Delaware's Lee, JMU's Greene and Richmond's Turner Headline CAA Football All-Conference Awards
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (April 21, 2021) – CAA Football announced its 2020 post-season award winners on Wednesday, headlined by Delaware senior running back
Dejoun Lee being selected as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year and JMU senior defensive end
Mike Greene and Richmond junior defensive tackle
Kobie Turner sharing the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
Other major award recipients included Delaware’s
Danny Rocco as CAA Coach of the Year, James Madison senior kicker
Ethan Ratke as Special Teams Player of the Year, Rhode Island freshman running back
Kevin Brown, Jr. as Offensive Rookie of the Year and UAlbany freshman defensive end
Jared Verse as Defensive Rookie of the Year. Villanova senior running back
Justin Covington was honored with the Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award and Elon senior quarterback
Davis Cheek was chosen as the CAA Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. CAA Football’s all-conference awards are voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Lee rushed for a league-high 498 yards and five touchdowns on 77 carries (6.5 ypc) this season. The senior topped the 100-yard mark twice, highlighted by a career-high 221 yards in a win over Rhode Island. He also averaged 26.9 yards on kickoff returns, including an 87-yarder for a TD against Maine, and caught 11 passes for 75 yards. Lee led the CAA and ranked sixth in FCS in all-purpose yards (152.2 ypg). He is Delaware’s first CAA Offensive Player of the Year since 2010 and the first running back to win the award since 2013.
Greene ranked second in the CAA with 8.0 tackles for loss and also contributed 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups and 15 total tackles over five game. The Dukes’ defensive end recorded at least one tackle for loss in four of his five games, including 3.5 in a victory at Elon. Greene is JMU’s fourth consecutive CAA Defensive Player of the Year and the third defensive lineman during that stretch.
Turner ranked third in the conference with 6.0 tackles for loss and was fourth in the league with 3.5 sacks. The Spiders’ defensive tackle registered 19 total tackles during his four games and also forced a fumble. He had at least one sack in three of the Spiders’ four contests. Turner is Richmond’s first CAA Defensive Player of the Year since 2010 and is the first interior defensive lineman to win the award since 2011.
Rocco guided Delaware to an unbeaten season with a 5-0 record and a CAA championship with a 4-0 mark. The Blue Hens earned a berth in the FCS playoffs for the second time in three years and will host a playoff game for the first time since 2010. Delaware is currently ranked No. 5 nationally. It’s the second CAA Coach of the Year honor in Rocco’s career and he’s the first Delaware coach to win the award since 1991.
Ratke didn’t miss a kick all season long, connecting on 9-of-9 field goal attempts and 20-of-20 extra points. He led the conference in scoring with 47 total points. The senior also became the CAA’s career leader in field goals made with 67, which is tied for the 7
th-most in FCS history. Ratke is JMU’s third Special Teams Player of the Year in the past five seasons.
Brown led Rhode Island and ranked fifth in the league in rushing with 256 yards on 49 carries (5.2 ypg) over three games. In his collegiate debut, Brown ran for 141 yards and four touchdowns as the Rams knocked off nationally ranked Villanova in overtime. The four TD’s were the most by a Rams’ player since 2004. Brown is URI’s first CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year since 2005.
Verse led the CAA with 10.0 tackles for loss and ranked second in the conference with 4.0 sacks in only four games. He was 8
th in FCS in TFL’s per game (2.2) and 11
th in sacks (1.0). The Great Danes’ defensive end recorded 22 total tackles and also blocked a kick. Verse is UAlbany’s first CAA Defensive Rookie of the Year since 2015.
Covington was the recipient of the prestigious Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award, an honor that embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity, teamwork and sportsmanship in academics and athletics. The Villanova running back earned All-CAA accolades for the second straight year after rushing for a team-high 308 yards and six touchdowns on 42 carries (7.3 ypc). A team captain, Covington compiled a 3.1 GPA while earning his degree in Nursing and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Nursing. He has been involved in numerous community service projects, including Special Olympics and the Andy Talley Bone Marrow Drive.
Cheek was honored as the CAA Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year. A three-year starter at quarterback for Elon, he sat out the spring campaign due to an injury, but has thrown for 5,624 yards and 34 touchdowns in his career. Cheek compiled a 3.5 GPA while earning his degree in strategic communications and is currently working on his MBA at Elon.
