Football Orangemen Give Out Team Awards
12/4/2001 5:04:06 PM | Football
Freeney collected NCAA, BIG EAST and Syracuse single-season records for sacks with 17.5 in 2001. Freeney also set an NCAA record for fumbles forced and recovered in one season with a total of 11 (eight forced and three recovered) and his eight forced fumbles is a BIG EAST record.
Fullback Kyle Johnson (Woodbridge, NJ) was recognized with the Joe Alexander Award for excellence in football, scholarship and citizenship. Johnson finished the season with 223 yards rushing on 52 carries.
Offensive tackle P.J. Alexander (Tallahassee, FL) and linebacker Charles Burton (Sugarland, TX) received the Pat Miller Award for outstanding athletes, students and citizenship. Alexander anchored an offensive line that rushed for 174.7 yards per game. Burton finished the season with 60 tackles and two fumble recoveries.
The Ben Schwartzwalder Award for exemplary football players went to offensive guard Joe Burton (Greenwich, CT) and free safety Quentin Harris (Wilkes-Barre, PA). Burton started 12 games for SU and opened holes for a rushing game that accumulated more than 2,000 yards this season. Harris led the team in tackles with 126 and his four interceptions tied for both the team lead and second in the BIG EAST.
Offensive guard Sean O'Connor (Morristown, NJ) received the Duffy Daugherty Award as the player's player and the coaches' player. O'Connor started all 12 games for the Orangemen. Like Burton and Alexander, O'Connor was an integral part of SU's rush offense, which produced its second consecutive 1,000-yard rusher this season.
The Orange's 1,000-yard rusher, James Mungro (East Stroudsburg, PA) and cornerback Willie Ford (Falmouth, MA) were recognized with the Mark Hoffman Award as the most outstanding backs. Mungro became just the sixth player in school history to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season. Ford led the team in pass breakups with 16.
The Ray Martino Award for loyalty, enthusiasm and perseverance went to wide receiver Malik Campbell (Buffalo, NY) and linebacker Rodney Wells (Orlando, FL). Campbell caught 14 passes for 184 yards and a touchdown in 2001. This season Wells had 26 tackles, six for a loss, an interception and a fumble recovery.
Defensive tackle Mark Holtzman (McKeesport, PA) earned the Tim Green Award as SU's outstanding defensive lineman. Holtzman started 12 games for SU registering 36 tackles, 10 for a loss and three sacks.
Tight end Graham Manley (Olney, MD) received the Coach "Mac" Award for intensity, focus, effort and attitude. Manley caught four passes for 33 yards and a touchdown this season.
