Monmouth's Shirden, UAlbany's Kelly Headline 2023 CAA Football All-Conference Awards
Rob Washburn
RICHMOND, Va. (November 21, 2023) – CAA Football announced its 2023 post-season award winners on Tuesday, headlined by Monmouth junior running back
Jaden Shirden repeating as the league’s Offensive Player of the Year and UAlbany senior linebacker
Dylan Kelly earning the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year award.
Other major award recipients included UAlbany’s
Greg Gattuso as CAA Coach of the Year, New Hampshire senior running back/returner
Dylan Laube as Special Teams Player of the Year, UAlbany freshman running back
Griffin Woodell as Offensive Rookie of the Year and Rhode Island freshman cornerback
Syeed Gibbs as Defensive Rookie of the Year. New Hampshire junior quarterback
Max Brosmer was honored with the Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award. CAA Football’s all-conference awards are voted on by the league’s head coaches.
Shirden is the first repeat winner of the CAA Offensive Player of the Year award since UNH’s Rick Santos received three straight honors from 2005-07. The junior ran for 1,478 yards and 10 touchdowns, becoming the first player to lead the FCS in rushing in back-to-back years since Sacramento State’s Charles Roberts in 1998-99. Shirden topped the 100-yard mark seven times and tallied over 200 yards twice this season, including 276 yards and 4 TD’s vs. Hampton on Oct. 14. He added 20 receptions for 120 yards and a TD. Shirden currently has 3,697 career rushing yards, which is the 4
th-most of any active player in FCS football.
Kelly led the CAA and ranked second in the FCS with 145 total tackles, breaking UAlbany’s season record that had stood since 1974. He recorded 10 or more stops nine times, including a career-best 23 stops against Towson on Oct. 7 which were the most by any player in FCS this season. Kelly added 8.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, two interceptions, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries for a UAlbany defense that led the nation in rushing defense (79.1 ypg), ranked 6
th in scoring defense (17.2 ppg) and 8
th in total defense (295.3 ypg).
Picked to finish 11
th in the league’s preseason poll, Gattuso guided UAlbany to a 9-3 overall record and a share of its first CAA Football championship with a 7-1 mark. The nine regular -season victories were the most for the program since 2012. Two of the Great Danes’ three setbacks came against FBS opponents, and they closed the regular season on a five-game winning streak. UAlbany earned an NCAA FCS playoff berth for just the third time in school history and was awarded a No. 5 overall seed.
Laube led the FCS in all-purpose yardage for the second consecutive season with 2,095 yards in 10 games. The versatile senior ranked third nationally in kickoff return average (31.1 ypr) and 16
th in punt return average (11.2 ypr), which included a 100-yard kickoff return for a TD vs. Delaware and a 58-yard punt return for a TD vs. Stonehill. Laube also led New Hampshire in rushing with 749 yards and 9 TD’s and receiving with 68 receptions for 699 yards and 7 TD’s.
Woodell rushed for a team-high 694 yards and six touchdowns and added 24 receptions for 231 yards and four touchdowns. The freshman ran for more than 100 yards in three of the Great Danes’ final five games, including a 136-yard effort against Stony Brook. He ranks eighth in the CAA in all-purpose yards.
Gibbs contributed 52 tackles and 3.0 tackles as a starter in the Rhode Island secondary. He led the Rams and was tied for fifth in the CAA with three interceptions, which included a pair of pickoffs in a victory over rival Brown. Gibbs tallied at least six tackles in four games and recorded three pass breakups.
Brosmer was the recipient of the prestigious Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award in 2023, an honor that embodies the highest standards of leadership, integrity, teamwork and sportsmanship in academics and athletics. The New Hampshire quarterback earned first-team All-CAA accolades after leading the nation in passing and total offense this season, completing 294-of-459 passes for 3,464 yards and 29 touchdowns. Brosmer compiled a 3.88 GPA while earning an undergraduate degree in Biomedical Science, and he’s currently working on a master’s Degree in Kinesiology. A Wildcats’ team captain, he has volunteered with Be The Match, Team Impact and Read Across America.
