Football Places 21 on All-PAC Team
(TRAFFORD, Pa.) – The Carnegie Mellon University football team had 21 players receive All-Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) distinction, announced by the conference office following voting by the league coaches. The Tartans placed six on the first team, five on the second team and nine were named honorable mention and one was honored to the sportsmanship team.
Four of the first team honorees are on the defensive side of the ball with one on offense and special teams. Senior linebacker Robert Coury, senior linebacker Thomas Coury, junior defensive lineman Mitchell Stokey and senior defensive back Adrian Williams were honored on defense. The lone offensive and special team players on the first team were sophomore offensive lineman Sam Alligood and sophomore placekicker Justin Caputo.
Two additional Tartan defenders were honored on the second team in senior defensive back Aryan Hegde and senior defensive lineman Thor Truelson. Joining them on the second team were sophomore Willem Bouma, senior offensive lineman Hunter Campbell and senior running back Tre Vasiliadis.
For the third straight season, the Tartans led the PAC in scoring defense allowing 10.5 points per game, rushing defense giving up 65.4 yards per contest, total defense allowing 244.5 yards per game, turnovers gained with 27, fumbles recovered with 11, passes intercepted with 16, turnover margin at 1.60 and tackles for loss with 8.9 per contest. The Cardinal and Gray ranked seventh nationally in turnover margin and team tackles for loss, ninth in scoring defense and turnovers gained, 10th in fumbles recovered and 15th in both rushing defense and total defense. The defense held nine opponents under 100 yards on the ground and broke a school record when holding Westminster to -16 yards rushing earlier this season.
Robert Coury led the defense for the fourth straight season in tackles (75) and third straight season in tackles for loss (14.0) while ranking second on the squad with 4.0 sacks. He ranks fifth in the league in tackles for loss, 10th in total tackles and 11th in sacks. The senior has also forced a fumble, recovered a fumble, recorded an interception and had one blocked punt this season.
Thomas Coury ranks fourth on the team in tackles with 52. He ended the regular season with 5.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, six passes defended, two fumble recoveries, forced a fumble and blocked a punt. He also returned another block punt for a touchdown and returned a strip sack for a touchdown, both coming against Thiel.
Stokey ended the regular season with 4.0 sacks for a loss of 22 yards which ranked tied for second on the Tartans. He also tabbed 12.0 tackles for a loss of 53 yards, 25 total tackles, forced a fumble and had a pass breakup.
Williams led the Tartans for the second consecutive season in passes defended with 16, which ranks 10th nationally and is tops in the PAC. The senior recorded 30 solo tackles and three interceptions. He is the Tartans fifth leading tackler with 45 total.
Hegde totaled 27 tackles, 16 solo, had a sack, interception and blocked a kick. Truelson was fourth on the Cardinal and Gray with 3.0 sacks for a loss of 14 yards while recording 24 tackles.
Alligood and Campbell were the anchors of the Tartans offensive line. Alligood played in all 10 games his season with nine starts tackle while Campbell started in all seven of the games he played. The two paved the way for Vasiliadis and Bouma, who was named to the second team as an all-purpose honoree.
Vasiliadis rushed for 780 yards and five touchdowns while averaging 4.0 yards per carry. He ended the regular season as the fourth leading rusher in the PAC. The senior recorded three 100-yard rushing games this season and has 11 for his career. Bouma totaled 527 all-purpose yards this season with 339 yards coming on the ground. In the Tartans win over Washington & Jefferson, Bouma rushed for a career-high 149 yards and scored a school record five rushing touchdowns.
Caputo led the PAC in scoring for kickers with 69 points, while also leading the conference with 11 field goals. He ranks 10th nationally in field goals made per game and recorded a career-long 40-yard field goal against Waynesburg.
The Tartans Honorable Mention Honorees:
Offense:
Senior quarterback Ben Mills
Senior offensive lineman Dustin Moss
Sophomore tight end Danny Moynihan
Defense:
Senior defensive lineman Eric Hoeffel
Junior defensive back Jackson Lajoie
Junior linebacker Evan Roper
Senior linebacker Logan Young
Special Teams:
Senior punter Kaveh Wojtowich
Junior punt returner Dominic Voiland
The Tartans Sportsmanship Honoree:
Senior long snapper Kevin O'Brien