BEVERLY, Mass. – Endicott junior defensive lineman Hector Johnson (Worcester, Mass.) has been named to the 2023 D3football.com Preseason All-America Second Team, as announced by the organization earlier today.
Johnson was the only representative from the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) and just one of four student-athletes from New England chosen to the 2023 D3football.com Preseason All-America squad (75 student-athletes total across the country).
The dynamic edge rusher claimed his first career preseason All-America award today following a historic sophomore campaign for the Gulls.
Last season, Johnson racked up numerous postseason accolades including CCC Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Year honors, the Hansen Ratings Region 1 Defensive Most Valuable Player (MVP) award, three All-Region selections, an All-CCC First Team nod, the NoontimeSports.com Player of the Year award, and All-NoontimeSports.com First Team honors.
He also was nominated for the Cliff Harris Award, which is presented annually to the nation's top small college defensive player representing more than 5,000 defensive players from almost 500 NCAA Division II, Division III, and NAIA colleges and universities.
Statistically, Johnson compiled 48 tackles (30 solo, 18 assisted, 4.4 per game, 11 games played), a single-season program record 14.5 sacks, 21.5 tackles for a loss (second in a single-season), two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, two pass breakups, and a blocked punt — which he muscled into the end zone for a 78-yard touchdown.
Johnson finished the year ranked inside the top-15 in sacks (5th, 1.32 per game) and tackles for a loss (11th, 2.0 per game) in Division III and first among his CCC peers.
Additionally, his play aided Endicott to the following Division III rankings: defensive touchdowns (1st, 1st in CCC, 7 TDs), fumbles recovered (1st, 1st, 17), scoring defense (2nd, 1st, 7.5 PPG), team sacks (5th, 1st, 3.73) turnover margin (1st, 1st, 2.18), and turnovers gained (6th, 1st, 31), red zone defense (17th, 1st, .600), team passing efficiency defense (14th, 1st, 95.84), total defense (15th, 1st, 242.0), and third down conversion percentage defense (13th, 1st, .277).
As a team, Endicott won a program-record-tying 10 games this fall and produced the first undefeated regular season in program history / Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) era.
The Gulls also entered the national rankings for the first time in the 20-year existence of the program (2003-2022) behind one of the nation's best defenses, soaring as high as No. 22 in the rankings during the season.
WHAT'S NEXT
Endicott opens up its 2023 season at home against St. Lawrence on Saturday, September 2 at 12 PM.
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(Photo Credit - Chris Lyons '22)
