November 22, 2005

Rob Tamillow Named UAA Defensive Player of the Year

CHICAGO -- Senior defensive tackle Rob Tamillow (Oak Park, Ill./ Fenwick) has been named the University Athletic Association Defensive Player of the Year as the conference today announced its 2005 All-Association football team.

Tamillow led a Chicago defensive corps which currently ranks among the NCAA Division III top-15 in four categories: total defense (5th, 239.2 ypg), pass efficiency defense (7th, 84.3), scoring defense (11th, 12.9 ppg), and rushing defense (15th, 85.7 ypg). He set a school record with 24 tackles-for-loss and matched his own team mark with 12 sacks. Through games of Nov. 19, Tamillow ranks second in Division III in TFLs and fifth in sacks.

Senior cornerback Colin Carrier (Glen Ellyn, Ill./ Benet Academy) joined Tamillow on the All-UAA first team. Carrier had a school record 10 interceptions on the season, including five picks in three conference games. He also saw action as a wide receiver and caught 18 passes with four touchdowns. Carrier currently ranks second in the nation in interceptions per game.

Freshman safety Todd Young (Clive, Iowa/ West Des Moines) was cited as the UAA Rookie of the Year and was one of four Maroon defensive players chosen to the All-Association second team. Young registered 52 tackles, three pass breakups, and an interception in his debut campaign.

Junior defensive tackle Tom Miller (Chicago, Ill./Marist), sophomore linebacker Gaby Fernandez (Miami, Fla./ Columbus), and freshman linebacker Vinny O'Leary (Palos Heights, Ill./ St. Rita) also garnered All-UAA second team accolades.

Miller, whose season was cut short by injury, posted 18 tackles with four TFLs and a sack. Fernandez led the Maroons with 75 tackles and ranked second on the club with six sacks and third with 10 TFLs. O'Leary made 43 tackles while ranking second on the team with 11 TFLs. He was also credited with three sacks.

Eight offensive players earned selection to the All-UAA first team, four of them linemen: senior tackle Rich Bartolomei (Des Moines, Iowa/ Roosevelt), senior center Phil Pengiel (Hinsdale, Ill./ Hinsdale South), junior guard Joe Bufalino (Glen Ellyn, Ill./ Benet Academy), and junior tackle Ben Potts (Valparaiso, Ind./ Valparaiso).

Junior quarterback Matt Rinklin (New York, N.Y./ Fordham Prep) was honored as the league's top signal caller after throwing for 1,920 yards and 17 touchdowns in eight starts. Rinklin, who ranks 29th in the NCAA Division III in passing efficiency (146.1), completed a school record 58.0% of his pass attempts.

Two of Rinklin's top targets, junior wide receiver Micah Dawson (Grand Junction, Colo./ Central) and sophomore wideout Mike Albian (Darien, Ill./ Montini), joined him on the first team. Dawson led the Maroons in receptions (44), yards (864), average per catch (19.6), and touchdowns (7) while ranking 30th in the nation with 96.0 receiving yards per game. Albian stood second to Dawson in catches (28), yards (382), and touchdowns (5).

Junior running back Nick Schey (Barrington, Ill./ St. Viator) was chosen to the All-Association first team after rushing for 889 yards in eight games (111.1 ypg) with seven touchdowns and a 5.4-yard average per carry. In UAA competition, he posted rushing totals of 132, 141, and 211 yards for an average of 161.3 per contest.

Junior guard Leon Gordon (Lansing, Ill./ Thornton South) and sophomore fullback Kyle Cepeda (LaPorte, Ind./ LaPorte) earned All-Association second team recognition, as did senior kicker Mike Morzenti (Safety Harbor, Fla./ Palm Harbor). Morzenti connected on 26 of 28 extra-point attempts.

Five Maroons earned honorable mention recognition: senior nose tackle Brad Banken (Glen Ellyn, Ill./ Glenbard South), senior cornerback Pat Conway (Woodstock, Ill./ Marian Central Catholic), senior receiver Brandon Igyarto (Inverness, Ill./ Fremd), junior safety Scott Johnson (Montgomery, Ill./ Oswego), and sophomore linebacker Tony Insalaco (Mokena, Ill./ Lincoln Way East).

Head Coach Dick Maloney and his assistants Andy Drude, Jeff Sokol, Tom Mitchell, Derrick Brooms, Matt Barrett, and John Potocki were recognized as the UAA Coaching Staff of the Year, marking Maloney's fourth award in 12 years at Chicago.

Chicago captured its third UAA championship (1998, 2000, 2005) with a 3-0 mark in league play this past season. After starting the season 0-4, the Maroons won their final five games by a combined score of 173-23 en route to their first winning campaign since 2001 and seventh under Maloney.

All-UAA team