RICHMOND, Va.—Sixth year left guard
Michael Corbi (Annapolis, Md.) and fifth year wide receiver
Rayjuon Pringle (Woodbridge, Va.) highlighted a dozen Villanova selections to the postseason CAA Football All-Conference Teams which were announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon. The pair of Wildcats were each named to the First Team Offense and they now have a combined seven career All-CAA mentions between them. Corbi is a four-time postseason award honoree and garners his third first team selection this year. Pringle is a first team All-CAA pick for the first time this season and is a three-time all-conference performer overall.
This is the third time in the last five seasons that Villanova has earned 10 or more All-CAA selections based on performances during the regular season. It is also the 27
th time in the last 28 years that the Wildcats have merited at least four postseason all-conference honors. This year's honorees include Corbi and Pringle on the first team as well as five second team selections, three third team choices and two honorable mention picks. Villanova was one of just three conference schools along with New Hampshire and UAlbany to have at least 12 players chosen in the CAA Football All-Conference Teams which are voted on by league head coaches.
Second team selections from the Wildcats included sixth year running back
Jalen Jackson (Richmond, Va.) on offense; the trio of senior linebacker
Brendan Bell (Basking Ridge, N.J.), senior cornerback
Isas Waxter (Newark, N.J.) and senior strong safety
Ty Trinh (Owings Mills, Md.) on defense; and fifth year player
TD Ayo-Durojaiye (Damascus, Md.) who was honored on special teams for the second time in his career after being a third team selection two seasons ago. The quartet of Jackson, Bell, Waxter and Trinh all earned the first postseason honors of their careers.
Villanova was represented on the Third Team Offense by fifth year quarterback
Connor Watkins (Williamsport, Pa.) and senior right tackle
Temi Ajirotutu (Queens, N.Y.), as well as on the Third Team Defense by fifth year defensive end
Jake Reichwein (Doylestown, Pa.). Sophomore linebacker
Shane Hartzell (Perkasie, Pa.) and senior punter
Nathan Fondacaro (Sewell, N.J.) were each honorable mention selections in the first year that the All-CAA teams have included those picks. Fondacaro was previously a first team All-CAA honoree in 2019 while Reichwein was a second team All-Patriot League selection in 2021 while at Holy Cross.
The bevy of postseason honors are deserving recognition for a Wildcats squad which is currently 9-2 on the year and headed to the FCS playoffs for the third time in the last five seasons. Villanova earned the No. 8 seed in the Division I Football Championship and a first round bye in the playoffs. The team will begin its postseason run at home on Saturday, December 2 against the winner of a first round game between Duquesne and Youngstown State. On Monday afternoon head coach
Mark Ferrante was named as one of 20 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award which is presented to the national coach of the year in Division I FCS college football.
Since joining what was then the Yankee Conference in 1988, the Wildcats have earned a total of 342 postseason all-conference honors and 20 major postseason awards. In the CAA Football era (2007-present) the tally includes 14 major awards and 151 all-conference accolades.
Below, in alphabetical order, are profiles of each of the dozen Villanova players who earned CAA Football Postseason All-Conference Honors in Tuesday's announcement.
TEMI AJIROTUTU
Senior, Right Tackle, Queens, N.Y.
Third Team All-CAA (Offense)
Ajirotutu is in his second full season as a starter on the Villanova offensive line. He has started at right tackle in all 11 games this season and is part of a Wildcats offensive line that ranks in the top 15 nationally in rushing offense, total offense, time of possession and scoring offense. Villanova leads CAA Football with averages of 223.0 rushing yards per game and 439.9 total yards per contest, with those figures respectively ranking seventh and eighth in the FCS. The offensive line has also enabled the Wildcats to rank 10
th nationally with a 32:35 average time of possession and 14
th in the country with 32.5 points per game.
This is the first career all-conference honor for Ajirotutu, who has started 25 of the 31 collegiate games he has played in. Villanova has topped 200 rushing yards in seven of its 11 games on the year, including the third-highest rushing total in school history when the Wildcats erupted for 440 yards on the ground in a conference win over Elon. Villanova has scored 47 offensive touchdowns on the season (28 rushing, 19 receiving) while averaging 5.6 yards per carry and 16.8 yards per reception.
TD AYO-DUROJAIYE
Fifth Year, Running Back, Damascus, Md.
