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Belcher, Canary Named New England Football Writers All-Stars
Dec. 4, 2008
ORONO, Maine - University of Maine senior football players Jovan Belcher (West Babylon, N.Y.) and Ryan Canary (Point Pleasant, N.J.) were recently named to the New England Football Writers FCS All-Star Team. The duo will be honored at the NEFW's awards banquet on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008, at Casa Di Fior in Wilmington, Mass. Belcher, a defensive end, made the NEFW's All-Star squad for the second-straight year. This recent award is the latest in a long line of honors for Belcher this season. Last week Belcher was named the 2008 CAA Football Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in tackles for loss following the regular season. For the entire season, Belcher recorded 17.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. He finished his career with 44.0 tackles for loss, which places him among the top 25 all-time in NCAA FCS history for career tackles for loss. In addition to the two honors listed above, Belcher has received other awards this year, including: 2008 All-CAA First-Team; finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, which is presented annually to the nation's most outstanding defensive player at the FCS level; 2008 CAA Football Preseason Defensive Player of the Year; 2008 Sporting News Preseason All-American; 2008 Sports Network First-Team Preseason All-American; was named the top defensive player in the CAA in the 2008 preseason according to the Sporting News; 2008 Phil Steele Preseason First-Team All-American; 2008 Lindy's Preseason Second-Team All-American; 2008 Preseason All-CAA selection; 2008 Phil Steele Preseason First-Team All-CAA selection; CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 13, 2008); and The Sports Network FCS National Defensive Player of the Week (Oct. 14, 2008).
Canary, an offensive lineman, was named to the NEFW's squad for the first time in his career. The award comes on the heels of Canary being named to the 2008 All-CAA First-Team last week. Canary was part of an offensive line which helped Maine finish third in the CAA in rushing following the regular season. It marked the third-straight season the Black Bears finished in the top four in rushing in the CAA following the regular season. A three-year starter at center, Canary anchored a line which helped pave the way for running backs Jared Turcotte and Jhamal Fluellen to earn first-team and third-team all-conference honors, respectively this season
Canary also piled up several individual awards throughout the 2008 season. In addition to the two listed above, he was named a semifinalist for the Draddy Trophy, which is presented to the nation's most outstanding student-athlete by the National Football Foundation and the College Football Hall of Fame. Canary, who earned Preseason All-CAA honors, was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District I First-Team for compiling a 3.68 GPA in secondary education. Belcher and Canary helped guide Maine to an 8-5 record this season and the school's fifth trip all-time to the NCAA FCS playoffs. The Black Bears concluded the regular season ranked 20th in The Sports Network Top 25 Poll, marking the second time in the last three seasons Maine was ranked nationally following the regular season. The Black Bears finished second in the CAA North Division after they were tabbed to finish fourth according to the league's preseason poll released back in July. Maine's eight wins were its most since the 2002 season when the Black Bears won 11 games. Maine also produced a six-game winning streak during the season. The streak marked just the 15th time in the program's 117 seasons that the Black Bears won at least six-straight games in a single season or bridging multiple seasons. |
