SYRACUSE, NY — Senior defensive end Dwight Freeney (Bloomfield, CT) was named BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year by Collegefootballnews.com and four Orangemen, including Freeney, were named to Collegefootballnews.com's All-BIG EAST Team.
Freeney, the nation's leader in quarterback sacks, set NCAA, BIG EAST and Syracuse single-season records with 17.5 sacks in 2001. He led the conference in forced fumbles with eight and his 11 forced fumbles and recovered (eight forced, three recovered) is also an NCAA record.
The 6-1, 250-pound defensive end was honored by the conference as the BIG EAST Co-Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous selection to the All-BIG EAST First Team. He has been honored as an All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation, the Football Writers Association of America, Football News, the AFCA, CNNSI.com and ABC Sports Online for his record-setting performance this season.
Joining Freeney on Collegefootballnews.com's BIG EAST defensive squad is junior linebacker Clifton Smith (Freeport, NY). Smith, a first-team All-BIG EAST selection, posted 94 tackles, three sacks and one blocked field goal attempt this season.
SU's rushing game was acknowledged with the selections of PJ Alexander (Tallahassee, FL) and James Mungro (East Stroudsburg, PA). Alexander, a senior tackle, helped clear the way for Mungro's 1,170 rushing yards, which is the third-highest single-season total in school history. Mungro, a senior tailback, also tied a school record with 14 rushing touchdowns in 2001. Alexander and Mungro were both selected to the conference's second team.
Collegefootballnews.com also ranked the top 30 players in the BIG EAST regardless of position. Freeney was ranked third, Mungro eighth, Smith 15th and senior free safety Quentin Harris (Wilkes-Barre, PA) was ranked 23rd.