Second Team All-CAA (Special Teams)
In addition to being a top-20 running back in Villanova history, Ayo-Durojaiye has been one of the team's top performers on special teams throughout his career. This is the second time he has garnered All-CAA recognition on special teams after previously being a third team selection two years ago. The special teams spot on the CAA Football All-Conference Teams is essentially for making tackles on special teams, as consideration does not include kicking, punting, kick returns or punt returns.
This is the third straight season that Ayo-Durojaiye has been first or second on the Wildcats roster in special teams tackles. He leads Villanova on the year with nine tackles on special teams, including five stops on kickoff returns and four tackles on punt returns. Ayo-Durojaiye has tallied 27 special teams tackles over the last three seasons.
Although the All-CAA honor for special teams does not include kick returning, Ayo-Durojaiye has been the Wildcats primary kick returner all season and is averaging 21.0 yards per return with a long return of 47 yards. He ranks second on the team with 949 all-purpose yards on the year, including 357 yards on kickoff returns to go along with 439 rushing yards and 153 receiving yards. Ayo-Durojaiye currently ranks 20
th in school history with exactly 1,600 career rushing yards.
BRENDAN BELL
Senior, Linebacker, Basking Ridge, N.J.
Second Team All-CAA (Defense)
In his second year as a starting linebacker Bell has blossomed into one of the Wildcats top defensive players. He leads the team with 73 total tackles, including a team-best 9.5 tackles for loss, and is tied for second on the squad with three sacks on the year. Bell has started all 11 games Villanova has played and is averaging 6.6 tackles per game. He finished the regular season with his best performances of the year, reaching double digits in tackles in two of the last three games. Bell had a career-high 14 total stops (eight solo) in a road win at New Hampshire and tallied a team-best 12 tackles at Delaware last week to help the Wildcats clinch a share of the CAA regular season title.
During the season Bell was a two-time CAA Football Defensive Player of the Week honoree. He earned the award on September 25 after he had eight total tackles, including two tackles for loss and a sack, in a win over then-No. 18 Rhode Island. Bell earned his second weekly honor of the season after the New Hampshire game when his 14-tackle performance was buffeted by the first forced fumble and first interception of his career. He is one of three Villanova players since 2007 to be the CAA Defensive Player of the Week twice in the same season.
MICHAEL CORBI
Sixth Year, Left Guard, Annapolis, Md.
First Team All-CAA (Offense)
Corbi earns the fourth All-CAA honor of his career and makes history in doing so as he joins former Villanova stars
Brian Westbrook and
Ben Ijalana as the only offensive players in school history to garner three career first team all-conference accolades. He was previously a first team All-CAA honoree in 2020 and 2021 to go along with being a second team pick last season. Corbi has appeared in nine games this season as the starting left guard and has started in 34 of the 41 collegiate games he has played.
This season Corbi has been part of a Wildcats offensive line that ranks in the top 15 nationally in rushing offense, total offense, time of possession and scoring offense. Villanova leads CAA Football with averages of 223.0 rushing yards per game and 439.9 total yards per contest, with those figures respectively ranking seventh and eighth in the FCS. The offensive line has also enabled the Wildcats to rank 10
th nationally with a 32:35 average time of possession and 14
th in the country with 32.5 points per game.
Villanova has topped 200 rushing yards in seven of its 11 games on the year, including the third-highest rushing total in school history when the Wildcats erupted for 440 yards on the ground in a conference win over Elon. Villanova has scored 47 offensive touchdowns on the season (28 rushing, 19 receiving) while averaging 5.6 yards per carry and 16.8 yards per reception.
NATHAN FONDACARO
Senior, Punter, Sewell, N.J.
Honorable Mention All-CAA
Fondacaro earns the second all-conference accolade of his career after being a first team selection in 2019. He returned to action this year after missing the 2022 season with an injury and is averaging a career-high 44.3 yards per punt. Fondacaro has punted 36 times on the season for a total of 1,594 yards. He has not had any of his attempts blocked, has drilled 10 of his 36 punts for 50+ yards and has had seven punts downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line. Less than half of his punts (17 of 36) have led to a return attempt.
