Five Ephs Earn All-NESCAC Football Honors
In voting by the football coaches in NESCAC five Williams College football players have been honored for their performance in the 2022 season. Senior running back Joel Nicholas and senior defensive lineman Ian Devine were accorded First Team laurels, while running back/quarterback Dan Vaughn, junior offensive lineman John Freeman, and sophomore placekicker Ivan Shuran received Second Team recognition.
All five of the Eph players had received previous All-NESCAC recognition in their purple and gold careers.
For the second consecutive season Joel Nicholas and Ian Devine were named to the First Team. This season Nicholas carried the ball 141 times for 576 yards and scored three touchdowns. "Joel had a phenomenal career. His toughness is unmatched," said Eph head coach Mark Raymond. "This year especially, Joel battled through multiple injuries and still performed as one of the top running backs in the NESCAC. His performance in big games will not be forgotten."
This season Ian Devine notched 32 tackles (10 solos) and 23.5 of his tackles came behind the line of scrimmage. He had 13.5 tackles for a loss (72 yards) and 8 sacks (59 yards) and he forced 2 fumbles. Mark Raymond stated, "Ian had a tremendous year. At times he was virtually unblockable. He always seemed to come up with a big play when we needed it most. His quickness and relentless effort made him a handful for opposing offenses."
Due to numerous injuries at quarterback for the Ephs this fall Dan Vaughn moved from running back to quarterback where he led the Ephs to two of their three wins. For his four touchdown passes and one run for a touchdown vs. Bates Vaughn was named the NESCAC Offensive Player of the Week in the 41-28 win. "One word that best describes Dan is "Competitor," said Mark Raymond. "He was always someone one that would do anything to help the team. When needed this year he stepped in at quarterback and instantly energized our offense. His versatility and selflessness over the past four years has contributed greatly to our success." This fall Vaughn rushed for 384 yards and 5 touchdowns. He also threw for 656 yards and connected on 7 touchdown passes. This marks Vaughn's second time appearing on the NESCAC Second Team.
In reality only the coaches know the value of their offensive lineman as there are no in-game stats calculated for the fans. Consistently throughout the season John Freeman performed exceptionally well up front for the Ephs. He was an All-NESCAC First Team honoree in 2021. "John was the anchor of our offensive line," Mark Raymond stated. "His physical style of play helped make us one of the best rushing offenses in the league. We look forward to having him back for another year."
Ivan Shuran has been honored by the NESCAC coaches for the second year in a row as he was First Team honoree in 2021. Mark Raymond said, "Ivan is a special player. He is always at his best when the pressure is at its highest. This year he hit several kicks for us in critical situations. His consistency and confidence make him universally respected by all of his teammates and coaches."
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