VICTOR, DESSENBERG NAMED TO CSJ FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA TEAM
Tiger Freshmen Led Towson To National Championship Game
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - Running back Darius Victor (Northwestern H.S./Hyattsville, Md.) and wide receiver Andre Dessenberg (Green Lakes H.S./Virginia Beach, Va.) of the Towson University football team have been named to The College Sports Journal’s Freshman All-America team.
Victor and Dessenberg helped the Tigers post the best season in program history. The Tigers, who compiled a 13-3 record, reached the NCAA FCS championship game where they lost to North Dakota State. Towson was ranked second in the nation in the final polls.
Wide receiver Cooper Kupp of Eastern Washington University was named as the winner of the third annual College Sports Journal FCS All-Freshman team player of the year. He joins running back Terrance West of Towson (2011) and the duo of Villanova quarterback John Robertson (2012) and Appalachian State wide receiver Sean Price (2012) as winners of CSJ’s top freshman award.
Victor earned first team Freshman All-America notice while Dessenberg was a second team selection.
Named as the winner of the Colonial Athletic Association Offensive Freshman of the Year award, Victor helped the Tigers was the team’s second-leading rusher. He ran for 629 yards on 98 carries and led the CAA by averaging 6.4 yards per carry. He also caught five passes for 71 yards and a touchdown.
In the Tigers’ post-season run to the NCAA FCS championship game, Victor rushed for 219 yards on 33 carries and scored two touchdowns. He also caught two passes for 52 yards and scored a touchdown.
Dessenberg appeared in 15 games and started four times. He caught 18 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown. He averaged 16.9 yards per catch, second on the team.
He was even more effective in the post-season. With injuries depleting the Tigers’ ranks, he stepped up and led the Tigers’ receivers with 13 receptions for 218 yards and a touchdown. He caught a 46-yard touchdown pass in Towson’s win over Fordham in the second round of the NCAA FCS playoffs.
Overall, the Southern Conference led all leagues with 11 selections.
About College Sports Journal
The College Sports Journal was the first major news organization to begin recognizing an All-Freshman team at the FCS level.
The All-Freshman team was selected by a blue ribbon panel of FCS experts put together by College Sports Journal executive editor David Coulson and CSJ publisher and managing editor Chuck Burton.
2013 College Sports Journal Football Championship Subdivision All-Freshman Team
Freshman of the Year:
First-Team Offense
Eli Jenkins, Jacksonville State, Quarterback
R. J. Noel, Sacred Heart, Quarterback
Marcus Cox, Running Back, Appalachian State
Martin Ruiz, Running Back, Youngstown State
Darius Victor, All-Purpose Back, Towson
Drew Potter, Fullback, South Dakota
Riley Donovan, Wide Receiver, South Dakota
Karel Hamilton, Wide Receiver, Samford
Barrett Burns, Tight End, Appalachian State
Jimmy Lowery, Tackle, Eastern Illinois
Anton Wahrby, Tackle, Wofford
Matt Fisher, Guard Cal Poly
Jacob Julian, Guard, Northern Arizona
Tad McNeely, Center, New Hampshire
First-Team Defense
Javancy Jones, Defensive End, Jackson State
JeMarcus Marshall, Defensive End, Northwestern State
Austin Black, Defensive Tackle, Southeast Missouri State
Robert Torgerson, Defensive Tackle, Southern Utah
John Law, Linebacker, Appalachian State
Christophe Mulumba, Linebacker, Maine
James Rentz, Linebacker, Sacred Heart
Gage Steele, Linebacker, James Madison
Michael Jones, Cornerback, North Carolina Central
Foyesade Oluokun, Cornerback, Yale
Trey Robinson, Safety, Furman
Jameel Smith, Safety, Youngstown State
First-Team Special Teams
Anthony Prevost, Place Kicker, Hampton
Bentley Critcher, Punter, Appalachian State
Jatavious Wilson, Kickoff Returner, Central Arkansas
Anthony Warrum, Punt Returner, Illinois State
Chandler Dowell, Long Snapper, Southern Utah
Second-Team Offense
Drew Reed, Quarterback, Lafayette
John Russ, Quarterback, Mercer
Tarik Cohen, Running Back, North Carolina A&T
C.J. Williams, Running Back, Bucknell
Kade Harrington, All-Purpose Back, Lamar
Josh Barge, Wide Receiver, Jacksonville State
Devin Borders, Wide Receiver, Eastern Kentucky
Andre Dessenberg, Wide Receiver, Towson
Eric Saubert, Tight End, Drake
JP Flynn, Tackle, Montana State
Javarius Leamon, Tackle, South Carolina State
Jessamen Dunker, Guard, Tennessee State
Corey Levin, Guard, Chattanooga
Aubrey Beal, Bryant, Center
Second-Team Defense
Boston Bryant, Defensive End, Wofford
Samson Ebukam, Defensive End, Eastern Washington
Winston Craig, Defensive Tackle, Richmond
Patrick Richard, Defensive Tackle, Maine
Kourtney Berry, Linebacker, Alabama State
Aaron Reed, Linebacker, Duquesne
Marquis Smith, Linebacker, Savannah State
Jameer Thurman, Linebacker, Indiana State
Demetrius Johnson, Cornerback, Texas Southern
Trey Morgan, Cornerback, Western Carolina
Cam Kuksa, Safety, North Dakota
Donald Payne, Safety, Stetson
Second-Team Special Teams
Warren Handrahan, Place Kicker, Samford
Eric Enderson, Punter, Delaware
Devin Brown, Kickoff Returner, Coastal Carolina
Chris Crawford. Punt Returner, Stetson
Austin Barth, Long Snapper, Montana State
