Eight Golden Rams Dot All-ECAC Team; Morrissey and Zwaan Major Award Winners

DANBURY, Conn. – West Chester University littered the Division II All-ECAC football squad, landing eight players on the first team while senior linebacker Tyler Morrissey (Springfield, Pa./Springfield-DELCO) was named defensive player of the year, and head coach Bill Zwaan was named coach of the year.
 
Joining Morrissey on the first team were A.J. Long (Bethlehem, Pa./Friendship Christian [Tenn.]), Tyler Drob (Cherry Hill, N.J./Cherry Hill East), Diquan Gilbert (Philadelphia, Pa./Comm Tech), Nate Barnes (Carlisle, Pa./Carlisle), Shaquille James (Philadelphia, Pa./West Catholic), Jarey Elder (Allentown, Pa./Parkland) and Brendan Paulison (Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley).
 
Morrissey, a first team AP All-America selection, makes his second and final appearance on the All-ECAC squad. His latest accolade comes on the heels of an appointment to the first team American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America unit, first team AP All-America and second team D2 CCA All-America earlier this month.
 
The Golden Rams' middle linebacker finished 2018 with a team-best 86 tackles, including 10 of those for a loss and 8.5 of those counting as a sack. He also forced three fumbles and recovered one while coming up with a clutch blocked field goal in the final five minutes of a win at Bloomsburg that preserved a 17-14 victory. He is the most decorated linebacker to come out of West Chester since Williams in 2013. Morrissey was also a first team All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division selection and PSAC East defensive player of the year for the second straight campaign.
 
Zwaan's charges had a season for the record books as his team is a perfect 10-0 for the first time since 1967. The team also captured its first outright PSAC Championship since 1971 when the Golden Rams defeated Slippery Rock, 33-10, last Saturday. This is also the first year since 2015 that Zwaan has been named PSAC East Coach of the Year.
 
A.J. earned a spot on the first team after a banner 2018 season. Long was a threat both through the air and on the ground as he went 133-for-200 through the air for 1,920 yards and 21 touchdowns against just six interceptions. Long also carried the ball 146 times for 692 yards and seven touchdowns to lead West Chester in both categories.
 
A 2018 First Team Associated Press (AP) All-American selection, Drob's selection comes after a season that saw the graduate student earn first-team All-PSAC Honors and be selected as a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award – an honor bestowed on the best lineman at the NCAA Division II level. With Drob anchoring O-line, West Chester led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) in rushing, while also pacing the league in scoring offense.   
 
Gilbert led the defensive line in tackles with 35 tackles on the year thanks to 20 solo tackles and 15 assisted tackles. Gilbert also led the team in tackles for loss and sacks on the year as he recorded 16.5 tackles for loss, costing opponents 92 yards while also registering 9.5 sacks for a loss of 76 yards. Additionally, Gilbert ended his season with one interception, one pass breakup, four QB hurries and a forced fumble to help lead the formidable West Chester defensive line.
 
Barnes, a second team All-PSAC East selection, ended the year with the team lead in total tackles as he recorded 75 tackles on the year with 53 of these tackles being recorded as solo tackles. 10.5 of Barnes of 75 tackles were also tackles for a loss costing opponents 61 yards with 8.5 of these being sacks for a loss of 56 yards. Barnes also registered one interception, five pass breakups, five QB hurries and two forced fumbles to help lead the West Chester defense.
 
James, a first team All-PSAC East pick, had another strong year of his own, registering 38 tackles with 26 of those solo. James also led the team in pass breakups as he was credited with seven breakups and one interception on the season.
 
Elder burst onto the scene with a spectacular season at free safety for the Golden Rams. He finished 2018 third on the team in tackles with 46 (31 solo; 15 assisted). He intercepted seven passes, which marked the most in a single season by a Golden Rams player since 1983 and also tied him for the second most in a single season all-time. Elder was credited with three more pass breakups and one forced fumble. He is also the first defensive back in school history to be named an All-American by the AFCA. He was also a first team All-PSAC East honoree earlier this month.
 
The final Golden Ram honored was senior punter, Brendan Paulison, who punted 39 times for a total of 1,628 yards averaging 41.74 yards per punt. Paulison's long was 67 yards with seven of his 39 punts traveling over 50-yards. Paulison also registered five touchbacks, eight fair catches, while 13 of his punts went came to rest inside the 20-yard line. He was a second team all-league selection this year as well.
 
ECAC DII Football Awards & All-ECAC Selections
 
MAJOR AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year
Eli Parks – Southern Connecticut State University, Sr., RB
 
Defensive Player of the Year
Tyler Morrissey - West Chester University, R-Sr.,
 
Coach of the Year
Bill Zwaan – West Chester University
 
ALL-ECAC 
A.J. Long – West University, R-Jr., QB
Eli Parks – Southern Connecticut State University, Sr., RB
Joe Buissereth – Southern Connecticut State university, Jr., OL
Tyler Drob – West Chester University, Gr., OL
Solomon Basset – Lincoln University, Sr., DL
Matthew Weiss - Southern Connecticut State University, Jr., DL                
Diquan Gilbert – West Chester University, Sr. DL
Kyle Armour – Southern Connecticut State University, Jr., LB  
Jarredd Bennett-Moorer – Southern Connecticut State University, Jr., LB
Jhaaron Wallace – Southern Connecticut State University, Sr., LB
Nate Barnes – West Chester University, So., LB
Tyler Morrissey – West Chester University, Sr., LB
Shaquille James – West Chester University, Sr., DB
Jarey Elder – West Chester University, Jr., DB
Brendan Paulison - West Chester University Sr., P