Eight seniors part of All-NEFC squad
NEWPORT, R.I. – The Salve Regina University football team placed 10 individuals on the New England Football Conference (NEFC) All-Conference team.
On the offensive side of the ball junior wide receiver Alex Hulme (Hopkinton, Mass.) earned first team honors while also getting the nod as a second team return specialist. Senior captain and running back Dan Buonocore (Mahwah, N.J.) earned second team honors alongside fellow senior and wide receiver Matthew Traynor (Secaucus, N.J.).
Salve Regina had seven players, including six seniors, make the all-conference squad on defense. Senior captain and cornerback Frank Musco (Montvale, N.J.) and senior linebacker Matt Conroy (Philadelphia, Pa.) were selected to the first team defense. Senior captain and defensive lineman Hayden Stanton (Wallingford, Conn.), senior cornerback Phil Terio (Tumbull, Conn.), senior defensive lineman Rory McEntee (Wakefield, R.I.), senior punter Benjamin Barrett (West Greenwich, R.I.) and junior linebacker Danny Ives (Madison, Conn.) were all selected to the second team defense.
Hulme had a breakout season in 2014 registering career highs in catches (60), yards (768), and touchdowns (9). Hulme led the team in receptions and yards and was second in touchdowns behind Traynor. Hulme also had an outstanding season returning kicks. Hulme returned 15 kicks for 507 yards and a 33.8 average. Hulme's best games of the season came against MIT and Nichols. Versus the Engineers Hulme put up 12 receptions, 132 yards, and three touchdowns. Hulme also returned six kicks for 147 yards giving him 279 all-purpose yards. The following week versus the Bison he only caught eight passes, but for a whopping 196 yards, a 24.5 average per catch, and three more touchdowns. Hulme's 60 catches this season tie the current single season record in Salve Regina history. Michael Dargan also caught 60 in 2009. Hulme can break that record this weekend.
Buonocore led the Seahawks in rushing while also being the team's all-purpose yards leader. Buonocore rushed for 991 yards and five touchdowns on 176 attempts. Buonocore made plays as a pass catcher as well hauling in 35 passes for 298 yards and two more touchdowns. With 1,289 yards from scrimmage Buonocore led the team in all-purpose yardage. With nine more rushing yards in an ECAC Bowl game on November 22 Buonocore can become just the fourth player in program history to rush for 1,000 yards or more in a season.
Matthew Traynor, Salve Regina's all-time leader in touchdown catches (27), posted another record season. Playing in only eight games this season Traynor posted 45 cacthes, 732 yards, and 11 touchdowns. Those 11 touchdown catches reset the single season record that Tarynor himself had established the previous season when he caught nine in 2013. Traynor averaged 16.3 yards per catch, tops on the team. In his career Traynor ranks first in program history for yards per catch averaging 17.54 through his four seasons as a Seahawk.
Frank Musco makes his first all-conference squad as a senior captain getting the nod as a first team cornerback. In 2014 Musco totaled 41 tackles, 35 of which were solo tackles, a team leading eight pass breakups, and one interception.
Hayden Stanton joins Musco as another captain on this years All-NEFC squad. Stanton, last seasons NEFC defensive player of the year, made his second straight all conference team, earning second team honors. In 2014 Stanton totaled 29 tackles and five sacks in eight games, ranking fifth in the conference. Stanton also returned two fumbles for 27 yards, broke up two passes, and blocked a kick.
Matt Conroy is named an All-NEFC first team linebacker for the second straight season. The senior had 48 total tackles in 2014 as well as a team leading three interceptions for 159 yards and a touchdown. Conroy's biggest performance came against Coast Guard on November 8. Conroy picked off passes on back-to-back Bears possessions to help Salve Regina complete a come from behind victory.
Danny Ives led the Seahawks in tackles for the second straight season, earning him a second team All-NEFC spot. This season Ives notched 78 tackles, 46 solo, to go along with three sacks, eight tackles for loss, an interception and one pass breakup.
Phil Terio makes his fourth All-NEFC team. Terio was the 2011 defensive rookie of the year, 2012 defensive player of the year, and a first team cornerback in 2013. This season Terio earned second team honors. Terio recorded 51 tackles, 39 solo, and one interception that was returned 85 yards for a touchdown. Terio ranks first in program history in both interception return yardage (399) and interceptions returned for touchdowns (5).
Rory McEntee makes his second All-NEFC squad, garnering second team honors for the second straight season. McEntee was second in the team in tackles with 55,including 35 solo tackles. McEntee also sacked the quarterback four times, and recorded nine tackles for loss. He also broke up two passes.
Benjamin Barrett makes his second All-NEFC team. Barrett also made the squad back in 2011 as a freshman. That season he earned first team honors as a punter, this season Barrett collected second team honors. In 2014 Barrett punted 40 times for 1,521 yards, pinning opponents inside the 20 ten times. Barrett averaged 38 yards per punt and had one punt go for a career long 67 yards versus Maine Maritime. Barrett ranks first in program history with 7,190 punt yards.
The Seahawks will play the Cadets of Norwich University on Saturday November 22 in the ECAC Northeast Bowl game.