CLEMMONS, SMITH PACE HAMPDEN-SYDNEY WITH MAJOR ODAC AWARDS

Clemmons Offensive Player of the Year and Scholar Athlete of Year, Smith Named Top Rookie

SALEM, VA (November 24, 2004)—Hampden-Sydney College senior running back C.W. Clemmons (Covington, VA/Alleghany) was named the 2004 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and Scholar Athlete of the Year as voted by the conference’s head coaches and announced on Tuesday.  Meanwhile, Tiger freshman receiver Drew Smith (Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin) was selected as the ODAC Rookie of the Year. 

Clemmons, a preseason second team All-American, also earned All-ODAC First Team honors for the third straight year after he became the first Hampden-Sydney running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons in 2004 as he became the College’s all-time leading rusher and scorer.  He ran for 1,098 yards on 193 carries (5.7 ypc) and caught 31 passes for 366 yards en route to scoring 13 touchdowns on the year.  He finished his career as the Tigers all-time leader with 3,771 rushing yards, while he set the all-time ODAC record for points scored (282) and tied for the all-time ODAC lead in career touchdowns (46).  Clemmons, a chemistry major, also garnered ODAC Football Scholar Athlete of the Year after posting a 3.25 cumulative grade-point-average and earning College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District III honors. 

Smith established a new scoring record for Tiger freshmen receivers in 2004 as he caught 30 passes for 648 yards and ten touchdowns.  The ten touchdowns led the Tiger receiving corps, along with his 648 yards, while his 21.6 yards-per-reception ranked second on the team. 

Joining Clemmons on the All-ODAC First Team was junior tight end Ben Dull (Roanoke, VA/Cave Spring) and senior linebacker Daniel Park (Richmond, VA/Fork Union), who were repeat selections from 2003, while senior defensive end Michael Clark (Madison Heights, VA/Amherst) and junior offensive lineman Paul Williams (Richmond, VA/James River) earned their first All-ODAC First Team accolades. Dull had a career-year as he caught 22 passes for 367 yards and three touchdowns, while also completing 7-of-17 passes for 193 yards and a touchdown while filling in as a quarterback.  Park meanwhile, a captain of the Tiger defense, ranked third on the team with 56 tackles to go with 5.5 tackles-for-loss and a sack.  Clark led the team with a career-high 60 tackles, while he also had four sacks and seven tackles-for-loss.  Williams, the only veteran starter on the Tiger offensive line in 2004, had another solid year as he blocked for the league’s top-rated offense, which racked-up 1,800 yards on the ground to go with 2,800 in the air. 

Tiger senior captain Nick Ferrante (Bryantown, MD/Gonzaga) led a group of eight players selected to the All-ODAC Second Team.  Ferrante had his best collegiate season in 2004 as he led the team in receptions with 53 catches to go with 598 yards and five touchdowns. Preseason consensus All-American quarterback J.D. Ricca (Gaithersburg, MD/St. John’s) joined Ferrante on the All-ODAC Second Team.  Ricca, whose season was cut short by a thumb injury, completed 107-of-174 passes (61.5%) for 1,755 yards and 18 touchdowns in six contests, including four ODAC tilts. 

Senior place-kicker Alex Bland (Midlothian, VA/Clover Hill) also earned second team honors, along with sophomore offensive lineman Ben Niemaseck (Chester, VA/Lloyd Bird).  Defensively, seniors Ty LaFlame (Mechanicsville, VA/Atlee), Ryan Carroll (Goode, VA/Jefferson Forest) and Carlos Martinez (Virginia Beach, VA/Ocean Lakes) along with junior Wes Hall (Roanoke, VA/Cave Spring) also wrapped up second team nods. Bland had a solid season for the Tigers as he converted on 39-of-41 extra point attempts, while also making all five of his field goal efforts, including a career-long 37-yarder.  Niemaseck joined Williams as the key components of a young Tiger offensive line, which limited opponents to just 21 sacks.   

Defensively, LaFlame had his best collegiate season as he ranked second on the team with 59 tackles, while Ryan Carroll finished the year with a career-high 43 tackles and three sacks at nose tackle.  Martinez shored up the Tiger secondary with 23 tackles and five pass breakups, while Wes Hall finished fourth on the team with 48 tackles to go with two interceptions, three fumble recoveries and a sack.

Washington and Lee coach Frank Miriello was named ODAC Coach of the Year after leading the Generals to a 6-4 overall record and third-place finish in the ODAC, while Bridgewater’s Lawrence Frierson earned Defensive Player of the Year honors.

-www.hsc.edu/athletics-