H-SC’s Favret, R-MC’s Naccarato, W&L’s Murray also Honored

FOREST, Va. --- Washington and Lee University earned a pair of individual honors as part of the 2011 ODAC Football All-Conference Awards.  Generals’ quarterback Charlie Westfal was tabbed the J. Stokeley Fulton Offensive Player of the Year, while teammate Brett Murray was selected the ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete.  Emory & Henry College linebacker Devan Sproles was named the Lou Wacker Defensive Player of the Year, and Hampden-Sydney College mentor Marty Favret earned the ODAC Coach of the Year award.  Randolph-Macon College quarterback Zac Naccarato garnered the ODAC Rookie of the Year accolade.

Westfal, a senior from New Canaan, Conn., adds this award to an All-ODAC First Team selection this year, plus a 2010 second team honor and 2008 ODAC Rookie of the Year laurels.  The Generals’ signal-caller made W&L’s option-based offense a potent weapon as his decision-making led to conference and program record-highs in team rushing yardage and points scored the past two seasons.  This year, Westfal finished sixth in the conference with 738 yards and eight touchdowns rushing.  He was equally adept with his arm as he threw for 1,484 yards and 15 touchdowns against just four interceptions, the lowest amount of giveaways of any ODAC starting quarterback.  He also completed 60-percent of his passes (84-of-140).  Westfal will graduate as the W&L career record-holder in total offensive yardage (6,987) and touchdown passes (45).  He’s also fourth in career passing yardage (4,710) and fifth in rushing yards (2,277).  He earned two ODAC Player of the Week awards, for which he combined to rush for 207 yards and two touchdowns as well as throw for 393 yards and three scores in wins over Bridgewater College and Randolph-Macon.

Sproles, a junior from Norton, Va., was the motor that kept Emory & Henry’s defense running as he led the conference in total tackles with 107 stops.  An All-ODAC First Team honoree, Sproles made 40 solo tackles and also posted a league-best 67 assisted tackles.  He finished the season second in the conference in interceptions with six (H-SC’s Zach Morgan with 7), thanks in part to a three-interception effort in the final game of the season against Guilford College.  It marked the first time any ODAC student-athlete intercepted three passes in a game since 2007 (CUA’s Nick Olivero vs. E&H).  Sproles had 10 or more tackles in six games this season, with a season-high 15 stops against UVA-Wise.  He never had fewer than eight tackles in a contest.  He won two Player of the Week awards, including the final honor of the season.  In his first three years, Sproles has racked up 199 total tackles (83 solo, 116 assists).

In his 12^th season guiding the Tigers, Favret enjoys his third ODAC top coaching honor as Hampden-Sydney prepares for its opening round matchup against Johns Hopkins University in the NCAA Division III Football Tournament.  The Tigers won their seventh overall conference title in 2011, marking the third during Favret’s tenure.  He currently boasts league-bests in overall winning percentage (.724) and ODAC-only winning percentage (.736) among active ODAC coaches.  With at least one game yet to play this season, Favret owns an 89-34 overall record and a 53-19 conference mark.

Naccarato, a freshman from Spotsylvania, Va., used his left arm and legs to help lead Randolph-Macon to an 8-2 record in his first season under center in Ashland.  He finished second in the conference in passing efficiency at 159.7, and he completed 66.7-percent (144-of-26) of his passes for 2,105 yards and 14 touchdowns against 11 interceptions.  Over the final five weeks of the season, Naccarato fired 10 touchdown passes and completed 70.6-percent (84-of-119) of his passes for 1,408 yards (281.6 ypg).  That stretch included a big contest against Catholic in which he earned Player of the Week honors.  On the road in Washington, D.C., he completed 25-of-31 passes (80.6 %) for 372 yards and four touchdowns (0 INTs).  Naccarato also proved he could run the ball as he churned out 126 yards and six touchdowns.

Murray, a junior from Lookout Mountain, Tenn., starred both on and off the field for the Generals as he adds this honor to an All-ODAC First Team selection this year and a second team award in 2010.  In the classroom, Murray maintains a 3.71 grade-point-average as an Environmental Studies and Business Administration major.  He is a W&L Scholar-Athlete and has twice been named to the All-ODAC Academic Team.  On the field, Murray is threat both rushing, receiving and in the return game.  He finished third in the league on the ground with 867 yards and nine touchdowns.  Through the air, he hauled in 25 passes for 378 yards and two more scores.  He also returned 13 kickoffs for 316 yards (24.3 avg) and yet another touchdown.  All told, Murray finished atop the conference with 1,561 all-purpose yards and was tied for fourth with 12 touchdowns.

Listed below are the 2011 All-ODAC Football Teams.  For more information, visit the websites of each of the participating schools, or go to the ODAC’s home on the Internet at www.odaconline.com. 

Don’t forget to become a fan of the ODAC on Facebook, as well as follow the ODAC on twitter @odacathletics.  You can also see video clips of ODAC teams in action on the conference’s YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/user/ODAC1976). 

2011 ALL-ODAC FOOTBALL TEAMS
J. Stokeley Fulton Offensive Player of the Year: Charlie Westfal, Sr., QB, Washington and Lee
Lou Wacker Defensive Player of the Year: Devan Sproles, Jr., LB, Emory & Henry
ODAC Coach of the Year: Marty Favret, Hampden-Sydney
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Zac Naccarato, Fr., QB, Randolph-Macon
ODAC/Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Brett Murray, Jr., RB, Washington and Lee