ESU Postseason Awards History (PDF)

Related:
Soltes - Harlon Hill Trophy finalist
Schnaars, Ackerman - Academic All-America 1st team

EAST STROUDSBURG - East Stroudsburg University redshirt senior quarterback Matt Soltes was named Super Region 1 Offensive Player of the Year and is joined by redshirt senior wide receiver Jon Schnaars on the first team as selected by the region's sports information directors, it was released Wednesday.

Soltes (Vernon, N.J./Vernon) and Schnaars (Harrisburg, Pa./Central Dauphin) formed the most prolific quarterback-receiver tandem in NCAA Division II this season, with Soltes leading the nation in passing yards (3,900) and TD (41) in the regular season, and Schnaars pacing all DII receivers in catches (114), yards (1,610) and TD (22).

The D2CCA All-Region teams are sponsored by the Division II Conference Commissioners Association and were previously sponsored by Daktronics, Inc.

Soltes and Schnaars are the first ESU players named to the first team by the region's SID's since 2012. ESU has had at least one selection every season since 2003.

Soltes is the first ESU quarterback named first team All-Region since Jimmy Terwilliger (2004-06), and Schnaars is the first wide receiver selected to the first team since Evan Prall (2005-06). Robert Bleiler was named to the second team in 2013.

Soltes, named one of eight national finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy (DII Player of the Year) earlier Wednesday, was selected as the PSAC East Offensive Player of the Year two weeks ago. He is a three-time Harlon Hill candidate and three-time All-PSAC East selection.

He led Division II in passing yards per game (354.5) and passing TD (41) in the regular season and ranked second in DII in total offense per game (373.6), leading the PSAC in all three categories. He ranks third in PSAC history in single-season passing yards per game and total offense per game, behind only ESU's Damian Poalucci in 1996 and Shippensburg's Zach Zulli, the 2012 Harlon Hill recipient.

He was 277-for-486 for 3,900 yards, 41 TD and 11 interceptions and had 78 carries for 210 yards and a TD as a senior this season.

In his career, he set PSAC records for passing yards per game (313.6 - 7th in DII history) and total offense per game (351.0 - 2nd in DII history), ranking second in conference history in career passing yards (12,544), total offense (14,038) and passing TD (126 - t-2nd in DII history) and third in career TD responsible for (133).

His career pass efficiency (158.2) ranks first among active DII quarterbacks and 3rd in PSAC history.

Soltes holds five DII records - career TD passes per game (3.15), career games with 5+ TD passes (13), games with 500 yards total offense (6), games with 600 yards total offense (2) and is the fifth QB in DII history with 3,000 yards total offense in all four seasons of his career. He is the fourth DII QB to throw for 12,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in his career.

This season, he led fourth-quarter comebacks in wins over Bloomsburg and Lock Haven and had 616 yards total offense (594 passing) and tied a PSAC record with nine TD passes in a 69-67 (5OT) loss vs. Shippensburg. He finished the season with 461 yards total offense (435 passing) and five TD in a 49-37 win vs. Gannon, the PSAC West preseason favorite.

He had eight games with 300 yards passing (22 career), four games with 400 yards passing (10 career), six games with 300 yards total offense (24 career) and five games with 400 yards total offense (14 career).

Schnaars is DII's leading receiver with 114 catches, 1,610 yards and 22 TD, averaging 10.4 receptions and 146.4 yards per game. He ranks second on the PSAC's single-season list in receptions, third in yards and tied for second in TD.

He had 100 yards receiving in nine of 11 games, including three 200-yard games. He set PSAC records with 20 catches and seven TD and had 218 yards in the five-overtime game vs. Shippensburg, had nine catches for 200 yards and two TD in a 56-12 win vs. Edinboro and 16 catches for 222 yards and four TD in the 49-37 win vs. Gannon in the final game of the season. He had the go-ahead two-point conversion with 1:10 remaining in ESU's 35-34 win vs. Bloomsburg, its first win over the Huskies since 2005.

In his career, Schnaars ranks first at ESU in receptions (239), third in yards (3,447) and second in TD, and fifth in PSAC history in receptions, eighth in yards and tied for fifth in TD.

He was previously named to the All-PSAC East second team in 2014 with 58 catches, 807 yards and 14 TD.

He was named to the Capital One Academic All-America 1st team earlier Wednesday, his second career Academic All-America honor. He was also a national semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's Campbell Trophy.


