RELEASE DATE: 11/19/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: CHRIS WOODS NAMED PSAC EAST COACH OF THE YEAR – DAN HOLLAND REPEATS AS DEFENSE PLAYER OF THE YEAR – POOHBEAR McNEAL NAMED ROOKIE OF THE YEAR  

MANSFIELD – Mansfield University head football coach Chris Woods was named the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division Coach of the Year, while Dan Holland (Scranton/Bishop O’Hara) repeated as Defensive Player of the Year and Poohbear McNeal (Orlando,FL/Lake Highland Prep) selected as Rookie of the Year in PSAC postseason honors announced today.

“You have to be happy for Danny and Poohbear,” coach Woods said. “Because they got what they deserved. They earned their awards by being the best players in the conference in what they do. It’s gratifying to me that the other coaches in the PSAC feel the same way about their talent as we do.”

The Mountaineers also had eight players earn All-PSAC East honors led by Holland, who became the first player in school history to be selected to first team honors four straight seasons. Also earning first team honors were McNeal, center Jamar Foulks (Pittsburgh/Westinghouse), wide receiver Joe Bennett ( Horseheads , NY/Elmira Notre Dame) and noseguard Brian DeCecco (McKeesport/South Allegheny).

Named to the second team were guard Chris Farris (Dunmore/Dunmore), tackle Ryan McClellan (Tyrone/Bellwood-Antis), and linebacker Andre’ Turner (Pittsburgh/Peabody). McNeal was also named to second team honors as punt returner.

“This should be called the football staff award,” said a humble Woods. “it says more about them than it does me. We consider all of our individual awards as team awards because nobody is successful unless the team is successful. That goes for the Coach of the Year, Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and All-PSAC.”

Woods is the first Mountaineer coach to earn Coach of the Year honors since Tom Elsasser in 1992. He is credited with developing the most improved program in the conference in his three seasons as head coach. This year Woods directed the Mountaineers to an 8-3 record, the programs most successful season since 1946 and their first winning season since 1975. In three years Woods has won 15 games and led the Mountaineers into the national rankings earlier this season.

Holland becomes the first player in school history to earn first team honors in each of his four seasons. A consensus All-American and NCAA Division II Linebacker of the Year last season, Holland led the PSAC again this year with 136 tackles, including 81 solo. He also had 8.0 tackles for a loss two sacks and blocked three kicks. For his career, Holland recorded a school record 501 tackles, 315 of them solo.

McNeal set 12 new school records as a freshman. He led the conference in rushing with 1,684 yards (153.1 ypg) while leading the nation in All-Purpose Yardage with 2,392 yards (217.5 ypg). McNeal also set the school single-game record for rushing yards (272 vs. Millersville), rushing touchdowns (five vs. Cheyney) and all-purpose yards (334 vs. Lock Haven). The leading rusher in the nation until slowed by injuries the final two games of the season, McNeal finished third, eighth in scoring (10.5 ppg), and 11th in kickoff returns (29.4 ypr). In addition, he had the top five rushing games in the PSAC this season.

Bennett shattered the school record, and led the PSAC, in receiving yards this season with 51 catches for 1,184 yards and a school record 17 touchdowns. He was third in NCAA Division II in receiving touchdowns and seventh in receiving yards per game (107.6). Bennett also set a school record with four touchdown catches against Westminster. A second team All-PSAC East selection as a sophomore in 2001, Bennett missed all but one game in 2002 because of injury.

Foulks was the only freshman selected to first team offensive line honors. The 6-4, 307 center was created with opening holes for McNeal’s record setting season and keying protection for quarterback Travis Motley allowing him to throw 22 touchdown passes to just six interceptions.

DeCecco was a second team All-PSAC East selection at noseguard last season and was the anchor of the defensive line. The junior had 51 tackles, including 30 solo, and led the team in tackles for a loss with 11 and was second in sacks with three.

Farris is a three-year starter on the offense line and, along with Foulks and McClellan, largely responsible for the recording setting season by McNeal and Motley.

McClellan was named to second team honors for the second straight season despite missing the final three games of the year with an injury. The junior was considered the top player on the offensive line before his injury.

Although overshadowed by Holland, Turner had an exceptional freshman season. He finished second on the team in tackles (80) with five for a loss, 1.5 sacks and an interception.

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