2023 CAA Football First Team Offense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Max Brosmer, New Hampshire |
QB |
Jr. |
Roswell, Ga. |
| Dylan Laube, New Hampshire |
RB |
Sr. |
Westhampton, N.Y. |
| Jaden Shirden, Monmouth |
RB |
Jr. |
West Haven, Conn. |
| Johncarlos Miller II, Elon |
FB/HB |
So. |
Greensboro, N.C. |
| Dymere Miller, Monmouth |
WR |
Sr. |
Coatesville, Pa. |
| Rayjoun Pringle, Villanova |
WR |
Gr. |
Woodbridge, Va. |
| Kahtero Summers, Rhode Island |
WR |
Gr. |
Coatesville, Pa. |
| Carter Runyon, Towson |
TE |
Jr. |
Fairfax, Va. |
| Ryan Coll, Richmond |
OL |
Sr. |
Gainesville, Va. |
| Michael Corbi, Villanova |
OL |
Gr. |
Annapolis, Md. |
| Mike Edwards, Campbell |
OL |
Gr. |
Hope Mills, N.C. |
| Charles Grant, William & Mary |
OL |
Jr. |
Portsmouth, Va. |
| Lorenzo Thompson, Rhode Island |
OL |
Sr. |
Syracuse, N.Y. |
| Caden Bonoffski, William & Mary |
PK |
Sr. |
Huntersville, N.C. |
| Taymon Cooke, North Carolina A&T |
KR |
Sr. |
Bluefield, Va. |
| Dylan Laube, New Hampshire |
PR |
Sr. |
Westhampton, N.Y. |
2023 CAA Football First Team Defense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Anton Juncaj, UAlbany |
DL |
Sr. |
Port Jervis, N.Y. |
| Nate Lynn, William & Mary |
DL |
Sr. |
Charlotte, N.C. |
| Marvin Pearson, Elon |
DL |
Sr. |
Asheville, N.C. |
| AJ Simon, UAlbany |
DL |
Sr. |
Tobyhanna, Pa. |
| Dylan Kelly, UAlbany |
LB |
Sr. |
Amherst, N.Y. |
| John Pius, William & Mary |
LB |
Jr. |
Arlington, Va. |
| Jackson Taylor, Delaware |
LB |
Gr. |
Glenside, Pa. |
| Tristan Wheeler, Richmond |
LB |
Sr. |
Bethlehem, Pa. |
| Aamir Hall, UAlbany |
CB |
Jr. |
Baltimore, Md. |
| Ryan Poole, William & Mary |
CB |
Sr. |
Annapolis, Md. |
| Caleb Curtain, Elon |
S |
So. |
Greensboro, N.C. |
| Larry Walker, Jr., UAlbany |
S |
Sr. |
Aliquippa, Pa. |
| Aaron Trusler, Richmond |
P |
Sr. |
Melbourne, Australia |
| Jabril Hayes, Richmond |
SPEC |
Jr. |
Stephens City, Va. |
| 2023 Offensive Player of the Year: Jaden Shirden, Monmouth |
| 2023 Defensive Player of the Year: Dylan Kelly, UAlbany |
| 2023 Coach of the Year: Greg Gattuso, UAlbany |
| 2023 Special Teams Player of the Year: Dylan Laube, New Hampshire |
| 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year: Griffin Woodell, UAlbany |
| 2023 Defensive Rookie of the Year: Syeed Gibbs, Rhode Island |
2023 Chuck Boone Leadership and Excellence Award: Max Brosmer, New Hampshire
|
2023 CAA Football Second Team Offense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Reese Poffenbarger, UAlbany |
QB |
So. |
Middletown, Md. |
| Jalen Jackson, Villanova |
RB |
Gr. |
Richmond, Va. |
| Marcus Yarns, Delaware |
RB |
Sr. |
Salisbury, Md. |
| Sone Ntoh, Monmouth |
FB/HB |
Gr. |
Macungle, Pa. |
| Nick DeGennaro, Richmond |
WR |
Jr. |
Old Bridge, N.J. |
| Brevin Easton, UAlbany |
WR |
Sr. |
Severn, Md. |
| Julian Hicks, UAlbany |
WR |
Gr. |
Cleveland, Ohio |
| Kyle Lepkowski, New Hampshire |
TE |
Sr. |
Adamstown, Md. |
| Greg Anderson, Monmouth |
OL |
Gr. |
Carlstadt, N.J. |
| Ozzie Hutchinson, UAlbany |
OL |
Sr. |
Poughkeepsie, N.Y. |
| Brandon Hardy, Hampton |
OL |
Sr. |
Vanceboro, N.C. |
| Osho Omoyeni, New Hampshire |
OL |
Sr. |
Lowell, Mass. |
| Tairiq Stewart, North Carolina A&T |
OL |
Gr. |
Cleveland, Ohio |
| Keegan Vaughan, Towson |
PK |
Jr. |
Richmond, Va. |
| Dylan Laube, New Hampshire |
KR |
Sr. |
Westhampton, N.Y. |
| Jourdan Townsend, Delaware |
PR |
Gr. |
Farrell, Pa. |
2023 CAA Football Second Team Defense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Jesus Gibbs, Towson |
DL |
Gr. |
Dumfries, Va. |
