the D3football.com 2016 All-East Region team. Tennessee was named East Region Defensive Player of the Year, while Johnson was named the East Region Offensive Player of the Year.
Alfred coach Bob Rankl, who led the Saxons to an undefeated regular season and a second-ever trip to the national quarterfinals, was named D3football.com East Region Coach of the Year for the first time. This marked the first year any team had run the table in Empire 8 conference play since 2011 and Alfred was the first team since the Empire 8 added football in 2002 to finish the regular season 10-0.
Johnson, a senior from East Syracuse, N.Y., threw for 2,903 yards and 29 touchdowns against just four interceptions, while also rushing for 1,008 yards in Alfred’s 13 games. He threw for 534 yards and five touchdowns against Mount Union in the national quarterfinals without an interception in 67 attempts. Johnson threw for 8,389 career yards while rushing for 2,999.
Tennessee, a senior from Columbia, Md., helped lead Stevenson to the NCAA playoffs for the first time after moving this season from cornerback to safety. Tennessee totaled 57 tackles, 44 solo, for the 9-2 Mustangs. He had six interceptions on the season and compiled 200 yards of return yardage, including a pair of touchdowns, and registered eight pass breakups.
The teams, selected in balloting by East Region sports information directors and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 254 nominations by Division III member schools. A total of 76 players were chosen. Players nominated for All-Region are eligible to be considered for D3football.com All-America honors, which will be announced the evening of Dec. 16, in D3football.com’s pregame coverage for Stagg Bowl XLIV.
D3football.com 2016 All-East Region Team
Offensive Player of the Year: Tyler Johnson, QB, Alfred
Defensive Player of the Year: Austin Tennessee, S, Stevenson
Coach of the Year: Bob Rankl, Alfred
| First Team Offense | ||||
| Pos. | Player | School | Yr. | Hometown |
| QB | Tyler Johnson | Alfred | Sr. | East Syracuse, N.Y. |
| RB | Dan Andrews | Brockport | Sr. | Rochester, N.Y. |
| RB | Jamar Baynard | Wesley | Sr. | Middletown, Del. |
| WR | Brandon Shed | Hobart | Jr. | W. Palm Beach, Fla. |
| WR | Koree Reed | Hartwick | Jr. | Baldwinsville, N.Y. |
| TE | Mitch Gallagher | St. Lawrence | Sr. | Malone, N.Y. |
| T | Pat Sullivan | Mass-Dartmouth | Sr. | Everett, Mass. |
| G | David Sylvester | Alfred | Sr. | Perry, N.Y. |
| C | Sean Murphy | Alfred | Sr. | Buffalo, N.Y. |
| G | Riley Cannon | Salisbury | Sr. | Huntingtown, Md. |
| T | Kevin LaMarque | Alfred | Sr. | Holliston, Mass. |
| K | Eric Sachse | Trinity (Conn.) | So. | Jefferson, Mass. |
| RET | Jordan Schemm | Ithaca | Jr. | Coral Springs, Fla. |
| First Team Defense | ||||
| DE | William Sewell | Frostburg State | Sr. | Silver Spring, Md. |
| DT | Chyron Brown-Wallace | St. Lawrence | Sr. | Rochester, N.Y. |
| DT | Niles Scott | Frostburg State | Jr. | Elkton, Md. |
| DE | Byron Cooper | Widener | Sr. | Philadelphia, Pa. |
| LB | A.J. LiCata | Alfred | Jr. | Lake View, N.Y. |
| LB | Darin Hungerford | Kean | Jr. | Dumfries, Va. |
| LB | Brian Murtagh | WPI | Sr. | Wayland, Mass. |
| CB | Obi Etuka | W. New England | Sr. | Middletown, Conn. |
