PHILADELPHIA ? Junior Chris Wynn and sophomore Andrew Samson of the University of Pennsylvania football team were named to The Sports Network (TSN) All-America Third Team on Monday as voted on by members of the national media. TSN specifically covers the FCS and is responsible for the Division’s top 25 poll.
Wynn was Penn’s top returner on special teams and was the catalyst for the Quakers’ defense that finished atop the Ivy League in pass defense and overall defense. A first team All-Ivy selection, Wynn led the Ancient Eight for much of the year in both punt and kick return average. Wynn was the Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week after he ran back the opening kickoff for a touchdown at Georgetown on Oct. 11.
The Flemington, N.J., native was the league leader with five interceptions and nine pass breakups. With the five picks, Wynn became the first Quaker to have two consecutive seasons with five or more interceptions since the inception of the Ivy League.
Anchoring the cornerback position, Wynn helped guide Penn to the fourth-best defense in the nation and the 13th-best pass defense. Only three other schools in the country allowed fewer points in 2008 than the Quakers.
Samson tallied 16 field goals in 2008, breaking the school record. The previous mark was 15, set on three separate occasions. One of just four sophomores to make the TSN All-America list, Samson has also made more consecutive point after attempts than any kicker in Penn’s 131-year history with 49 straight to start his career.
The West Bloomfield, Mich., native was the Ivy League’s leader in field goals, field goal percentage and PAT percentage and was selected first-team All-Ivy at the end of the regular season.
Samson was also honored as a Third Team All-American by the Associated Press in December.
Penn finished 6-4 in 2008, its best record since 2004 and went 5-2 in the Ivy League.
2008 SPORTS NETWORK ALL-AMERICA
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Pos Player School Class
QB Armanti Edwards Appalachian State Junior
RB Herb Donaldson Western Illinois Senior
RB Rashad Jennings Liberty Senior
FB Dane Romero Wofford Senior
WR Ramses Barden Cal Poly Senior
WR John Matthews San Diego Senior
WR Andre Roberts The Citadel Junior
TE Marquez Branson Central Arkansas Senior
T Joel Bell Furman Senior
T Nick Hennessey Colgate Senior
G Colin Dow Montana Senior
G Matthew McCracken Richmond Junior
C Scott Lemn James Madison Senior
Defense
Pos Player School Class
DE Jovan Belcher Maine Senior
DE Greg Peach Eastern Washington Senior
DT Chris Baker Hampton Junior
DT John Faletoese UC Davis Senior
LB Zach East Prairie View Senior
LB Jacque Roman Appalachian State Junior
LB Jason Williams Western Illinois Senior
LB Nathan Williams Murray State Senior
CB K.J. Gerard Northern Arizona Senior
CB William Middleton Furman Senior
S Colt Anderson Montana Senior
S Mark LeGree Appalachian State Sophomore
S Lardarius Webb Nicholls State Senior
Special Teams
Pos Player School Class
PK Taylor Long Eastern Kentucky Senior
P Brett Arnold Massachusetts Senior
KR Kevin Teel Hampton Senior
PR Jeremy Gilchrist Hampton Senior
2008 SPORTS NETWORK ALL-AMERICA
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Pos Player School Class
QB Rodney Landers James Madison Senior
RB William Ford South Carolina State Junior
RB Trevyn Smith Weber State Junior
FB Jared Turcotte Maine Freshman
WR Terrell Hudgins Elon Junior
WR Marc Mariani Montana Junior
WR Tim Toone Weber State Junior
TE Scott Sicko New Hampshire Junior
T Cornelius Lewis Tennessee State Senior
T Brent Russum Montana Senior
G Stephen Field Cal Poly Senior
G Aaron Lockwood Southern Illinois Senior
C Raymond Harrison South Carolina State Senior
Defense
Pos Player School Class
DE Larry Hart Central Arkansas Junior
DE Lawrence Sidbury Richmond Senior
DT Melvin Matthews Grambling Senior
DT Everette Pedescleaux Northern Iowa Senior
LB Bobby Abare Yale Senior
LB Andy Romans Lafayette Senior
LB Cristian Sarmento Northern Colorado Senior
LB Andy Schantz Portland State Senior
CB Cortez Gilbert Appalachian State Junior
CB Domonique Johnson Jackson State Senior
S Tommy Connors Southeastern Louisiana Junior
S Marcus Haywood James Madison Senior
S Jeromy Miles Massachusetts Junior
Special Teams
Pos Player School Class
PK Andrew Wilcox Elon Senior
P Robbie Dehaze Northern Arizona Senior
KR Leroy Vann Florida A&M Junior
PR Scotty McGee James Madison Junior
2008 SPORTS NETWORK ALL-AMERICA
THIRD TEAM
Offense
Pos Player School Class
QB *Nathan Brown Central Arkansas Senior
QB *Cameron Higgins Weber State Sophomore
RB David McCarty Albany Junior
RB Josh Vaughan Richmond Senior
FB Dre Gibbs Western Illinois Junior
WR Dominique Edison Stephen F. Austin Senior
WR Cameron Luke Texas State Senior
WR Tony Washington Sacramento State Senior
TE Cody Nakamura Weber State Junior
T Paul Carpenter Weber State Senior
T James Williams Harvard Junior
G Jonathan Compas UC Davis Senior
G Eman Naghavi McNeese State Senior
C Cecil Newton Tennessee State Senior
Defense
Pos Player School Class
DE Greg Miller Villanova Senior
DE James Ruffin Northern Iowa Junior
DT Kyle Hawari Yale Senior
DT Bryce Scanlon Weber State Senior
LB Pierre Banks Appalachian State Senior
LB Endor Cooper Howard Senior
LB Marcellus Speaks Jackson State Senior
LB Jeffrey Williams Gardner-Webb Sophomore
CB *Andrew Berry Harvard Senior
CB Korey Lindsey Southern Illinois Junior
CB *Chris Wynn Penn Senior
S Brandon Gathof Eastern Kentucky Senior
S Beau Hadley Weber State Junior
S Terrell Whitehead Norfolk State Junior
Special Teams
Pos Player School Class
PK Andrew Samson Penn Sophomore
P Doug Spada Southeast Missouri St Junior
KR Larry Warner Southern Illinois Senior
PR Dominic Bolden Liberty Senior
* - Cameron Higgins and Nathan Brown and Andrew Berry and Chris Wynn tied with the same number of votes.
