CAA Official Release | All-Conference Teams | Video

RICHMOND, Va.--Junior quarterback John Robertson (Paramus, N.J.) was named the CAA Football Offensive Player of the Year on Tuesday afternoon in an announcement of the league's postseason awards. Villanova had a total of 10 all-conference honorees, including three first team selections, in recognition of the Wildcats excellent regular season. Villanova is currently 10-2 overall and received the No. 6 seed and a first-round bye in the FCS playoffs.

The all-conference selections for the Wildcats include the three first team honorees, along with four second team selections and three players on the third team. Robertson was joined in the first team All-CAA squad by senior offensive lineman Vince Kowalski (Williamstown, N.J.) and junior linebacker Don Cherry (Trumbull, Conn.).

Senior wide receiver Poppy Livers (Seaside, Calif.) and senior offensive lineman Ross Hall (Leola, Pa.) each represented the offense on the second team, where they were joined by senior nose guard Pat Williams (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) and senior safety Joe Sarnese (Ventnor, N.J.).

The third team selections from Villanova included senior running back Kevin Monangai (Roseland, N.J.), junior running back Gary Underwood (Cincinnati, Ohio) and sophomore cornerback Jason Ceneus (New Rochelle, N.Y.).

Seven of the 10 all-conference honorees from the Wildcats are repeat selections. Robertson and Monangai each earned All-CAA recognition for the third straight year, while Cherry, Hall, Kowalski, Livers and Sarnese attained all-conference status for the second time in their careers. Robertson was previously the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2012 and he becomes the fifth player in league history to be named an Offensive Player of the Year after also receiving a Rookie of the Year award.

Villanova is in the midst of a remarkable seven-year run of success. Dating back to 2008 the Wildcats have made five playoff appearances, including winning the 2009 national championship and making a semifinal appearance the year after. During the seven-year stretch, Villanova has now received a total of 79 All-CAA honors to go along with seven major conference award winners.

The announcement from the CAA on Tuesday afternoon included the first, second and third team all-conference lists as well as the league's major award winners. William & Mary senior defensive lineman Mike Reilly was chosen as the Defensive Player of the Year, while senior placekicker John Carpenter from the Tribe earned Special Teams Player of the Year honors. New Hampshire head coach Sean McDonnell was selected as the Coach of the Year, while other award winners included Albany wide receiver Josh Gontarek (Offensive Rookie of the Year), Delaware defensive lineman Blaine Woodson (Defensive Rookie of the Year) and Albany senior wide receiver Jake Meek (Chuck Boone Leadership Award).

Below, in alphabetical order, are profiles of each of the Wildcats players to earn All-CAA accolades.

Jason Ceneus (Sophomore, Cornerback, 5-9, 165, New Rochelle, N.Y. / New Rochelle)
CAA Third Team (Cornerback)
First All-CAA Selection

Ceneus leads the CAA with five interceptions this season and has added four pass breakups and two fumble recoveries in 12 games. He has 31 total tackles for the year, including 22 solo stops. Ceneus registered four of his five interceptions in a three-game span from October 25 through November 8. He had two picks, which he returned for a combined 71 yards, against Morgan State and followed up that performance with interceptions against both Richmond and Towson. Following that streak, Ceneus switched gears and had two fumble recoveries in a win over Albany. He became only the fifth Villanova player since 2003 to have at least two fumble recoveries in a game.

A big part of the Wildcats success this season has been the defense, which is holding opponents to 21.2 points per game. Villanova has forced 25 turnovers on the year, including 14 interceptions and 11 recovered fumbles.

Don Cherry (Junior, Linebacker, 6-1, 221, Trumbull, Conn. / Trumbull)
CAA First Team (Linebacker)
Second All-CAA Selection

Cherry was named to the Watch List for the Buck Buchanan Award earlier this season and has been one of the top defensive players in the nation. He leads the Wildcats with 112 tackles for the season and is the first Villanova player since 2010 to reach triple digits in total stops. Cherry has 68 solo tackles and 44 assists stops, and his stats include 17.5 tackles for loss and nine quarterback sacks. He has also forced five fumbles, added a fumble recovery, registered an interception and tallied four pass breakups.

Through the end of the regular season, Cherry is leading the CAA and ranks fifth in the nation with his five forced fumbles. He is second in the CAA in solo tackles and also ranks fourth in both tackles for loss and total tackles. As a team, the Wildcats rank third in the CAA in tackles for loss. The defense has 29 sacks for the season.

Ross Hall (Senior, Center, 6-4, 284, Leola, Pa. / Lancaster Catholic)
CAA Second Team (Offensive Line)
Second All-CAA Selection

Hall has been a vital part of a Villanova offensive line which has helped the team average 39.0 points and 468.8 yards of total offense per game. The dominant Wildcats offense has been well-balanced between 240.4 rushing yards per game and 228.3 passing yards per contest. Villanova leads the CAA and ranks 11th in the nation in rushing offense, while also leading the country in team passing efficiency.

The Wildcats have surpassed 40 points in eight of their 12 games this season and have a +17.8 scoring margin for the year. Hall has made 39 career starts along the Villanova offensive line and has overcome injuries this season to appear in nine games.

Vince Kowalski (Senior, Right Tackle, 6-4, 298, Williamstown, N.J. / Williamstown)
CAA First Team (Offensive Line)
Second All-CAA Selection

Kowalski has started every team game during his career and will make his 47th consecutive start on the offensive line when the Wildcats begin postseason play next week. He has been a consistent performer for a Villanova offensive line which has helped the team average 39.0 points and 468.8 yards of total offense per game.

