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Football
Four Rams Earn CAA Football Honors
Nov. 19, 2007
RICHMOND, Va. - University of Rhode Island football student-athletes Joe Casey (Syracuse, N.Y.) and Bryan Giannecchini (Cranford, N.J.) have been named to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) First Team while Ki'Ameer Johnson (Jersey City, N.J.) and Mark Stolte (Rochester, N.Y.) garnered Second Team honors. Casey rushed for 782 yards in eight games before suffering a season-ending injury. In the process, he tied David Jamison (1998-01) for fourth-place on Rhode Island's all-time rushing yards list with 2,901 yards. The junior back averaged 103.8 yards per game and posted three 100-yard games, including a season-high 130 yards against Hofstra on Sept. 22. In his final game of the season, he rushed for 105 yards in 23 carries in less than three quarters before leaving with an injury. Casey's selection marks the third-straight year he has garnered first-team accolades. Giannecchini led the CAA and ranks 19th in the NCAA (as of 11/17) in punting at 41.0 yards per punt. He kicked a career-long 68 yard punt in the Rams' overtime win over Brown in the Governor's Cup contest on Sept. 29, and overall the senior kicker drilled six kicks of 50-plus yards. A preseason all-conference selection, he earned Atlantic-10 Second Team honors in 2006. Last week, Giannecchini was named to the CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District First Team. Stolte started all 11 games on the offensive line and anchored an injury-riddled unit that helped URI finish third in the conference and 15th in the NCAA (as of 11/17) in rushing yards at 229.9 yards per contest. Against Brown on Sept. 29, the Rams rushed for 479 yards - the second-highest total in school history. The senior lineman was a main reason Rhody backs were able to rush for 100-plus yards in seven of its 11 contests, and twice missed by three and six yards, respectively. Johnson finished third on the team in tackles with 64 (39 solo) and led the team with three interceptions, including a 44-yard pick against Hofstra which he returned for a touchdown. Johnson had six pass breakups, three tackles for loss, and one sack. The senior defensive back finished tied foe 43rd in total tackles in the conference. Delaware senior quarterback Joe Flacco and New Hampshire senior signal-caller Ricky Santos shared CAA Offensive Player of the Year honors while senior Tony LeZotte of James Madison was named Defensive Player of the Year and Dave Clawson of Richmond was named Coach of the Year. A trio of University of Richmond freshmen swept the other three awards as Justin Rogers garnered Special Teams Player of the Year honors, Kevin Grayson was named Offensive Rookie of the Year, and Eric McBride earned Defensive Rookie of the Year accolades. In its inaugural season, the CAA sent a record five members - Delaware, James Madison, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Richmond - to the NCAA Tournament. Last week, the conference had six teams ranked in the Sports Network Top 25 poll. The Rams finished the 2007 season 3-8 overall and 2-6 in the CAA. Six of the Rams' opponents were selected to the NCAA Tournament, and a seventh - Army - competes at the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) level. A complete list of the 2007 CAA Football Award recipients is attached.
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