Football Entrance 2023
University at Albany

Football

Postseason Awards Pour in for Football

ALBANY, N.Y. – The University at Albany football team, fresh off its best season in program history, continues to rack up postseason awards.
 
The Great Danes finished with an 11-4 overall record, going 7-1 in Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) action. The team claimed its first ever CAA title, sharing it with Villanova and Richmond. The Great Danes defeated Villanova midway through the season, 31-10 at home, and took down Richmond in the Second Round of the FCS Playoffs, 41-13 at home.
 
UAlbany was awarded the NCAA's #5 seed in the playoffs, the highest the team has ever been ranked, while also receiving a First Round bye. The win over Richmond cemented the furthest the Great Danes had ever gotten in the postseason, previously having reached the Second Round in 2019. In the Quarterfinals, UAlbany flew across the country to #4 Idaho – taking down the Vandals, 30-22, in the Kibbie Dome to advance to the Semifinals before falling to South Dakota State, the top seed and the defending National Champions.
 
The Great Danes were represented by multiple organizations in their postseason awards, including the CAA, Associated Press, Stats Perform, FCS Football Central, ECAC, and Phil Steele. 
 
For a full list of awards won over the last several weeks, see below. The list will be continually updated to reflect all awards members of the team garnered.  
 
Greg Gattuso, Head Coach (10th Season)
CAA Coach of the Year
FCS Football Central Coach of the Year
AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year
ECAC Coach of the Year
Eddie Robinson Award Runner-Up
 
Sean Dugery, OL
Phil Steele Freshman All-American Fourth Team
FCS Football Central Freshman All-American
 
Brevin Easton, WR
All-CAA Second Team Offense
2023 FCS Football Central Third Team All-American
Phil Steele All-CAA Second Team
 
Joseph Greaney, DL
Phil Steele All-CAA Fifth Team
 
Aamir Hall, DB
All-CAA First Team Defense
AP FCS Second Team All-American
FCS Football Central First Team All-American
Stats Perform FCS All-America Third Team
Phil Steele All-American Third Team
Phil Steele All-CAA First Team
FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team
 
Julian Hicks, WR
All-CAA Second Team Offense
Phil Steele All-CAA Second Team

Elijah Hills, DL
Phil Steele All-CAA Fourth Team
 
Scott Houseman, OL
Phil Steele All-CAA Fourth Team
 
Ozzie Hutchinson, OL
All-CAA Second Team Offense
Phil Steele All-CAA Second Team
 
Ori Jean-Charles, LB
All-CAA Second Team Defense
Phil Steele All-CAA Second Team
 
Anton Juncaj, DE
All-CAA First Team Defense
Buck Buchanan Award Finalist (5th)
AP FCS First Team All-American
Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team
FCS Football Central First Team All-American
AFCA FCS All-America First Team
Phil Steele All-American Second Team
Phil Steele All-CAA First Team
Walter Camp Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-America Team
 
Dylan Kelly, LB
All-CAA First Team Defense
CAA Defensive Player of the Year
Buck Buchanan Award Finalist (Top Three)
AP FCS First Team All-American
Stats Perform FCS All-America First Team
FCS Football Central First Team All-American
ECAC Defensive Player of the Year
Phil Steel FCS Defensive Player of the Year
Phil Steele All-American First Team
Phil Steele CAA Defensive Player of the Year
Phil Steele All-CAA First Team
FCS ADA All-America Team
FCS ADA Academic All-Star Team
 
Nolan Latulippe, OL
Phil Steele Freshman All-American First Team
 
Will Marotta, OL
All-CAA Third Team Offense
Phil Steele All-CAA Fourth Team
 
AJ Simon, DE
All-CAA First Team Defense
FCS Football Central First Team All-American
Stats Perform FCS All-America Third Team
Phil Steele All-CAA First Team
 
John Opalko, K
All-CAA Third Team Special Teams
Phil Steele All-CAA Fourth Team
 
Tyler Pastula, P
All-CAA Second Team Special Teams
Phil Steele All-CAA Third Team
 
Reese Poffenbarger, QB
All-CAA Second Team Offense
Walter Payton Award Finalist (12th)
Stats Perform FCS All-America Third Team
FCS Football Central Third Team All-American
Phil Steele All-CAA Second Team
 
Ian Renninger, TE
All-CAA Honorable Mention
Phil Steele All-CAA Fourth Team
 
Stephen Sokach-Minnick, LS
Phil Steele All-CAA Third Team
 
Larry Walker Jr, DB
Phil Steele All-CAA Second Team
All-CAA First Team Defense
 
Griffin Woodell, RB
CAA Offensive Rookie of the Year
FCS Football Central Freshman All-American
Jerry Rice Award Finalist (5th)
Stats Perform FCS Freshman All-American (Special Teams, All-Purpose)
Phil Steele CAA Freshman of the Year
Phil Steele All-CAA Fifth Team
Phil Steele Freshman All-American Second Team
Phil Steele Freshman All-American Third Team (Special Teams)

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Players Mentioned

Joseph Greaney

#58 Joseph Greaney

DL
6' 3"
Sophomore
Julian Hicks

#1 Julian Hicks

WR
6' 2"
Graduate Student
Elijah Hills

#93 Elijah Hills

DL
6' 1"
Sophomore
Scott Houseman

#73 Scott Houseman

OL
6' 2"
Junior
Ozzie Hutchinson

#65 Ozzie Hutchinson

OL
6' 4"
Sophomore
Dylan Kelly

#42 Dylan Kelly

LB
6' 1"
Sophomore
Will Marotta

#72 Will Marotta

OL
6' 4"
Sophomore
John Opalko

#37 John Opalko

K/P
5' 10"
Freshman
Ian Renninger

#87 Ian Renninger

TE
6' 5"
Junior
Stephen Sokach-Minnick

#52 Stephen Sokach-Minnick

LS
6' 0"
Sophomore
Brevin Easton

#13 Brevin Easton

WR
5' 10"
Junior
AJ Simon

#96 AJ Simon

DL
6' 1"
Junior

Players Mentioned

Joseph Greaney

#58 Joseph Greaney

6' 3"
Sophomore
DL
Julian Hicks

#1 Julian Hicks

6' 2"
Graduate Student
WR
Elijah Hills

#93 Elijah Hills

6' 1"
Sophomore
DL
Scott Houseman

#73 Scott Houseman

6' 2"
Junior
OL
Ozzie Hutchinson

#65 Ozzie Hutchinson

6' 4"
Sophomore
OL
Dylan Kelly

#42 Dylan Kelly

6' 1"
Sophomore
LB
Will Marotta

#72 Will Marotta

6' 4"
Sophomore
OL
John Opalko

#37 John Opalko

5' 10"
Freshman
K/P
Ian Renninger

#87 Ian Renninger

6' 5"
Junior
TE
Stephen Sokach-Minnick

#52 Stephen Sokach-Minnick

6' 0"
Sophomore
LS
Brevin Easton

#13 Brevin Easton

5' 10"
Junior
WR
AJ Simon

#96 AJ Simon

6' 1"
Junior
DL