Sports Information Directors Present Football Awards, Name All-State Teams

HARRISONBURG, Va., Dec. 20, 2006 – Four schools were represented Wednesday in the announcement of the four top awards for the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association (VaSID) All-State Divison I Football Team.

2006 VaSID Univ. Division All-State Football Team

Honored were Virginia Tech running back Branden Ore as state offensive player of the year, James Madison linebacker Akeem Jordan as state defensive player of the year, Virginia freshman defensive lineman Jeffrey Fitzgerald as state rookie of the year, and Hampton's Joe Taylor as state coach of the year.

Sports information directors from throughout the state took part in the voting which in addition to the top individual awards named all-state first and second teams on offense and defense.

Ore this season has run for 1,095 yards and 14 touchdowns despite being limited late in the season by an ankle injury. The first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection also has caught 14 passes for 203 yards and a score for Virginia Tech' Chick-fil-A-bound team. He was second in the conference in rushing and first in all-purpose yards.

Jordan was named to three All-America first teams, was second in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award that is presented to Division I-AA's leading defending, was a finalist for the state's Dudley Award, and was the Atlantic 10's defensive player of the year. He took part in 140 tackles, including 17 for loss and 5.5 quarterback sacks, to lead James Madison's NCAA playoff-qualifying squad.

Fitzgerald was a first-team freshman All-America honoree by Rivals.com. He started each Virginia game and took part in 64 tackles, including 12 for loss and six sacks, and he was the nation's leading tackler among freshman defensive linemen.

Taylor during the 2006 season became the third-winningest active coach in Division I-AA while leading 10-2 Hampton to its third-straight Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference title and NCAA playoff bid. The recently completed campaign was his sixth 10-win season, and he also was state coach of the year in 1997.

James Madison led the overall voting with 12 players named to the two all-state teams (50 overall selections). Virginia Tech had 11 selections, Hampton eight, Virginia six, Liberty five, Richmond four, Virginia Military Institute two, and Norfolk State and William & Mary one each.

Five players were repeat selections to the all-state first team, and two were first-team choices for the third time. Hampton's Alonzo Coleman was the only repeat first-team honoree on offense and with James Madison defensive back Tony LeZotte was a third-time first-team choice. The other defensive players to repeat on the first team were James Madison lineman Kevin Winston, Hampton linebacker Justin Durrant, and Virginia back Marcus Hamilton.

All-State teams are selected by active members of the Virginia Sports Information Directors Association. For more information, please visit the VaSID site at http://www.ferrum.edu/athletics/vasid.