Aug. 6, 2010
VILLANOVA, Pa. - Preseason accolades for members of the defending national champion Villanova football team continue to roll in, as the Wildcats have recently received recognition from Sports Network as well as the website College Football Performance. Villanova had the most players chosen to the first team Preseason All-America squad by Sports Network with three selections. The trio includes senior wide receiver/kick returner Matt Szczur (Erma, N.J.), senior offensive lineman Ben Ijalana (Hainesport, N.J.) and senior linebacker Terence Thomas (Plainsboro, N.J.).
Ijalana and Szczur are each on the preseason watch list for the Walter Payton Award, which is presented by Sports Network to the top offensive player in FCS football at the end of each season. The defensive equivalent is the Buck Buchanan Award, and Thomas is on the watch list for that honor.
Szczur was a consensus first team All-American last season, when he was voted the CAA Football Offensive Player of the Year and Special Teams Player of the Year. He was also the MVP of the national championship game against Montana, when he rushed for a career-high 159 yards and racked up 270 all-purpose yards. Szczur was the only Division I player (FBS or FCS) last season to register a touchdown as a receiver, rusher, passer and kick returner.
Ijalana is the only FCS football player on the preseason watch list for the Outland Trophy, which is presented to the top lineman in the country. He earned first team All-America honors last season from the Sports Network and Walter Camp Foundation, and is a two-time first team All-CAA choice. Ijalana has started all 39 games of his collegiate career and last season helped the Wildcats set numerous offensive records en route to the program's first national championship.
Thomas led the Wildcats in tackles last season and was chosen as a second team Sports Network All-American. He also earned first team All-CAA honors and finished the year with 116 total tackles, including 68 solo stops and 48 assisted tackles. Thomas tallied 11.0 tackles for loss, including 8.5 quarterback sacks, while also registering a forced fumble and a pass break-up. He has made 244 tackles (136 solo, 108 assisted) in his career, including 21.5 tackles for loss and 15.5 sacks.
The website College Football Performance also released watch lists for the annual College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) program. Szczur and senior quarterback Chris Whitney (Warminster, Pa.) each were chosen for the watch list for the top CFPA honor, FCS National Performer of the Year. Szczur is also on the watch list for FCS Running Back of the Year and FCS Kick Returner of the Year, while Whitney is on the list for FCS Quarterback of the Year.
Villanova is set to begin preseason camp this coming Sunday.
