Football | 11/18/2021 10:51:45 AM
The Empire 8 Conference announced its 2021 Football All-Conference awards on Thursday, November 18. The awards are voted on by the league's head coaches. League champion SUNY Cortland claimed four of the five individual awards and had 21 players earn all-conference honors.
Cortland senior quarterback Brees Segala was named the 2021 Empire 8 Offensive Player of the Year. Teammate Dylan Dubuque, a senior linebacker, was named Defensive Player of the Year, while sophomore defensive lineman Nick Lardaro was the E8 Rookie of the Year. The SUNY Cortland Coaching Staff, led by head coach Curt Fitzpatrick garnered the E8 Coaching Staff of the Year award. St. John Fisher graduate student Tysean Sizer was named the Empire 8 Special Teams Player of the Year.
Segala has enjoyed a tremendous season for the Red Dragons, throwing for 2,144 yards with a league-best 29 touchdowns to just four interceptions in 10 games and is eighth nationally in passing efficiency rating (179.9). He also leads all Empire 8 quarterbacks and is 14th in Division III with a 68.3 completion percentage. In addition, Segala is the league’s ninth leading rusher with 344 yards on 85 carries with five touchdowns. In six league games, Segala led all Empire 8 quarterbacks with 1,177 yards passing, 17 touchdowns and just two interceptions with three touchdowns on the ground, while pacing the league’s highest scoring offense. Overall, Cortland has scored 451 points in 2021 and is tied for 13th nationally in points per game (45.1).
Dubuque is the leader of a stout Cortland defense that is allowing just 8.4 points, third fewest among all Division III teams this season and 198.2 yards per game (fourth fewest nationally) in 2021. He has recorded 50 tackles (31 solo) to go along with 13 quarterback hurries, 7.5 tackles for a loss, 2.0 sacks a fumble recovery and three blocked kicks (tied for 13th in Division III). Dubuque also has three touchdowns this season, one via fumble recovery, an interception and a blocked field goal.
Lardaro has enjoyed an incredible debut season for the Cortland defense on the defensive line, with 37 tackles (16 solo and 21 assisted). He also leads the Empire 8 with 17 tackles for a loss and 27 quarterback hurries, in addition to 5.5 sacks. Lardaro is a main contributor to a Cortland defense which is eighth nationally, allowing just 64.1 rushing yards per game and 2.2 yards per rushing attempt.
Fitzpatrick and his staff led the Red Dragons to their third Empire 8 Championship (first outright title) and a berth in the NCAA Championship Tournament, where they will take on Springfield College in the opening round on Nov. 20 at noon. Cortland is ranked in the top-10 nationally in 15 different statistical categories. Cortland’s scoring margin of 36.7 points per game is tied for seventh in Division III. The Red Dragons enter the tournament ranked No. 12 in the AFCA Division III Coaches poll and 13th in the D3football.com national poll. It is Fitzpatrick’s first full season of play with the Red Dragons.
Sizer enjoyed an excellent season for the Cardinals, contributing in the return game and as a wide receiver. On Oct. 16, Sizer became the first player in St. John Fisher history to return a kickoff (88 yards) and a punt (41 yards) for a touchdown in the same game. He finished the season averaging 32.6 yards per kickoff return (fourth most in Division III) and 20.7 per punt return (third nationally) to earn All-Empire 8 first team accolades as a return specialist and all-purpose player. Sizer, who also earned All-Empire 8 second team accolades as a wide receiver, caught 26 passes for 481 yards and four touchdowns. Sizer finished the season with 1,096 all-purpose yards.
The Red Dragons had 15 players earn All-Empire 8 first team accolades, while SUNY Brockport had nine first team selections. Senior offensive lineman Luke Lodini and defensive lineman Josh Greenwood, both of Brockport and Cortland defensive lineman Devin Smith earned All-Empire 8 first team honors for the second time. Greenwood, Lawrence Jenkins of Brockport and Kwasi Addo of Utica earned All-Empire 8 accolades for the third time overall.
One member of each team was named that institution's representative on the 2021 Football Sportsman of the Year Team. The Empire 8 Conference emphasizes that "Competing with Honor and Integrity" is an essential component of a student-athlete's experience in conjunction with an institution's educational mission. These honorees have distinguished themselves and consistently exhibit the critical traits as outstanding sportsmen.
