The Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) released its 2019 All-Conferences Team selections on Tuesday, Nov. 26.
Stony Brook Football saw four of their players represented, including a few first timers.
Redshirt-sophomore offensive lineman Kyle Nunez was selected to the CAA Preseason All-Conference team back in the summer, and followed that up by earning a spot on the second team All-CAA list.
This is not the first time Nunez made the list, earning second team All-CAA last year as well, while also being named a HERO Sports Freshman All-American.
Redshirt-junior rover Augie Contressa, the team’s sacks and tackle leader, earned his first All-CAA selection when he joined Nunez on the second team. Contressa finished with 88 tackles, 10.5 for loss, 3.5 sacks and one forced fumble.
In his final season at Stony Brook, and first as a team captain, redshirt-senior defensive back Gavin Heslop earned third team All-CAA selection. Heslop’s final stat line included 8.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. His final fumble recovery was during the Nov. 23 loss versus Albany, in which Heslop took the fumble nine-yards for a touchdown. He earned second team All-CAA last season.
The Seawolves converted 10 of their 12 field goal attempts this past season, including a 47-yard field goal against James Madison with 0:05 left in the fourth to tie it up, as well as a 22-yard field goal at Villanova to win the game as time expired. Those kicks came off the foot of redshirt-senior kicker Nick Courtney. While Courtney deserves credit for those kicks, another person deserves recognition as well.
The long-snapper’s job is to do just that, snap the ball at long distances, i.e. field goals and punts. Redshirt-senior long-snapper Billy Barber has been that guy for three years. Barber earned third team All-CAA for his special teams play.
Following the announcements, Stony Brook Special Teams Coordinator Tony Thompson tweeted: “Billy was a technician for us. The snaps angles we asked him to make on punt were on the money for 3 straight years. His field goal snaps were smooth and with the laces out. Proud of his hard work – From walk-on to an all CAA player!!”