The dominant Wildcats offense has been well-balanced between 240.4 rushing yards per game and 228.3 passing yards per contest. Villanova leads the CAA and ranks 11th in the nation in rushing offense, while also leading the country in team passing efficiency. The Wildcats have surpassed 40 points in eight of their 12 games this season and have a +17.8 scoring margin for the year.

Poppy Livers (Senior, Wide Receiver, 5-7, 168, Seaside, Calif. / St. Francis)
CAA Second Team (Wide Receiver)
Second All-CAA Selection

Livers has been the top receiving target for Villanova this season and has tallied 59 receptions for 860 yards and eight touchdowns. He has surpassed 100 receiving yards three times and has scored at least one touchdown in six games. Livers had a breakout game in a win versus Fordham in the home opener when he recorded eight catches for 110 yards and two scores. He also scored two touchdowns and made seven receptions for 113 yards against Rhode Island. Livers ranks 13th in school history with 1,665 career receiving yards.

In addition to his receiving stats, Livers has also been a key player on special teams. He returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown in the season opener at Syracuse and has recorded 15 punt returns for a total of 120 yards during the season. Livers also has three kick returns totaling 33 yards and has rushed six times for 67 yards. He has 1,080 all-purpose yards and averages 90 all-purpose yards per game.

Kevin Monangai (Senior, Running Back, 5-8, 209, Roseland, N.J. / Seton Hall Prep)
CAA Third Team (Running Back)
Third All-CAA Selection

This is the third straight season that Monangai has earned All-CAA honors. He has been the leading running back for the Wildcats again this season and has rushed for 870 yards and a team-high 11 touchdowns on 175 carries. He also has 17 receptions for 100 yards and three scores. Monangai had a season-high 170 rushing yards and scored two touchdowns in a 48-28 win over Morgan State during Homecoming weekend, and also surpassed 100 yards on the ground against James Madison and Albany. He has scored at least one touchdown in nine of 12 games during the year.

In the regular season finale at Delaware, Monangai had a career-high three touchdowns. He ran for 71 yards and two scores while also tallying two receptions for eight yards and a touchdown. Monangai ranks fourth in school history with 2,899 career rushing yards and has scored 33 total touchdowns (28 rushing, five receiving). As a senior this season, he is part of a Villanova offense which ranks 11th in the nation with 240.4 rushing yards per game.

John Robertson (Junior, Quarterback, 6-1, 221, Paramus, N.J. / Paramus)
CAA Offensive Player of the Year
CAA First Team (Quarterback)
Third All-CAA Selection

Robertson is a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which is presented to the top player in FCS football. He has been the CAA Offensive Player of the Week six times this season and becomes the fifth player in league history to be named the Offensive Player of the Year after previously being a Rookie of the Year selection. Robertson leads the entire nation in passing efficiency (183.0) and points responsible for (260), while ranking second in yards per pass attempt (9.32) and sixth in completion percentage (67.0 percent).

Through the end of the regular season, Robertson is leading the team in rushing in addition to putting up big passing numbers. He has completed 189-of-282 passes for 2,629 yards with 34 touchdowns and three interceptions while throwing at least three touchdown passes in eight of his 12 contests. Robertson has also run for 978 yards and nine scores on 209 carries, and is averaging 4.7 yards per rush. He has 3,607 yards of total offense for the season and averages 300.6 yards per game.

Robertson has moved into second place in school history in career rushing yards (3,405), career total offense (9,956) and career rushing touchdowns (43). He also ranks third in the Villanova record book in career scoring (258 points) and is fourth in career passing with 6,551 yards.

Joe Sarnese (Senior, Safety, 5-11, 198, Ventnor, N.J. / Holy Spirit)
CAA Second Team (Safety)
Second All-CAA Selection

Sarnese has once again been a big playmaker for the Villanova defense. He has registered 69 tackles for the season, including 45 solo tackles and 24 assisted stops. Sarnese also has recorded three interceptions and three pass breakups. He scored his second career touchdown against Towson with a 48-yard interception return for a score and also matched a season-high with 11 tackles in that game. Sarnese had a pair of interceptions in a win over James Madison and added 11 tackles in a victory at William & Mary.

In 45 career games, Sarnese has totaled 258 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, 18 pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He has also been a contributor as a kick return man on special teams. Sarnese has returned 10 kickoffs for 189 yards this season and has 28 career kickoff returns for 584 yards.

Gary Underwood (Junior, Running Back, 5-11, 215, Cincinnati, Ohio / Winton Woods)
CAA Third Team (Running Back)
First All-CAA Selection

Underwood is one of five players on the team who has scored at least seven touchdowns this season. He has been a scoring threat both on the ground and through the air, with four rushing touchdowns and three receiving touchdowns. Underwood has run 46 times for 343 yards and has tallied 11 receptions for 175 yards. He has also returned 14 kickoffs for 358 yards, with a long return of 39 yards. Underwood ranks fourth on the team with 876 all-purpose yards for the year.

In his third collegiate season, Underwood has been a big part of a Villanova offense which ranks 11th in the nation with 240.4 rushing yards per game. He has 1,212 career all-purpose yards, including 444 rushing yards and 410 receiving yards.

Pat Williams (Senior, Nose Guard, 6-0, 287, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. / University School)
CAA Second Team
First All-CAA Selection

Williams has developed into one of the top defensive players in the CAA during the course of his career. He has 30 tackles this season, including 9.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 quarterback sacks. His 30 total stops include 17 solo tackles and 13 assisted stops, while he also has two pass breakups, two fumble recoveries, one forced fumble and a blocked kick. Williams has played in 38 career games and has 65 total tackles, of which 18.5 are tackles for loss.

The defensive line has done an excellent job for Villanova this season. Opposing teams are averaging just 106.6 rushing yards per contest and the Wildcats have limited their opposition to scoring 21.2 points per game.