2021 Empire 8 Football All-Conference Selections
Offensive Player of the Year: Brees Segala, Sr., QB, SUNY Cortland
Defensive Player of the Year: Dylan Dubuque, Sr., LB, SUNY Cortland
Special Teams Player of the Year: Tysean Sizer, Gr., KR/PR, St. John Fisher
Rookie of the Year: Nick Lardaro, So., DL, SUNY Cortland
Coaching Staff of the Year: SUNY Cortland, led by head coach Curt Fitzpatrick
Empire 8 First Team Offense
Brees Segala, Sr., QB, SUNY Cortland
Jala Coad, Jr., RB, SUNY Brockport
Jaden Alfanostjohn, Fr., RB, SUNY Cortland
Seth Walden, Jr., FB, Alfred
Luke Lodini, Sr., OL, SUNY Brockport
Scott Ochsner, Jr., OL, SUNY Brockport
Travis Alvarez, Sr., OL, SUNY Cortland
Michael Bailey, Sr., OL, SUNY Cortland
Connor Hill, Sr., OL, SUNY Cortland
Justin LoBasso, Jr., TE, Hartwick
Imhotep Cromer, Sr., WR, SUNY Brockport
Derek Cruz, Sr., WR, SUNY Cortland
JJ Laap, Jr., WR, SUNY Cortland
Tysean Sizer, Gr., All-Purpose, St. John Fisher
Empire 8 First Team Defense/Special Teams
Josh Greenwood, Sr., DL, SUNY Brockport
Jordan Harris, Jr., DL, SUNY Brockport
Nick Lardaro, So., DL, SUNY Cortland
Devin Smith, Sr., DL, SUNY Cortland
Jimmie Warren, Sr., DL, Utica
Ben Damiani, Jr., LB, SUNY Brockport
Lawrence Jenkins, Sr., LB, SUNY Brockport
Dylan Dubuque, Sr., LB, SUNY Cortland
Alaan Montgomery, Sr., DB, SUNY Brockport
Joshua Cordero, Sr., DB, SUNY Cortland
Christian Legagneur, Sr., DB, SUNY Cortland
Stone Murray, Sr., DB, SUNY Cortland
Patrick Luby, So., K, SUNY Cortland
Liam Casey, Sr., P, SUNY Cortland
Tysean Sizer, Gr., Return Specialist, St. John Fisher
Empire 8 Second Team Offense
Sonny Badyna, Jr., QB, Utica
Davien Kuinlan, Sr., RB, Hartwick
Dahmir Pross, Sr., RB, St. John Fisher
Brandon Mapp, Sr., FB, Morrisville State
Ethan Stewart, Gr., OL, Alfred
Nicholas Kalke, So., OL, SUNY Brockport
Tyler Elmore, Sr., OL, Morrisville State
Brian Mapp, Jr., OL, Morrisville State
Rudy Pablo, Sr., OL, Morrisville State
Ricky Chenard, Sr., TE, SUNY Cortland
Toure’ Hall, Jr., Sr., WR, Morrisville State
Tysean Sizer, Gr., WR, St. John Fisher
Nate Palmer, Sr., WR, Utica
Nate Palmer, Sr., All Purpose, Utica
Empire 8 Second Team Defense/Special Teams
Rodney Bailey, Sr., DL, Alfred
Eddon Gordon, Jr., DL, Morrisville State
Marquez Lott-Douglas, Gr., DL, Utica
Kwasi Addo, Gr., LB, Utica
Paul Imperiale, Sr., LB, SUNY Cortland
Justin Wheeler, Sr., LB, SUNY Cortland
Ben Marshall, Jr., DB, SUNY Brockport
Mark Noel, Jr., DB, SUNY Cortland
Deondrade Wells, Sr., DB, Morrisville State
Devin Bryant, Gr., DB, Utica
Nate Wigent, Fr., K, SUNY Brockport
Hunter Regels, So., P, Morrisville State
Nate Palmer, Sr., Return Specialist, Utica
Empire 8 Third Team Offense
Zuke Smith, Fr., QB, Alfred
Max Freeman IV, Fr., RB, Alfred
Robert Felder, Jr., Sr., OL, Alfred
Tyler Rider, Sr., OL, Alfred
Ben Chase, Sr., OL, Hartwick
Joe Howard, Jr., OL, St. John Fisher
John Aliberti, So., OL, Utica
James Altenburger, So., TE, SUNY Brockport
Darviae Gray, Fr., WR, Alfred
Trevor Ash, Sr., WR, SUNY Cortland
Justice Mansfield-Beaulieu, Sr., WR, Hartwick
Toure’ Hall, Sr., All Purpose, Morrisville State
Empire 8 Third Team Defense/Special Teams
Danny Quinones, So., DL, Alfred
John Manganella, Sr., DL, SUNY Cortland
Jack Colbath, Sr., DL, Hartwick
Basil Watson, Jr., DL, Morrisville State
Joe Copp, So., LB, Alfred
Ernesto Mitchell, Jr., LB, Morrisville State
Joe Miscia, So., LB, St. John Fisher
Adam Mietz, Fr., DB, Alfred
Jake Ely, Jr., DB, Hartwick
Bryan Grimes, Jr., DB, Hartwick
Jeremiah Young, Sr., DB, Alfred
Dustin McCaslin, Sr., K, Alfred
Dan Giangrasso, Fr., P, SUNY Brockport
Toure’ Hall, Jr., Sr., Return Specialist, Morrisville State
Empire 8 Sportsman of the Year
Tyler Rider, Sr., OL, Alfred
Andrew Covais, Sr., LB, SUNY Brockport
Paul Imperiale, Sr., LB, SUNY Cortland
Connor Eisele, Sr., LB, Hartwick
Deondrade Wells, Sr., DB, Morrisville State
Dan Purcell, Sr., DE, St. John Fisher
Tim Hogan, Gr., RB, Utica
ABOUT THE EMPIRE 8 CONFERENCE
The members of the Empire 8 Conference are committed first and foremost to the pursuit of academic excellence and the league is regarded as an outstanding NCAA Division III conference. The membership has distinguished itself among its peer group for its quality institutions, spirited and sportsmanlike competition, outstanding services and highly ethical policies and practices. Its commitment to serve the educational needs of its student-athletes is the hallmark of the E8. For more on the Empire 8 visit
www.empire8.com.
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