Lange earns D3Football.com All-East honor

NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University junior defensive end Shane Lange (Branford, Conn.) has been named to the 2010 D3Football.com All-East Region Third Team.

Lange racked up a New England Football Conference (NEFC)-high and single-season school-record 12.5 sacks (1.25 sacks/game), which placed him fifth in Division III (as of Dec. 4). He led the Seahawks and finished tied for 13th in the league with 82 tackles, led the league in tackles for loss (18.0), and tied for the NEFC lead with a single-season school-record four forced fumbles. For his career, Lange has 17.0 sacks, which is four behind Ben Jarvis' (1997-2000) Salve Regina record of 21.0. Following the season, Lange was named to the NEFC Boyd Division First Team and the New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England Team.

Lange was one of 12 NEFC student-athletes selected to the team, joining TE Taylor Allen (Endicott), WR Robert Bambini (Curry), DE Kevin Eagan (Endicott), DT Paul Melicharek (Bridgewater State), G Nick Molinari (Endicott), RB Jim Bower (Maine Maritime), QB Kurt Leone (Framingham State), WR James McCarthy (Framingham State), K Dylan Rushe (Endicott), LB Tyler Russell (Worcester State), and Chris Stengel (Westfield State).

Led by first-year head coach Bob Chesney, the Seahawks posted their best record in a decade and closed the season on a five-game win streak - their longest since 1999. The Seahawks rallied back from a 1-4 start to finish the season with a record of 6-4 - their highest win total since 2000 - and their first plus-.500 record since 2001, when they finished 4-4. Salve Regina ended its season ranked No. 10 in the New England Division III Football Poll - the first time it finished a season ranked since 2000.

Defensively, Salve Regina was only team in the NEFC to allow less than 100 yards rushing/game (94.3) while posting a league-best +14 in turnover margin; it was one of only two schools (Endicott) to finish above +10. The Seahawks also sacked opposing signal-callers a league-high 34 times, which was nine more than its closest competitor (Endicott, 25). Nationally, the Seahawks rank ninth in scoring defense, 10th in total defense, 11th in pass efficiency defense (91.79) and turnover margin, and 12th in sacks.

The teams, selected in balloting by East Region sports information directors and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 216 nominations by Division III member schools. A total of 77 players were chosen.