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November 13, 2009

Featured Video: Merrimack’s Suozzo Named Football Most Valuable Player







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South Easton, Mass. – Merrimack College sophomore quarterback James Suozzo (Everett, Mass.) was named the 2009 Northeast-10 Football Most Valuable Player as voted by the conference’s head coaches.

Suozzo is the first Merrimack player to earn MVP honors as he helped lead the Warriors to a share of the Northeast-10 Championship this season. Merrimack finished in a three-way tie with Bentley University and Southern Connecticut State University as all three teams finished 6-2 in conference play. Suozzo led the NE-10 in total offense with 3,251 yards, was fourth in passing with 2,297 yards and third in rushing with 954 yards. He also threw a conference best 23 touchdowns and completed 180-of-327 passes. In addition, he was named to the All-Northeast-10 First team for the first time in his career.

Assumption College junior running back Herbert Woodard (Bridgton, N.J.) was selected the 2009 Northeast-10 Offensive Player of the Year. The former Northeast-10 Freshman of the Year rushed for a conference best 1,175 yards as he helped Assumption to its first six-win season since 1995. Woodard recorded 17 rushing touchdowns and a school-record 18 overall as he also tied the season mark with seven 100-yard rushing games. In addition, he was also named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team for the second straight year.

A pair of senior linebackers earned the 2009 Co-Defensive Players of the Year honors; Assumption’s Dustin Zitzmann (Pinellas Park, Fla.) and Bentley’s Matt Zahoruiko (No. Andover, Mass.). Zitzmann, a four-time All-Northeast-10 selection, finished the year fourth in the conference with 113 tackles as he led Assumption to one of its best seasons in recent years. Zitzmann finished his career with the most tackles in school history with 414. He was named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team for the second straight year.

Zahoruiko helped a Bentley defense hold opponents to a conference best 16.3 points per game as the Falcons earned a share of the Northeast-10 Championship with a 6-2 conference record. Zahoruiko finished the year tied for the conference lead in total tackles with 123 and set the mark for most tackles recorded in Bentley’s 22 seasons of varsity football. He was also named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team for the first time in his career.

Southern Connecticut senior Greg Tuba (Monroe, Conn.) was named the 2009 Northeast-10 Offensive Lineman of the Year. Tuba helped anchor a Southern Connecticut offense that finished second in the Northeast-10 in rushing offence as the Owls averaged 218.6 yards per game. Southern Connecticut also had three running backs finish in the top ten for rushing yards in the NE-10. In addition, Tuba was named to the All-Northeast-10 First Team for the first time.

American International’s junior Jashawn Williams (Roosevelt, N.Y.) was selected the 2009 Northeast-10 Defensive Lineman of the Year. Williams finished the year leading the conference with 12 total sacks including 10 solo sacks and four assisted. He also was third in the NE-10 with 14.5 tackles for a loss. An All-Northeast-10 Second Team selection a year ago, Williams was also named to the First Team this year.

A duo of defensive backs earned Freshman of the Year honors this year that include Saint Anselm College’s Ethan Sylvain (East Montpelier, Vt.) and Stonehill College’s Jareed Gaines (Lumberton, N.J.). This is the second straight season that a Saint Anselm player earned Freshman of the Year accolades (Marc Wilson, 2008). In his first year of collegiate action, Sylvain finished the year ranked tenth in the conference with 81 tackles and third best on his team. He also led the Hawks with four interceptions. In addition, Sylvain was named to the All-Northeast-10 Second Team and All-Rookie Team.

Gaines filled the stat sheet in his first year of play at Stonehill. He finished the year with 51 tackles and also recorded three sacks. Gaines had six tackles for a loss and recovered two fumbles including one for a touchdown to go along with a blocked kick. In addition, Gaines was named to the Northeast-10 All-Rookie Team.

In a vote by his peers, first-year head coach Thom Boerman, was named the 2009 Northeast-10 Coach of the Year. In his first full season at the helm at Bentley, Boerman led the Falcons to an 8-2 record and a share of the Northeast-10 Championship after finishing the season 6-2 in conference play.

With 16 member institutions the Northeast-10 shares the distinction of being the largest Division II conference in the country along with the PSAC and WVIAC. Its 23 championship sports provide athletic opportunities for over 5,500 student-athletes, the largest such program of any Division II conference.

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