| S | Austin Tennessee | Stevenson | Sr. | Columbia, Md. |
| S | Jake O’Connell | Brockport | So. | Rochester, N.Y. |
| CB | Austin Davis | Kean | Sr. | Cliffwood, N.J. |
| P | Rio Schmidt | Hobart | Jr. | Mason, Texas |
| ST | Travis Alvarez | Cortland | Fr. | Keyport, N.J. |
| Second Team Offense | ||||
| QB | Shane Sweeney | Hobart | Jr. | Phelps, N.Y. |
| RB | Chance Brady | Tufts | Sr. | Haverhill, Mass. |
| RB | John Smith | Husson | Jr. | Fayetteville, Ga. |
| WR | Bryce Shade | Wesley | Sr. | Erial, N.J. |
| WR | Taylor Loudan | Christopher Newport | Sr. | Stephens City, Va. |
| TE | Garrett Armstrong | Wilkes | Jr. | Hampton, N.J. |
| T | Matt Gono | Wesley | Jr. | Cinnaminson, N.J. |
| G | Dillon Martin | W. New England | Jr. | Ashland, Mass. |
| C | Nick Testani | Hobart | Sr. | Pittsford, N.Y. |
| G | Elliot Tobin | MIT | Sr. | Minnetonka, Minn. |
| T | Sean Carey | Union | Sr. | Washington Twp., N.J. |
| K | Matthew Murphy | SUNY-Maritime | Jr. | Seaford, N.Y. |
| RET | Sean Kent | MIT | Fr. | Bend, Ore. |
| Second Team Defense | ||||
| DE | Joe Falato | Montclair State | Sr. | Lodi, N.J. |
| DT | Elvis Romero | Bridgewater State | Sr. | Wayne, N.J. |
| DT | Vince Char | Widener | Sr. | Southampton, Pa. |
| DE | Charles Branwell | Alfred | Sr. | Brooklyn, N.Y. |
| LB | Marshall McCarthy | Mass. Maritime | Sr. | Duxbury, Mass. |
| LB | Mark Upton | Bates | Sr. | Winthrop, Mass. |
| LB | Dan Loizos | Ithaca | Jr. | Oakhurst, N.J. |
| CB | Jordan Schemm | Ithaca | Jr. | Coral Springs, Fla. |
| S | Spencer Donahue | Trinity (Conn.) | Sr. | Naperville, Ill. |
| S | Shawn Miller | Delaware Valley | Jr. | Laurel, Del. |
| CB | Tim Preston | Tufts | So. | Nashua, N.H. |
| P | Pat Newins | Misericordia | Sr. | Levittown, N.Y. |
| Third Team Offense | ||||
| QB | Dan Williams | Stevenson | Jr. | Sicklerville, N.J. |
| RB | John DiStefano | Montclair State | Sr. | Lincroft, N.J. |
| RB | Nick Connell | W. New England | Sr. | E. Marion, N.Y. |
| WR | Conrado Banky | Middlebury | So. | Katy, Texas |
| WR | Brendan Buisch | Alfred | Sr. | Hornell, N.Y. |
| TE | Stephen Beahn | Framingham State | Jr. | Spencer, Mass. |
| T | Parker Johnson | Merchant Marine | Sr. | Middletown, Md. |
| G | Dan Giagrande | Montclair State | Sr. | Belleville, N.J. |
| C | Austin Eagle | Wesley | Sr. | Odenton, Md. |
| G | Jonni Cassano | Albright | Sr. | Cherry Hill, N.J. |
| T | Chris Simmons | Trinity (Conn.) | Jr. | Manchester, Conn. |
| K | Blaine Bursey | WPI | Sr. | Middleburg, Fla. |
| RET | Nicodemus Gambill | Utica | Sr. | Rochester, N.Y. |
| Third Team Defense | ||||
| DE | Isaiah Ingram | Wesley | Jr. | Pennsauken, N.J. |
| DT | Sam Edouard | W. New England | Jr. | Roosevelt, N.Y. |
| DT | Billy Carroll | Buffalo State | So. | Holtsville, N.Y. |
| DE | James Hedger | Hobart | Sr. | Rochester, N.Y. |
| LB | Ryan Brenner | Rowan | Sr. | Northfield, N.J. |
| LB | Matt McEvily | Nichols | Sr. | Clinton, Mass. |
| LB | Alec Dietsch | St. Lawrence | Sr. | Clarence, N.Y. |
| CB | Brian Price | SUNY-Maritime | Sr. | New York, N.Y. |
| S | Andre Connally | Wesley | Sr. | Middletown, Del. |
| S | Billy Lewis | Stevenson | Sr. | Centreville, Md. |
| CB | Sean Egan | RPI | Jr. | Watervliet, N.Y. |
| P | Shane Cronin | Cortland | Sr. | West Nyack, N.Y. |