Football Earns Six CAA All-Conference Honors
11/25/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
ORONO, Maine -- The University of Maine football team earned six Colonial Athletic Association individual All-Conference honors, as announced by the league on Tuesday afternoon.
Junior center Bruce Johnson (Rochester, N.Y.) and sophomore linebacker Christophe Mulumba Tshimanga (Laval, Que.) eached earned CAA First Team All-Conference accolades. Junior defensive end Trevor Bates (Westbrook, Maine) was named to the Second Team while senior Damarr Aultman (Wheatley Heights, N.Y.) earned Second Team honors at kick returner and a Third Team selection at wide receiver. Senior corner Axel Ofori (Gaithersburg, Md.) rounded out the Black Bears' honors with a Third Team selection.
Johnson, a preseason All-Conference selection, served as Maine's leader on the offensive line, starting all 11 games at center. Johnson played a large part in building Maine's run game which produced 100+ yard rushers in two of its final three games.
Mulumba Tshimanga earned First Team honors for the second-straight year after leading the Black Bears with 95 total tackles. The sophomore linebacker ranked fifth in the league in tackles per game (8.6) and fourth on the team in tackles for loss (8.0) to go along with a sack, an interception, one pass breakup and a forced fumble.
Bates, a Third Team selection last season, recorded 60 tackles, third best on the team, and ranked second in total tackles among all CAA defensive linemen with 5.5 per game. Bates was dangerous off the edge in the pass game as he pulled down three interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Bates ranked tied for ninth in the league in interceptions per game (0.27) and seventh in passes defended (0.91). The junior end packed a relentless pass rush, tied for the team lead wiht 5.5 sacks and ranking second with 9.0 tackles for loss. Bates also forced two fumbles and recovered one, returning it 33-yards.
Aultman proved to be a threat in multiple aspects of the game for the Black Bears. The senior ranked second in the league in kickoff return yards (23.0 per game) and tenth in the league in all purpose yards with 104.5. Aultman led the Black Bears in receptions (48), receiving yards (498) and receiving yards per game (45.3) with two touchdowns. Historically, Aultman made a mark on the record books as he finishes his career fifth all time in receptions (162) and seventh all-time in receiving yards (2,061) while his 28 kick returns this season is tied for the Maine lead in returns in a season.
Ofori receives his first CAA honor with a Third Team nod at cornerback as he saw action in nine games and recorded 20 tackles, five pass breakups and an interception.
For a complete list of all honors and major award winners, please visit CAAFootball.com
-U-M-