| Chase McGowan, Delaware |
DL |
Gr. |
Stafford, Va. |
| Dylan Ruiz, New Hampshire |
DL |
Jr. |
Orlando, Fla. |
| Josiah Silver, New Hampshire |
DL |
Jr. |
Hampton, Va. |
| Brandon Bell, Villanova |
LB |
Sr. |
Basking Ridge, N.J. |
| Ori Jean-Charles, UAlbany |
LB |
Gr. |
Spring Valley, N.Y. |
| Evan Stewart, Rhode Island |
LB |
Sr. |
Sparta, N.J. |
| Qwahsin Townsel, Hampton |
LB |
Gr. |
Egg Harbor, N.J. |
| Robert Javier, Towson |
CB |
Gr. |
Bronx, N.Y. |
| Isas Waxter, Villanova |
CB |
Sr. |
Newark, N.J. |
| Aaron Banks, Richmond |
S |
Gr. |
Stephens City, Va. |
| Ty Trinh, Villanova |
S |
Sr. |
Owings Mills, Md. |
| Tyler Pastula, UAlbany |
P |
Sr. |
Easton, Pa. |
| TD Ayo-Durojaiye, Villanova |
SPEC |
Gr. |
Damascus, Md. |
2023 CAA Football Third Team Offense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Connor Watkins, Villanova |
QB |
Gr. |
Williamsport, Pa, |
| Elijah Burris, Hampton |
RB |
Jr. |
Gastonia, N.C. |
| Jalen Hampton, Elon |
RB |
So. |
Frederick, Md. |
| Rohan Jones, Maine |
FB/HB |
So. |
Montreal, Quebec |
| Anthony Johnson, Stony Brook |
WR |
Fr. |
Burlington, N.J. |
| Logan Tomlinson, New Hampshire |
WR |
Gr. |
Manchester, Conn. |
| Jourdan Townsend, Delaware |
WR |
Gr. |
Farrell, Pa. |
| Braden Brose, Delaware |
TE |
Gr. |
Irwin, Pa. |
| Temi Ajirotutu, Villanova |
OL |
Sr. |
Queens, N.Y. |
| Fintan Brose, Delaware |
OL |
Sr. |
Irwin, Pa. |
| Will Marotta, UAlbany |
OL |
Sr. |
Collegeville, Pa. |
| Tyler McLellan, Campbell |
OL |
Gr. |
North Charleston, S.C. |
| Matt O’Neill, New Hampshire |
OL |
Sr. |
Weymouth, Mass. |
| Tyler Williams, Monmouth |
OL |
Gr. |
Pine Bush, N.Y. |
| John Opalko, UAlbany |
PK |
Jr. |
Springdale, Pa. |
| D’Ago Hunter, Towson |
KR |
Gr. |
Culpeper, Va. |
| Gabe Sloat, Rhode Island |
PR |
Jr. |
North Kingstown, R.I. |
2023 CAA Football Third Team Defense
|
| Player, School |
Pos. |
Class |
Hometown |
| Jeremiah Grant, Richmond |
DL |
Jr. |
South Orange, N.J. |
| Marlem Louis, Richmond |
DL |
Sr. |
Venice, Fla. |
| Westley Neal, Jr., Rhode Island |
DL |
Jr. |
Miami, Fla. |
| Jake Reichwein, Villanova |
DL |
Gr. |
Doylestown, Pa. |
| Kevin Jarrell, William & Mary |
LB |
Sr. |
Charlottesville, Va. |
| A.J. Pena, Rhode Island |
LB |
So. |
Branchburg, N.J. |
| CJ Tillman, Campbell |
LB |
Jr. |
Rockingham, N.C. |
| BJ Turner, North Carolina A&T |
LB |
Gr. |
Greensboro, N.C. |
| Jaidyn Denis, Elon |
CB |
Jr. |
Charlotte, N.C. |
| Karon Prunty, North Carolina A&T |
CB |
Jr. |
Portsmouth, Va. |
| Ty Davis, Delaware |
S |
Jr. |
Mount Laurel, N.J. |
| Brent Jackson, Rhode Island |
S |
Gr. |
Denton, Texas |
| Ryan Kost, Delaware |
P |
Gr. |
Newtown, Conn. |
| Charles Briscoe III, New Hampshire |
SPEC |
Sr. |
Bowie, Md. |
HONORABLE MENTION:
Kasim Hill, QB, Rhode Island;
Derek Robertson, QB, Maine;
Malachi Imoh, RB, William & Mary;
Ja’Den McKenzie, RB, Rhode Island;
Ian Renninger, FB/HB, UAlbany;
Chandler Brayboy, WR, Elon;
Marquis Buchanan, WR, Rhode Island;
VJ Wilkins, WR/KR, Campbell;
Sebastian Delasoudas, OL, Rhode Island;
Kevin Jones, OL, Maine;
Ryan McKenna, OL, William & Mary;
Ralph Paige, OL, Towson;
Antonio Colclough, DL, Monmouth;
Dion Crews-Harris, DL, Towson;
Jake Brown, LB, Monmouth;
Shane Hartzell, LB, Villanova;
Aidan Kaler, LB, Stony Brook;
Ryan Toscano, LB, New Hampshire;
Tyron Herring, CB, Delaware;
Eddie Morales III, CB, Monmouth;
Marcus Barnes, S, William & Mary;
Joe Eichman, S, New Hampshire;
Bo Sanders, S, Elon;
Malcolm Spencer, S, William & Mary;
Tyrese Wright, S, Monmouth;
Josh Cupitt, P, Towson;
Nate Fondacaro, P, Villanova;
Bobby Cleary, LS, Campbell