SOMERSET, NJ- Saint Francis freshman defensive tackle Jalen Brown (Hyattsville, Md./DeMatha Catholic) earned the Defensive Rookie of the Year Award, headlining 13 All-Conference awards handed out by the Northeast Conference. 

Brown becomes the first Red Flash player to earn the Defensive Rookie of the Year award since Lorenzo Jerome (Sunrise, Fla./J.P. Taravella) earned the accolade in 2013 and fourth all-time joining Jerome, Scott Lewis (2007) and Samm Taranto (1996). Brown saw action all season long on the defensive line for the Red Flash recording 19 tackles including 2.5 for loss. His biggest presence was felt in the run game as the defensive tackle helped solidify a unit that led the Northeast Conference and is top-20 in the FCS allowing just 119 rushing yards per game. 

Five players earned First-Team All-NEC selections: Kam Lewis (WR), Da'Jon Lee (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) (LB), Hakeem Kinard (York, Pa./York Catholic) (DB), Eric Bofenkamp (Warren, Ohio/John F. Kennedy) (PK), and Andrew Zecca (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Gov. Livingston) (P).

Lewis earns his third-straight NEC First-Team selection after leading the Red Flash with 808 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Lewis went over 100 yards in two NEC contests, rolling up 108 yards against Robert Morris and 113 yards and a pair of touchdowns against CCSU.

Da'Jon Lee (Fairfax, Va./Robinson) earned a first-team honor after leading the Red Flash and all of the FCS in forced fumbles with six. The linebacker was in the backfield all season long, tormenting defensive to the tune of 19.5 tackles for loss and eight sacks. 

Hakeem Kinard (York, Pa./York Catholic) led a secondary that was ninth in the FCS in passing yards allowed at just over 170 per game. The senior recorded 59 tackles and had nine pass breakups in 2018. 

The Red Flash swept the specialist first-team selections. Eric Bofenkamp (Warren, Ohio/John F. Kennedy) led the Northeast Conference with 12 made field goals, the senior was perfect on extra points and on field goals inside of 30 yards, the senior showed his range by connecting on 3-5 from over 40 yards including a long of 46. Andrew Zecca (Berkeley Heights, N.J./Gov. Livingston) led the NEC with a 41.7 yards per punt average and a net punting average just under 40. The senior had a long of 72 yards and had eight punts of over 50 yards. 

Five Players earned Second-Team All-NEC honors: Cyrus Holder (Uniondale, N.Y./Milford Academy) (WR), Mike Ames (Pittsburgh, Pa./Penn Hills) (OL), Christian Eubanks (Reynoldsburg, Ohio/Reynoldsburg) (OL), Ben Bruni (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) (LB), Jermaine Ponder (Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) (CB), and Nick Rinella (Collegeville, Pa./La Salle College) (S, Returner). 

Holder was the perfect compliment to Lewis this season as the junior averaged nearly 15 yards per catch this year with five touchdowns. He had a career high 132 yards at Albany and had 113 yards and two scores against Duquesne. 

Ames and Eubanks earned the Red Flash's selections on the offensive line. The upperclassmen made every start at center and tackle, respectively and were part of a unit that allowed just 19 sacks on the season.

Ben Bruni (Pittsburgh, Pa./Mt. Lebanon) led the Red Flash with 90 stops on the season including 15 against CCSU. Bruni was the main beneficiary of Lee's ability to force fumbles, leading the team with four fumbles recovered this season, tied for most in the FCS. 

Jermaine Ponder (Rochester, N.Y./Bishop Kearney) set a Saint Francis record with 16 passes defended (15 pass break-ups and an interception). Ponder led the NEC and was fifth in the FCS in passes defended and was a big reason why the Red Flash were top-10 in pass defense. 

Nick Rinella (Collegeville, Pa./La Salle College) earned two spots on the NEC second-team, getting honored for his ability at safety and as a return man. Rinella was third on the team with 59 tackles and four passes defended as a safety. As a returner, he finished fifth in the FCS and tops in the NEC with 825 total return yards. He set a NEC record with 170 return yards against West Virginia Wesleyan including a 79-yard punt return for a TD, the longest in SFU history. 

You can view the full All-Conference team here.