The statistical minimum for being included in conference and national leaders in punting is an average of 3.6 punts per game. Fondacaro falls just four attempts short of meeting that minimum, but would otherwise rank second in CAA Football and tied for fifth nationally with his average of 44.3 yards per punt. For his career, Fondacaro has punted 189 times for 7,808 yards with an average of 41.3 yards per punt, 35 punts of 50+ yards and 50 punts downed inside the 20-yard line.
In addition to his punting duties, Fondacaro has also handled kickoffs for the Wildcats this season. He has kicked off 60 times for an average of 57.0 yards per attempt with 11 touchbacks and just two kicks out of bounds.
SHANE HARTZELL
Sophomore, Linebacker, Perkasie, Pa.
Honorable Mention All-CAA
As a full-time starter at linebacker for the past two seasons Hartzell has developed into one of the Wildcats top defensive players. He ranks second on the team with 68 tackles on the season, including 41 solo stops and 27 assisted tackles. Hartzell has four tackles for loss and is tied for second on the team with three sacks. He also ranks second on the Villanova defense with five quarterback hurries and has recorded two pass breakups as well as the first interception of his career. The interception came in Hartzell's best performance of the season at New Hampshire when he had a season-high 10 total tackles in a 45-33 road win.
The honorable mention All-CAA selection is the first all-conference honor of Hartzell's career. To date he has started 21 of the 25 career games he has played in and has made 145 total tackles (76 solo, 69 assisted). His career statistics include 13 tackles for loss, seven sacks, one interception and a forced fumble.
JALEN JACKSON
Sixth Year, Running Back, Richmond, Va.
Second Team All-CAA (Offense)
Jackson has been one of the Wildcats top offensive performers when healthy throughout his collegiate career and he is rewarded this season with his first career All-CAA honor. The sixth-year running back has played in nine games this season and ranks third in the country with an average of 7.44 yards per carry as well as second in CAA Football with an average of 92.6 rushing yards per game. Jackson has run for 833 yards and six touchdowns on 112 attempts, including nine rushes for at least 20 yards and five for 40 yards or longer. In last week's regular season finale at Delaware, Jackson ran for 130 yards on just nine carries and set a tone for the game with a 55-yard burst on the first play from scrimmage.
Entering the postseason, Jackson currently ranks sixth in school history with exactly 2,400 career rushing yards. He ranks second in school history with an average of 6.30 yards per carry and is ninth in the Villanova record book with an average of 54.5 rushing yards per game. Jackson has run for over 100 yards in a game six times in his career, including three times this season against Lehigh (144), New Hampshire (145) and Delaware (130).
RAYJUON PRINGLE
Fifth Year, Wide Receiver, Woodbridge, Va.
First Team All-CAA (Offense)
This is the third career All-CAA accolade for Pringle and the first time that he has been a first team selection. The veteran wide receiver has been one of the most explosive players in the country this season. He has tallied team highs of 37 receptions., 951 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns on the season. Pringle currently leads the entire country with an average of 25.7 yards per reception, with that figure on track to set a new Villanova single-season record. He ranks third in the CAA and 11
th nationally with his 951 total yards, while his eight receiving touchdowns are fourth in the league and 12
th in the country. Pringle has recorded four of his nine career games with 100+ receiving yards this season.
There are only four players in school history who have had 150+ receiving yards in a game at least four times in their careers. Pringle has registered three of those games this season alone, including a career-high 196 yards on just five catches versus Stony Brook, 180 yards on five receptions versus Towson and 168 yards on just three catches against Colgate. Pringle is the only player in school history to have four career receptions for 75 yards or longer, with three of those catches coming this season. He has 16 catches and six touchdowns this season on plays of 20 yards or longer, including seven receptions for 50+ yards. Pringle ranks eighth in school history with 2,503 career receiving yards and is the program's all-time career leader with 19.1 yards per reception.
JAKE REICHWEIN
Fifth Year, Defensive End, Doylestown, Pa.
Third Team All-CAA (Defense)
Reichwein has been a top contributor for the Wildcats in his first season with the team as a graduate transfer. He has started all 11 games at defensive end and leads the team with four sacks on the year while ranking second on the squad with 8.5 tackles for loss. Reichwein's season statistics include 30 tackles overall and 18 solo stops, while his four sacks have averaged 8.8 lost yards per play. He leads the team with 10 quarterback hurries and has also recorded two pass breakups along with a forced fumble. Reichwein finished the regular season on a strong note with three solo sacks in the last four games leading into postseason play.