2020 CAA Football First Team Offense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Nolan Henderson, Delaware |
QB |
Jr. |
Smyrna, Del. |
| Percy Agyei-Obese, James Madison |
RB |
Sr. |
Frederick, Md. |
| Dejoun Lee, Delaware |
RB |
Sr. |
Springfield, Va. |
| Joe Kenny, Rhode Island |
FB/HB |
Sr. |
Wayne, N.J. |
| Andre Miller, Maine |
WR |
Sr. |
Old Town, Maine |
| Thyrick Pitts, Delaware |
WR |
Jr. |
Manassas, Va. |
| Kris Thornton, James Madison |
WR |
Jr. |
Manassas, Va. |
| John Fitzgerald, Richmond |
TE |
Gr. |
Baltimore, Md. |
| Michael Corbi, Villanova |
OL |
Jr. |
Arnold, Md. |
| Raymond Gillespie, James Madison |
OL |
Sr. |
Mechanicsville, Va. |
| David Kroll, Delaware |
OL |
Sr. |
Reston, Va. |
| Clayton McConnell, Richmond |
OL |
Jr. |
Foley, Ala. |
| Kyle Nunez, Stony Brook |
OL |
Jr. |
East Islip, N.Y. |
| Truvell Wilson, James Madison |
OL |
Sr. |
Richmond, Va. |
| Ethan Ratke, James Madison |
PK |
Sr. |
Mechanicsville, Va. |
| Dejoun Lee, Delaware |
RET |
Sr. |
Springfield, Va. |
2020 CAA Football First Team Defense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Malik Fisher, Villanova |
DL |
Sr. |
New York, N.Y. |
| Mike Greene, James Madison |
DL |
Sr. |
Highland Springs, Va. |
| Sam Kamara, Stony Brook |
DL |
Sr. |
Carteret, N.J. |
| Kobie Turner, Richmond |
DL |
Jr. |
Clifton, Va. |
| Johnny Buchanan, Delaware |
LB |
Jr. |
Brick, N.J. |
| Tyler Dressler, Richmond |
LB |
Sr. |
Covington, Va. |
| Forrest Rhyne, Villanova |
LB |
Sr. |
Waynesboro, Pa. |
| Deshawn Stevens, Maine |
LB |
Sr. |
Toronto, Ontario |
| Tristan Wheeler, Richmond |
LB |
So. |
Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Christian Benford, Villanova |
CB |
Jr. |
Randallstown, Md. |
| Nijuel Hill, Delaware |
CB |
Sr. |
Baltimore, Md. |
| MJ Hampton, James Madison |
S |
Sr. |
Fredericksburg, Va. |
| Kedrick Whitehead, Delaware |
S |
Jr. |
Middletown, Del. |
| Hunter Stephenson, Elon |
P |
Sr. |
Wake Forest, N.C. |
| Anthony Del Negro, Stony Brook |
SPEC |
Jr. |
Bohemia, N.Y. |
| 2020 Offensive Player of the Year: Dejoun Lee, Delaware |
| 2020 Co-Defensive Players of the Year: Mike Greene, James Madison and Kobie Turner, Richmond |
| 2020 Coach of the Year: Danny Rocco, Delaware |
| 2020 Special Teams Player of the Year: Ethan Ratke, James Madison |
| 2020 Offensive Rookie of the Year: Kevin Brown, Jr., Rhode Island |
2020 Defensive Rookie of the Year: Jared Verse, UAlbany
2020 Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Davis Cheek, Elon |
2020 Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award: Justin Covington, Villanova
|
2020 CAA Football Second Team Offense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Joe Fagnano, Maine |
QB |
So. |
Williamsport, Pa. |
| Justin Covington, Villanova |
RB |
Sr. |
Bronx, N.Y. |
| Karl Mofor, UAlbany |
RB |
Sr. |
Greenbelt, Md. |
| Gene Coleman II, Delaware |
WR |
Sr. |
Montclair, N.J. |
| Ivory Frimpong, Rhode Island |
WR |
Sr. |
Centreville, Va. |
| Rayjoun Pringle, Villanova |
WR |
So. |
Dumfries, Va. |
| Bryce DeMaille, Delaware |
TE |
Jr. |
Frederick, Md. |
| Tim Coleman, Richmond |
OL |
Sr. |
Stone Mountain, Ga. |
| Nick Correia, Rhode Island |
OL |
So. |
Nantucket, Mass. |
| Colin Gamroth, Villanova |
OL |
Sr. |
Mercer Island, Wash. |
| Mickey Henry, Delaware |
OL |
Jr. |
Wilmington, Del. |
| Andrew Trainer, William & Mary |
OL |
Sr. |
Alexandria, Va. |
| Ryan Coe, Delaware |
PK |
So. |
McDonald, Pa. |
| Dez Boykin, Villanova |
RET |
Jr. |
Whitehall, Pa. |
2020 CAA Football Second Team Defense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Will Kiely, William & Mary |
DL |
Sr. |
Downingtown, Pa. |
| Chase McGowan, Delaware |
DL |
So. |
Stafford, Va. |
| Darius Reynolds, Richmond |
DL |
Sr. |
Yorktown, Va. |
| Jared Verse, UAlbany |
DL |
Fr. |
Berwick, Pa. |
| Kelvin Azanama, James Madison |
LB |
Sr. |
Chesterfield, Va. |
| Augie Contressa, Stony Brook |
LB |
Sr. |
Commack, N.Y. |
| Danny Damico, UAlbany |
LB |
Jr. |
Manlius, N.Y. |
| Diamonte Tucker-Dorsey, James Madison |
LB |
Jr. |
Norfolk, Va. |
| Tyrek Funderburk, Richmond |
CB |
So. |
Indian Trail, N.C. |
| Jalen Greene, Elon |
CB |
Sr. |
Durham, N.C. |
| Cole Coleman, Elon |
S |
Jr. |
Raleigh, N.C. |
| Noah Plack, Delaware |
S |
So. |
Bridgeville, Pa. |
| Coby Tippett, Rhode Island |
S |
Sr |
Sharon, Mass. |
| Harry O’Kelly, James Madison |
P |
Sr. |
Wynnum, Queensland, Australia |
| Bryce Colee, Maine |
SPEC |
Sr. |
Tampa, Fla. |
| Kyle Davis, James Madison |
SPEC |
Jr. |
Waxhaw, N.C. |