Six University at Buffalo football players were named to the All-Mid-American Conference Team on Wednesday.
Safety Davonte Shannon and wide receiver Naaman Roosevelt were repeat selections to the first team, while tight end Jesse Rack also earned first-team honors. Guard Peter Bittner and safety Mike Newton were named to the second team. Wide Receiver Brett Hamlin was named to the third team.
Shannon, a junior, was named to the first team for the third straight year. He led the Bulls with 97 tackles and also had a team-high 8.5 tackles for loss. He added a pair of interceptions, three pass breakups, two quarterback hurries and a forced fumble. He had three double-digit tackle games, including a season-high 15 tackles in the Bulls’ win over Miami (OH).
Roosevelt was a first-team selection for the second straight year and an All-MAC choice for the third time. Roosevelt led the Bulls in receiving with 70 catches for 964 yards and nine touchdowns in only 10 games. The Buffalo native had five 100-yard receiving games and finished his career holding nearly every Buffalo career receiving record. He saved one of the best games of his career for last with an eight-catch, 165-yard, three-touchdown performance against Ohio in his final game.
Rack earned All-MAC kudos for the first time in his career. The senior tight end had a breakout season in 2009 with 30 catches for 432 yards and seven touchdowns - all career-highs. His seven touchdowns were the most by a UB tight end since the Bulls moved to Division I-A in 1999. Rack went over 50 yards receiving on three different occasions in 2009 ö including 62 yards on four catches at Miami ö a feat he had only accomplished once before this season.
Newton was a second-team selection for the second straight year. The senior safety had 85 tackles, including a team-best 52 solo efforts. He added two interceptions, eight pass breakups and a pair of fumble recoveries. He was named MAC East Division Defensive Player of the Week following the Bulls’ win over Akron. The hard-hitting safety had eight tackles, a fumble recovery, an interception and a pass breakup against the Zips.
Bittner was also named to the second team. The junior offensive guard started all 12 games and anchored an offensive line that paved the way for an offense that averaged 405 yards per game - the highest average in UB’s Division I-A era. It marked the third straight year that a UB offensive lineman was named to the All-MAC team.
Along with Bittner, Hamlin was a first time All-MAC selection. The senior receiver was named to the third team. Hamlin had the best season of his career, ranking second on the team in receiving with 64 catches for 898 yards - both career highs. It was a well-deserved honor for a receiver who was often overshadowed by Roosevelt. Hamlin finished his career third in school history in receptions (185) and fifth in receiving yards (2,190).
This marked the second straight season the Bulls had six All-MAC selections. Since 2007, Buffalo has had 20 players selected to the All-MAC team. Prior to 2007, the Bulls had a total of nine players named All-MAC. (Source: UB Athletic Dep’t)
It’s a slap in the face to Hamlin who is #6 in yards, #8 in catches, #4 in yards per catch, …, … that he was not second team.