ESU All-Region Quarterbacks
2015 - Matt Soltes (D2CCA, 1st team)
2006 - Jimmy Terwilliger (Daktronics and Football Gazette, 1st team)
2005 - Jimmy Terwilliger (Daktronics and Football Gazette, 1st team)
2004 - Jimmy Terwilliger (Daktronics, 1st team)
1997 - Damian Poalucci (ECAC)
1996 - Damian Poalucci (ECAC, Player of the Year and Daktronics, 1st team)
1982 - Andy Baranek (ECAC)
1969 - Bill Dukett (ECAC, Player of the Year)

ESU All-Region Wide Receivers
2015 - Jon Schnaars (D2CCA, 1st team)
2013 - Robert Bleiler (Daktronics and Football Gazette, 2nd team)
2012 - Dusty Reed (Football Gazette, 3rd team)
2011 - Dusty Reed (Football Gazette, 3rd team)
2006 - Evan Prall (Daktronics and Football Gazette, 1st team)
2005 - Evan Prall (Daktronics and Football Gazette, 1st team)
2004 - Tim Strenfel (Daktronics, 2nd team)
1997 - Mike Mancuso (ECAC)
1996 - Mike Mancuso (Daktronics, 1st team)
1996 - Jason Killian (ECAC)
1989 - Dennis Mailhot (ECAC)
1984 - Tim Bishop (ECAC)
1983 - Scott Benoit (ECAC)
1970 - Glenn Gottshalk (ECAC)

* D2CCA/Daktronics teams available since 1993
* Football Gazette teams available since 2005
* ESU left the ECAC in 2002



Offensive Player of the Year – Matt Soltes, East Stroudsburg
Defensive Player of the Year – Marcus Martin, Slippery Rock
 
Offense – 1st Team
QB – Matt Soltes, East Stroudsburg, Sr.
RB – *Shamar Greene, Slippery Rock, Jr.
RB – Andre Anderson, New Haven, Jr.
WR – *Jon Schnaars, East Stroudsburg, Sr.
WR – Billy Brown, Shepherd, Jr.
TE – Daree' Goodwin, West Liberty, Sr.
OL – *Cory Tucker, Slippery Rock, Sr.
OL – Sully Crotty, Assumption, Sr.
OL – Doug Gilbert, West Chester, Jr.
OL – Lavonte Hights, Shepherd, So.
OL – Zachary Voytek, New Haven, Sr.
K – Cole Tracy, Assumption, Sr.
RET – Sheldon Mayer, Shippensburg, Sr.
 
Offense – 2nd Team
QB – Jeff Ziemba, Shepherd, Jr.
RB – Chris Temple, IUP, So.
RB – Lawrence Elliott, Jr., Jr., Bloomsburg
WR – Garry Brown, California, Jr.
WR – Jere Brown, Merrimack, Sr.
TE – Sean Binckes, LIU Post, Sr.
OL – Ethan Cooper, IUP, Jr.
OL – Leon Hill, Glenville State, Sr.
OL – Joe LoSchiavo, Slippery Rock, Jr.
OL – Coleman Osborne, Concord, Jr.
OL – Jorge Vicioso, IUP, Sr.
K – Ryan Earls, Shepherd, Sr.
RET – C.J. Davis, Shepherd, Jr.
 
Defense – 1st Team
DL – *Andrew Cohen, West Chester, Sr.
DL – *Marcus Martin, Slippery Rock, So.
DL – Shaneil Jenkins, Shepherd, Sr.
LB – *Tyler Condit, New Haven, Sr.
LB – James Gupton, Shepherd, So.
LB – D'Gary Wallace, Urbana, Sr.
LB – Teven Williams, Slippery Rock, Sr.
CB – *Aaron Terry, California, Jr.
CB – Brian Hall, Bowie State, Sr.
S – *Mike Zanders, Gannon, Sr.
S – Jordan Bowman, California, Jr.
P – Andrew Huska, Slippery Rock, Sr.

Defense – 2nd Team
DL – Michael Bloomfield, Winston-Salem, Sr.
DL – Karon Gibson, IUP, Sr.
DL – Darius James, Notre Dame (Ohio), Sr.
DL – Richard Nase, Jr., Shippensburg, Fr.
DL – Ben Polci, Merrimack, Sr.
LB – Tony Ballon, Lock Haven, Sr.
LB – Zachary Blair, UVA-Wise, Jr.
LB – Kevin Clarke, IUP, Jr.
LB – Bob Vernick, Slippery Rock, Jr.
CB – Jeremiah Johnson, Concord, So.
CB – Jay Watkins, IUP, So.
S – Jarrod Casey, Assumption, Jr.
S – Brian Carroll, Merrimack, Jr.
P – Tyler Ford, Bentley, Jr.