HONORABLE MENTION
Quarterbacks: Cole Bergquist, Montana; Ryan Berry, South Dakota State; Jonathan Dally, Cal Poly; Chris Pizzotti, Harvard; Dominic Randolph, Holy Cross.
Running Backs: Karrington Bush, Texas State; Corey Lewis, Northern Iowa; Toddrick Penland, McNeese State; Chase Reynolds, Montana; David Sinisi, Monmouth; Jordan Scott, Colgate; Jarvarris Williams, Tennessee State.
Fullbacks: John Crone, Richmond; Jhamal Fluellen, Maine; Jon Hall, Cal Poly; Marcus Mailei, Weber State; Contrevious Parks, Stephen F. Austin.
Wide Receivers: Michael Boyle, New Hampshire; Dobson Collins, Gardner-Webb; JaRon Harris, South Dakota State; Tysson Poots, Southern Utah.
Tight Ends: Abner Brown, Mississippi Valley State; Octavius Darby, South Carolina State; Clay Harbor, Missouri State; Ben Jorden, Appalachian State.
Tackles: Izzy Bauta, Villanova; Vladamir Ducasse, Massachusetts; Ben Ijalana, Villanova; Kyle Link, McNeese State; Raphael Nguti, Albany; Michael Silva, Richmond; Derek Wooten, Wofford.
Guards: Mario Acitelli, Appalachian State; Jeff Bowen, Texas State; Dorian Brooks, James Madison; Dennis Conley, Hampton; Jeff Hansen, Montana State; Chaz Millard, Eastern Illinois.
Centers: Ryan Canary, Maine; Mike Godsil, Liberty; Zach Harrington, North Dakota State; Kheon Hendricks, Delaware; Tommy Hernandez, UC Davis; J.D. Quinn, Montana; Brad Samsa, Youngstown State; Austin Steichen, Northern Iowa, Jonathan St. Pierre, Illinois State.
Place Kickers: Robbie Dehaze, Northern Arizona; Andrew Ireland, Texas State; Billy Halgren, Northern Iowa; Jeremy Licea, Alabama A&M; Davis Rodriguez, Lafayette; Dave Stannard, James Madison; Robert Weeks, Northwestern State.
Punters: Jason Leo, Lehigh; Derrick Raymer, Sam Houston State; Brian Scullin, Dartmouth; Trevor Ward, Southern Utah.
Kickoff Returners: Jonathan Grimes, William & Mary; A.J. Kizekai, Bucknell; Scotty McGee, James Madison; Lardarius Webb, Nicholls State.
Punt Returners: Elliott Finkley, Jacksonville; Austin Knowlin, Columbia; Marc Mariani, Montana; William Osborne, Texas Southern; Andre Roberts, The Citadel.
Defensive Ends: Lardarius Anthony, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Marcus Benard, Jackson State; Tim Knicky, Stephen F. Austin; Kevin Linehan, Weber State; Sherman Logan, Richmond; Adrian Tracy, William & Mary; Dakota Walker, Georgia Southern; Pierre Walters, Eastern Illinois; Scott Vossler, Dayton.
Defensive Tackles: Austin Curtis, Southern Utah; Matt Curtis, Harvard; Brian Jackson, Lehigh; Tom Pandolf, Albany; Ray Williams, Tennessee-Martin.
Linebackers: Chris Covington, Georgia Southern; Bobby Daly, Montana State; Tim Diamond, Lehigh; Seth Goldwire, Wofford; Jarrell Guyton, Morgan State; De'Veon Harris, Northern Iowa; Scott Lewis, Saint Francis; Cyrus Mulitalo, Sacramento State; Osayi Osunde, Villanova; Lee Robinson, Alcorn State.
Cornerbacks: Jeffrey Jack, Grambling; Josh Morris, Weber State; Courtney Robinson, Massachusetts; Justin Rogers, Richmond.
Safeties: Carnell Clark, Jacksonville State; Max Lerner, Furman; Dontrell Miller, Tennessee-Martin.
