FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Brian Laubscher, Washington and Lee
(540) 458-8669

December 14, 2005


Hampden-Sydney’s Ricca Named College Division Football Player of the Year
Bridgewater’s Clark Named Coach of the Year

LEXINGTON, Va. – Hampden-Sydney senior quarterback J.D. Ricca (Gaithersburg, Md.) and Bridgewater Head Coach Mike Clark have been named the 2005 Virginia College Division Football Player  and Coach of the Year in voting conducted by the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID).

2005 VaSID College Division All-State Football Team

Ricca’s selection as the VaSID Player of the Year marked the second time during his career that he has received that honor, mirroring the 2003 season when he also claimed the award.  The 2005 ODAC Offensive Player of the Year and Dudley Award winner as the College Division Player of the Year, Ricca shredded the record books in leading the Tigers to an 8-2 season.  He completed 262-of-391 passes (.670) for 3,731 yards and a Division III-high 42 touchdowns.  A three-time All-ODAC selection and two-time member of the VaSID All-State team, Ricca finished his career with ODAC records for completion percentage (.635), passing yards (8,633) and passing touchdowns (91).

Clark was tabbed as the Coach of the Year after guiding Bridgewater to a 10-2 overall record and the school’s fifth straight ODAC Championship.  The 2005 ODAC Coach of the Year, Clark’s Eagles advanced to the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals before falling to Wesley College.

Repeat selections to the first team included Ricca, Hampden-Sydney senior tight end Ben Dull (Salem, Va.) and senior offensive lineman Paul Williams (Richmond, Va.), Randolph-Macon junior defensive end Chris Marshburn (Virginia Beach, Va.), Washington and Lee senior defensive lineman Liam Murray (Oneonta, N.Y.), and Christopher Newport senior linebacker Justin Wood (Hampton, Va.).

Washington and Lee led all schools with nine selections to the first or second team, followed by Bridgewater, Hampden-Sydney and Christopher Newport with eight, Ferrum with five, Averett with four, Randolph-Macon with three, The Apprentice School and Virginia-Wise with two, and Emory & Henry with one.  Hampden-Sydney posted the most first team members with six, including five first-teamers on offense.

The Virginia College Division members for football include The Apprentice School, Averett University, Bridgewater College, Christopher Newport University, Emory & Henry College, Ferrum College, Hampden-Sydney College, Randolph-Macon College, Shenandoah University, Virginia State University, Virginia Union University, The University of Virginia-Wise and Washington and Lee University.

All-State teams are selected by active members of the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association.  For more information, please visit the VaSID site at http://www.ferrum.edu/athletics/vasid.

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