KINGS POINT, N.Y. (Nov. 17, 2022) – On Thursday, the NEWMAC Conference announced the postseason awards and All-NEWMAC Teams for the 2022 football season and a total of seven players from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy were recognized, including senior defensive lineman C.J. Mustain (Oro Valley, Ariz.), who was selected by the league's head coaches as the Defensive Athlete of the Year.
 
Mustain, along with four other Mariners, were named to the All-NEWMAC First Team – sophomore wide receiver Talsen Smith (Roseville, Calif.), junior offensive lineman Randy Ruple (Menifee, Calif.), senior defensive back Connor Caffrey (Spokane Valley, Wash.) and senior linebacker Xavier Coleman (San Ramon, Calif.) - while two others earned Second Team accolades – senior fullback Matthew Savard (Orlando, Fla.) and senior defensive lineman Colton Ray (Bellevue, Ohio).
 
For the complete release from the NEWMAC, click here.
 
Mustain, a team co-captain, currently ranks third in the country with 2.4 tackles for loss per game, while also coming in at eighth in sacks with 1.11 per game. He was the conference leader in both categories, totaling 22 tackles for loss, which more than doubled the next closest NEWMAC defender, as well as 10 total sacks, 2.5 better than the second-best in the league. Mustain finished the year with 53 total tackles, two quarterback hurries, one forced fumble and one pass breakup, and was the NEWMAC Defensive Athlete of the Week three times, while also landed on the D3football.com National Team of the Week two-straight weeks. This is his second-straight year being named to the All-NEWMAC First Team.
 
Smith caught a team-high 23 passes for 579 yards with eight touchdowns. His 25.2 yards per reception was tops in the NEWMAC and more than five yards better on average than the next best, while his eight TDs tied for the most among the league's receivers. Smith was named to the D3football.com National Team of the Week once this season. This is his second-career appearance on an All-NEWMAC Team, as he landed on the Second Team in 2021.
 
Ruple has been the Mariners' starting right guard the past three seasons and was selected to the All-NEWMAC First Team for the second-straight year. He and the rest of the offensive line were selected to the D3football.com National Team of the Week early in the season. Ruple's efforts helped lead the Mariners to the fifth-ranked rushing offense in the nation with 283.7 yards per game. He was a preseason All-American after finishing the 2021 season as a Fourth Team All-American.
 
Caffrey tied for the NEWMAC lead with four interceptions on the season, and finished the year with 40 total tackles (23 solo and 17 assisted). He also recorded three pass breakups on the year. This is his second-career appearance on an All-NEWMAC Team, as he landed on the Second Team in 2021.
 
Coleman registered 28 total tackles on the season (15 solo and 13 assisted). Among his total were five for combined losses of 20 yards, including 1.5 sacks, dropping opposing QBs back nine yards. He also broke up one pass on the year.
 
Savard compiled 606 rushing yards this season and found the end zone a team-best nine times throughout the year, which ranked third among NEWMAC running backs. His 67.3 yards per game ranked fifth in the NEWMAC, while his 4.8 yards per carry tied for fifth in the league.
 
Ray recorded 28 total tackles on the year (14 solo and 14 assisted), including two for combined losses of three yards. He broke up one pass and had one quarterback hurry on the season.
 
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