After playing at Holy Cross as an undergraduate and being a second team All-Patriot League selection in 2021, Reichwein has stepped into a Villanova defense that leads CAA Football and ranks sixth nationally by giving up just 290.2 total yards per game. The Wildcats are also a top-10 scoring defense nationally with 17.6 points allowed per contest and they rank second in the CAA in both passing yards allowed (177.2) and rushing defense (113.0). Reichwein has started 24 of the 52 collegiate games he has played in between Holy Cross and Villanova. His career statistics include 140 tackles (89 solo, 51 assisted), 32 tackles for loss and 17.5 sacks.
TY TRINH
Senior, Strong Safety, Owings Mills, Md.
Second Team All-CAA (Defense)
Trinh has started 29 of the 37 collegiate games he has played in, including 10 this year at strong safety. He earns the first All-CAA honor of his career after a regular season in which he ranked fourth on the team with 41 tackles. Trinh has made 23 solo stops and 18 assisted tackles on the year to go along with 2.5 tackles for loss, one interception which he returned for 18 yards, five pass breakups and two quarterback hurries. He recorded the second interception of his career in a season-opening win at Lehigh and had a career-high 12 total tackles in a pivotal road win at New Hampshire. Trinh has also set career highs this season with two tackles for loss at North Carolina A&T and two pass breakups against both UAlbany and Elon.
Villanova's defense leads CAA Football and ranks sixth nationally by giving up just 290.2 total yards per game. The Wildcats are a top-10 scoring defense nationally with 17.6 points allowed per contest and they rank second in the CAA in both passing yards allowed (177.2) and rushing defense (113.0). Trinh's career statistics include 136 total tackles (83 solo, 53 assisted), 5.5 tackles for loss, 12 passes defended, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery.
CONNOR WATKINS
Fifth Year, Quarterback, Williamsport, Va.
Third Team All-CAA (Offense)
Watkins garners the first CAA Football All-Conference selection of his career in his second season as Villanova's starter under center. He has been one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the country and currently ranks second nationally with averages of 10.14 yards per pass attempt and 17.41 yards per completion. Watkins is also third in CAA Football and ranks 12
th in the country in points responsible for (162). He has started all 11 games and has thrown for 2,333 yards while going 134-of-230 through the air with 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Watkins has thrown 36 passes and 11 touchdowns for 20 yards or longer this season, including 12 completions for 50+ yards. He has also rushed for 272 yards and is tied for the team lead with eight rushing touchdowns.
In two seasons as a starting quarterback, Watkins has thrown 31 passes for 40 yards or longer. He has six career passes for 75 or more yards, with no other quarterback in Villanova history having more than four such completions. Watkins ranks ninth in school history with 4,578 passing yards and has a 15-7 (.682) career record as a starter. Last season he set a Wildcats record for most passing yards in a quarterback's first career start (298), while this season he set a school record for the fewest completions needed in a 300+ yard passing performance when he was 8-of-11 for 310 yards and two touchdowns in a win over Colgate. Watkins also threw for a career-high 361 yards with touchdowns in a win over Stony Brook last month.
ISAS WAXTER
Senior, Cornerback, Newark, N.J.
Second Team All-CAA (Defense)
Waxter has returned strong in 2023 after not playing during the 2022 season. He has started all 11 games at cornerback and is a postseason All-CAA selection for the first time in his career. Waxter has made 20 tackles on the year, including 2.5 tackles for loss, and he ranks second on the team with seven pass breakups while tying for the team lead with two interceptions. He has had 2+ tackles six times during the year, including in four of his last five games played. Waxter registered interceptions in wins over Colgate and Delaware, with the latter game occurring last week and helping the Wildcats secure a share of the CAA Football title.
Villanova's defense leads CAA Football and ranks sixth nationally by giving up just 290.2 total yards per game. The Wildcats are a top-10 scoring defense nationally with 17.6 points allowed per contest and they rank second in the CAA in both passing yards allowed (177.2) and rushing defense (113.0). Waxter has started 16 of the 32 collegiate games he has played in and has registered 69 tackles (47 solo, 22 assisted), 3.5 tackles for loss, one sack, 15 passes defended and two interceptions.
