WASHINGTON – The Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) announced its 14th annual all-conference teams and Gallaudet University brought in a record haul as the Bison set a new program record with 16 all-conference honors and took home two major awards.
Gallaudet's major award recipients include Defensive Player of the Year Jacob Hartman (Petersburg, W.Va.) for the second consecutive year and Rookie of the Year to first-year linebacker Marcus Gabriel (Beeville, Texas).
GU (4-5) was ECFC regular-season co-champions with Alfred State College and Anna Maria College as all three teams posted identical 3-1 conference records.
Gallaudet had nine players on the first team, three on the second team and four received honorable mention accolades as a total 67 different student-athletes representing five programs received recognition from the conference after completion of the 2023 regular season. Alfred State College led the way with 20 honorees followed by Anna Maria College (17), Gallaudet (16), Dean College (nine) and Vermont State University Castleton (seven).
Seven of GU's honorees are repeat honorees while eight other players are making their first appearance on the All-ECFC teams.
Hartman was named Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year. The three-time all-conference first-team defender finished the season with a team-high 57 tackles (35 solo), 12 tackles for a loss of 40 yards, three sacks for a loss of 16 yards, four quarterback hurries and one forced fumble. Hartman ranks 71st in NCAA Division III for tackles for loss (1.3 per game).
Gabriel was honored as the Rookie of the Year after a solid first season as a Bison. Gabriel becomes the sixth Bison to ever earn ECFC Rookie of the Year honors. Gabriel finished the season third on the team in tackles (47) as the first-year linebacker tallied 25 solo tackles, 22 assisted tackles, five tackles for a loss of 21 yards and 1.5 sacks for a loss of 11 yards and one forced fumble.
GU had six selections on the All-ECFC First Team Offense led by repeat honorees in junior fullback Dre'Vaughn Mackall (Prince Frederick, Md.), junior running back Mikka Harvey (Prince Frederick, Md.), junior offensive lineman John Scarboro (Austin, Texas) and senior kicker Jonathon Waterman (Redding, Calif.). This is the third all-conference nod for Harvey, who was on the second team last year and the first team in 2021, and Scarboro who was on the first team last year and honorable mention in 2021. Waterman, last year's Special Teams Player of the Year, is on the first team offense for the second consecutive year alongside Mackall. Sophomore return specialist Andrae' Green (Washington, D.C.) earns his first all-conference offense selection along with sophomore offensive lineman Kyle Albertson (Pierre, S.D.).
Gallaudet's All-ECFC First Team Defense honorees are familiar names in Hartman, Green and Waterman as a punter. Hartman makes his third straight first-team appearance and Green earns a second straight first-team honor. Waterman makes his first appearance on an all-conference team as a punter.
Junior offensive lineman Billy Haynes (Pasadena, Texas) is Gallaudet's only honoree on the All-ECFC Second Team Offense, in his all-conference debut.
Two first-year players in Gabriel and Kelvin Benjamin (California, Md.) show up on the All-ECFC Second Team Defense in their rookie season.
Gallaudet had four honorable mention picks in junior quarterback Brandon Washington (Citronelle, Ala.), sophomore long-snapper Tyler Conner (Welsh, La.), junior defensive lineman Zachary Wade (Grovetown, Ga.) and sophomore linebacker Zefan Nathanson (Manor, Texas). This is Washington's third all-conference honor and second honorable mention recognition. Washington was last year's Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team selection on offense.
In 14 seasons, Gallaudet has accumulated 153 all-conference honors from the ECFC. GU has garnered six ECFC Rookie of the Year awards, three ECFC Defensive Player of the Year, two ECFC Special Teams Player of the Year, one ECFC Offensive Player of the Year, three ECFC Coach of the Year honors and one Assistant Coach of the Year. The Bison had a streak of one major ECFC award winner every year since the league began in 2009 until 2013.
The league's coaches, who were not allowed to vote for their own players, voted on the All-ECFC teams.
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