RICHMOND, Va. (Nov. 26, 2013)—William and Mary junior wide receiver/kick returner Tre McBride was selected as the 2013 Colonial Athletic Association Special Teams Player of the Year, while he and nine other Tribe players garnered 12 all-conference honors based on voting by the league's 11 head coaches.
McBride's selection marks the fourth consecutive season in which a W&M standout has garnered the CAA's top special teams honor – Jonathan Grimes (2010, 2011) and B.W. Webb (2012).
In addition to being chosen as the special teams player of the year, McBride earned first-team distinction as a wide receiver and second-team accolades as a kick returner. Also earning first-team all-conference honors were senior offensive lineman Matt Crisafi, junior defensive end Mike Reilly, junior linebacker Airek Green, sophomore linebacker Luke Rhodes and senior free safety Jerome Couplin III. Sophomore running back Mikal Abdul-Saboor, junior fullback Darnell Laws, sophomore cornerback DeAndre Houston-Carson and junior placekicker John Carpenter all earned third-team honors.
One of the league's most dynamic playmakers, McBride led the CAA in kick return average (27.5) and ranked third in all-purpose yards per game (127.8). Additionally, he ranked fifth in receptions per game (5.25) and seventh in receiving yards per game (72.5). The McDonough, Ga., native finished the season with a team-high 63 receptions for 801 yards and totaled five touchdown receptions versus conference opponents. His 1,533 all-purpose yards ranks ninth on W&M's single-season list, while his 605 kick return yards ranks fourth.
A second-team All-CAA wide receiver last season, McBride has now garnered four postseason All-CAA accolades during his career.
A four-year starter and team captain, Crisafi earned first-team honors after an outstanding senior season. The Marietta, Ga., native anchored W&M's offensive line that helped Abdul-Saboor post six 100-yard rushing games and ranked fifth in the CAA in sacks allowed. A versatile lineman, Crisafi started a team-high 41 consecutive games at center, left guard and left tackle during the past four years. An outstanding student, he has also garnered CAA Academic All-Conference Team honors during each of the past three seasons.
Reilly earned first-team distinction after a breakout season in which he led the CAA in sacks (11.5) and sacks per game (0.96) – an average that ranked fifth nationally. Additionally, the Old Tappan, N.J., native ranked ninth nationally in forced fumbles per game (0.33), while his 1.08 tackles for a loss per contest ranked eighth in the CAA. Reilly's stats also included 47 tackles, a fumble recovery and a PBU.
Green also posted a breakout junior campaign and emerged as one of the conference's elite linebackers. En route to earning first-team All-CAA accolades, the Chester, Va., native ranked tied for fifth in the league in interceptions (3) and tied for eighth in tackles for a loss per game (1.08). He also finished the season with 82 tackles, two defensive touchdowns (an interception return at Lafayette and fumble return at Richmond), four sacks, seven PBU's, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
After earning third-team all-conference honors as a redshirt freshman last fall, Rhodes garnered first-team distinction this season after ranking second on the team with 98 tackles. The Hollidaysburg, Pa., native also ranked 11th in the CAA in tackles per game (8.2) while totaling 3.0 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and seven PBU's. One of Rhodes' best performances this season came in the shutout victory against New Hampshire when he totaled 13 tackles en route to being selected as the CAA Defensive Player of the Week.
One of the nation's top defensive players and a finalist for the Buchanan Award, Couplin earned first-team all-league accolades after leading the CAA and ranking 10th nationally with 5.8 solo tackles per game. Additionally, the Upper Marlboro, Md., native ranked third in the CAA with 9.4 tackles per game – a figure that led the conference among defensive backs. In addition to leading the team with 113 tackles (70 solo), the two-time All-CAA selection recorded two forced fumbles, 2.5 tackles for a loss, six PBU's and two forced fumbles. He also returned a fumble 51 yards for a touchdown in the win at Delaware en route to earning CAA Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Although this fall was his first as a starter, Abdul-Saboor quickly established himself as one of the league's premier running backs and ranked fourth in the CAA in rushing yards per game (91.6) and ninth in all-purpose yards per game (101.2) en route to earning third-team all-conference honors. Additionally, the Alpharetta, Ga., native ranked tied for eighth in the league with six rushing touchdowns, posted six 100-yard rushing games and averaged 4.7 yards per carry. One of his best performances of the season came in the win at Delaware when he totaled a career-high 140 rushing yards and 153 all-purpose yards.
After making the successful move from tailback to fullback this season, Laws posted an outstanding junior campaign and earned third-team all-conference honors. Laws' best performance of the season came in the opener at West Virginia when he totaled a career-high eight receptions for 45 yards.
A starting cornerback opposite of B.W. Webb as a redshirt freshman last season, Houston-Carson emerged as one of the league's top players at his position this fall and garnered third-team all-league accolades. The Woodford, Va., native ranked tied for second in the CAA with 13 PBU's while also totaling 62 tackles, 4.5 tackles for a loss, two interceptions and two blocked kicks. One of his best efforts of the season came in the win against James Madison when he was honored as the CAA Special Teams Player of the Week.
One of the CAA's top place kickers this season, Carpenter earned third-team all-conference honors after ranking second in the league in field goals made (21) and field goals made per game (1.25). Additionally, the Cumberland, Md., native ranked fourth in the CAA in scoring among kickers (6.0) and fifth in field goal percentage (71.4).
