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Smith and Favret Named VaSID Player and Coach of the Year LEXINGTON, VA (December 12, 2007)—Hampden-Sydney's football team placed five athletes on the Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) All-State squads as voted on by sports information directors at colleges and universities throughout the Commonwealth. Senior wide receiver Drew Smith (Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin) was named the Player of the Year, while head coach Marty Favret earned Coach of the Year accolades. Hampden-Sydney finished the year as the 2007 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Champions with an 8-3 overall record and 5-1 mark in the conference. Four offensive players and one defensive player were named to the all-state squads. Smith earned the Player of the Year award after receiving the Dudley Award as the Virginia College Division Player of the Year. He was also a regional finalist for the Gagliardi Award, which is presented to the Division III Player of the Year. Smith caught 110 passes for 1,616 yards and eight touchdowns in helping lead the Tigers to the ODAC title and an NCAA Tournament berth. He was named First Team All-ODAC and ODAC Offensive Player of the Year after setting a school record for single-season receptions and yards, while ranking No. 1 in Division III in receiving yards per game (146.9 ypg). Joining Smith on the VaSID all-state first team is junior running back Josh Simpson (Richmond, VA/Mills Godwin). In just his junior season, Simpson shattered several H-SC and ODAC scoring records as he rushed for 1,042 yards on 247 carries for 21 rushing touchdowns while also catching 62 passes for 670 yards and six scores en route to earning first team All-ODAC honors. Simpson set Hampden-Sydney and ODAC records for rushing touchdowns in a single season (21) and points in a single season (164). Simpson is already the school and conference record holder with 318 career points. Senior tight end Josh Baumgartner (Vinton, VA/William Byrd) also earned first team honors after the first team All-ODAC honoree had 31 receptions for 323 yards and four touchdowns. Two Tigers were named to the second-team. Senior offensive lineman Eric Mendel (Lynchburg, VA/Brookville) earned second team honors as the first team All-ODAC selection helped lead the high-powered Hampden-Sydney offense that averaged 35.8 points-per-game. On the defensive side of the ball, senior linebacker Kyle Booker (Gloucester, VA/Fork Union) earned second-team honors after leading the Tiger defense with 90 tackles on the season. Booker also recorded 6.5 tackles-for-loss and intercepted two passes. -www.hsc.edu/athletics- |
