Lahey, Owens top list of SCIAC's best; 15 Panthers honored
ORANGE, Calif. – Coming off the program's best season and an undefeated conference run, the Chapman University football team saw senior QB Michael Lahey win Offensive Athlete of the Year, Head Coach Bob Owens named Coach of the Year, and 15 players in all earn All-Conference honors from the SCIAC. Ten Panthers were named to the All-SCIAC First Team (in addition to Lahey), five more than any other school in the conference.
This marked the second consecutive season that Lahey was named SCIAC Offensive Athlete of the Year. The senior's 68.5 completion percentage currently ranks seventh in the nation and he threw for 174 yards per game against the rest of the SCIAC. The captain tossed 17 touchdowns on the season (versus just four picks) and ran for five scores. Lahey will leave as the school's leader in pass efficiency (161.9), completion percentage (71.1) and sits third on CU's list for passing yards (4,075)
Owens was named Coach of the Year after leading the Panthers to an undefeated conference record and the school's highest ranking in program history (No. 17) en route to its first-ever NCAA playoff berth. After having Chapman one win away from winning the conference in the past two seasons, Owens and his Panthers took home the SCIAC crown in just their third year as a member of the conference. It was Owens' third SCIAC title (two with Whittier).
Junior RB Jeremiah McKibbins headlined the rest of the first team selections rushing for 812 yards in seven conference matchups and led the conference with 16 touchdowns, doubling the next closest running back. McKibbins holds the Panther record for career rushing touchdowns (27), and sits just 169 yards away from the career rushing record (2,333) all while only playing in just two games his freshman year, missing the entire 2013 campaign due to injury, and still has one more season to go.
Seniors WR Blayr Jimmerson, OL Chris Collodel, TE Anthony Ezeakunne and junior OL Hunter Peterson round out the list of Panthers on the offensive first team. Jimmerson pulled in five touchdowns in conference play ranking him third in the conference among receivers. Ezeakunne made 12 catches including one touchdown and teamed with Collodel and Peterson in anchoring an offensive line that helped the Panthers lead the conference in rushing with 256.6 yards/game.
Junior Garrett Frediani led the list of four Panthers who made the defensive first team. Frediani led Chapman with 35 tackles (SCIAC play) and tackles for loss (6.5), and also recovered two fumbles and one interception. Junior DL Alex Rorie (13 tackles, two TFL), sophomore DB Conner Larkin (team-high 50 tackles, two INT, five pass breakups), and senior DB Sean Davey (40 tackles, SCIAC-leading 11 pass breakups) also made the list, as they helped Chapman allow only 387.7 yards/game, which placed them second in the conference.
Senior K Markus Trujillo was named to the first team by connecting on 88 percent of his FG attempts (7-for-8) and hitting 49 of his 50 extra point attempts.
Junior OL Jacob Speer, senior LB Sam Layton, sophomore DB/KR Devin Kelly, and junior DL Connor Lambert all earned All-SCIAC Second-Team honors.
by Michael Schwartz & Doug Aiken
Sports Information Assistant & Sports Information Director
All-SCIAC Football Team: http://www.thesciac.org/sports/fball/2014-15/releases/2014_all_conference_teams
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