2014 USA College Football Division III Preseason All-Americans
BEVERLY, Mass. – USA College Football's annual Preseason Division III All-American teams have been released and five Endicott gridiron stars were listed among the best players in the nation in anticipation of the 2014 season. Leading the pack for the Gulls is First Team Preseason All-American senior quarterback Drew Frenette (New Bedford, Mass.) who is the reigning NEFC Offensive Player of the Year and a NEFC First Team quarterback entering his senior season. Frenette and the four other honorees were integral pieces in Endicott's (8-3, 7-0 NEFC) rise to the NEFC Championship and an automatic bid in the NCAA Tournament.
Frenette engineered an Endicott offensive attack that led the NEFC and ranked 37th in NCAA Division III in scoring with 34.2 points per game. Frenette threw for 2,585 passing yards with a 24-to-6, TD-Int ratio under center. His passing yardage and touchdown totals in 2013 were tops in the conference and ranked in the top-30 among quarterbacks nationally. Frenette is listed on the USA College Football Preseason All-American First Team among quarterbacks across powerhouse football programs including #2 Mary Hardin-Baylor, #3 Mount Union, #6 Bethel, #18 Hampden-Sydney, Concordia, Chapman, and Austin.
Joining Frenette on the offensive side of the ball are USA College Football Preseason Second Team All-Americans Anthony Fulmine (Carver, Mass.), a senior left guard, and Alec Matys (Woburn, Mass.), a junior wide receiver, as well as Honorable Mention junior running back Spencer Walsh (Malden, Mass.).
Fulmine, a 2013 NEFC First Team Guard, led an offensive line that gave up just 1.18 sacks per game, led all NEFC teams and ranked 14th in NCAA Division III in tackles for a loss allowed (4.27 per game), and helped to generate nearly 400 yards of offense per game. Matys had a breakout season in 2013 en route to earning NEFC First Team honors as he hauled in 56 balls for 793 yards and 12 touchdowns. He averaged 72.1 receiving yards per game and just over 14 yards per reception. Walsh took over the lead back role last fall and shined with 113.6 rushing yards per game and 4.7 yards per attempt. Overall, he rushed for 1,250 yards and 15 touchdowns, one of which was through the air.
On defensive, rising senior cornerback Jake Cox (Wrentham, Mass.) appeared on the USA College Football Preseason All-American Second Team after appearing in all 11 games for the Gulls in 2013 and earning a spot on the NEFC First Team. Cox had a career high three interceptions, nine passes defended, 38 tackles, and 120 kick return yards, including one 81-yard return for a touchdown. Endicott's stout defense led the NEFC in interceptions with 15 takeaways while the defense allowed just 167.5 passing yards per game.
In 2012, Endicott saw three players (Jason Silva '14, Peter Kallas '13, Mike Murphy '13) appear on the USA College Football Preseason All-American list. Endicott's five honorees this summer are a program-best for this distribution.
In total, 13 student-athletes from the NEFC were listed on the USA College Football Preseason All-American Team. Endicott led the way with five honorees followed by Salve Regina (4), MIT (2), Curry (1), and Western New England (1).
