McInerney, Mallory and Arnold Earn Major Northeast Conference Football Awards on Monday

Central Connecticut State University came away from the Northeast Conference football awards program as the big winner. Fresh off capturing their first-ever outright NEC title, the Blue Devils claimed three major honors and a league-high 10 all-conference selections. CCSU senior running back James Mallory garnered NEC Offensive Player of the Year accolades, Central's freshman linebacker Lawton Arnold secured the NEC Defensive Rookie of the Year honor, and the Blue Devils' Jeff McInerney took the NEC Coach of the Year award.

The Northeast Conference announced the honorees, which were chosen through a vote of the league's nine head coaches, on Monday to kick off Gridiron Classic week. Central Connecticut State prepares to visit Pioneer League champion Butler in the fourth annual postseason Gridiron Classic on December 5.

Mallory was the offensive catalyst for a team that enjoyed its best season in nearly four full decades. He'll have the opportunity to carry the Blue Devils to a 10th win, while also solidifying his place as CCSU's all-time leading rusher in the upcoming Gridiron Classic. His 3,136 career rushing yards and 33 career touchdowns (200 pts.) both rank second in CCSU's program history. After amassing 1,520 yards on the ground as a junior, Mallory has rushed for 1,243 yards to rank second amongst NEC ball carriers in 2009. After totaling 539 rushing yards over the final four games of CCSU's title chase, Mallory is averaging 113.0 yards per game and 4.8 yards per carry on the season. Mallory, who has 15 rushing touchdowns in each of the past two seasons, has eclipsed the 100-yard mark on 15 occasions during his career. He is one of 20 national finalists for the 2009 Walter Payton Award.

Arnold became a defensive leader during his first season in New Britain. His 48 tackles, of which 6.5 were for a loss, came over an eight-game sample. Showing a knack for key plays, he added two sacks, two forced fumbles, and two quarterback hurries. After playing sparingly in the NEC opener against cross-state rival Sacred Heart, he more than made his presence felt the following week against Robert Morris. Arnold broke through by making five solo tackles and forced a fumble in a 21-21 win over the Colonials.

McInerney has guided the Blue Devils to a winning season in each of his four years at helm, but none have proven more fruitful than the current campaign. Coaching CCSU's version of the "Cardiac Kids" to second-half comebacks in seven of their nine victories, McInerney has his team one step away from setting the single-season program record for wins. The fourth-year head coach earned his first-ever triumphs over perennial NEC title contenders Albany and Monmouth in 2009 on the way to securing CCSU's first NEC title since it shared the league crown in 2004 & 2005. The Blue Devils have won 30 games over a four-year span, which began with McInerney's hiring in 2006, in achieving yet another program first.

All five first team offensive linemen are veterans, and four of the five were members of the 2009 All-NEC Preseason Team. CCSU senior Anthony Pineiro was the selection who did not receive the preseason billing. His seamless transition from guard, where he earned second team honors in 2007, to center helped strengthened an offense that went on to average 25.2 points and 388.0 yards per contest.

Senior Ray Saunders, who recorded 44 total tackles and two pass break-ups, stands as the lone two-time selection to the first team defensive line. The elusive defensive end registered team-high 10.0 tackles for loss, including four sacks that cost the opponent a total of 48 yards.

Junior Alondre Rush returns to the first team defensive backfield for the second consecutive season. Rush, a strong safety, also led his club in solo tackles (36). The 6-foot, 190-pound Connecticut native totaled 71 stops, including 4.5 for a loss. Wreaking havoc on opposing quarterbacks, Rush made two sacks, secured two interceptions, and broke up three passes.

Senior cornerback Marcus Dorsey gives the Blue Devils two first team defensive backs. The Maryland native tied for first amongst NEC leaders in interceptions (5) and ranks third in passes defended (13). He returned the five picks for 172 returns yards, 100 of which came on the one play in a NEC-TV Game of the Week (Oct. 3). With intrastate rival Sacred Heart five yards away from the go-ahead score with fewer than 3:00 remaining in regulation, Dorsey intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it a NEC-record 100 yards for a game-sealing touchdown.

Central's five selections top the All-NEC Second Team, starting with senior quarterback Aubrey Norris and his favorite target junior Josue Paul.

Norris came off the bench during the second quarter of CCSU's comeback win over Columbia (Sept. 26), the NEC's first-ever over a Ivy League member, and never looked back. Engineering the Blue Devils' offense to a program-record seven NEC wins, Norris posted a 67.0 completion percentage (77-for-115) and totaled 1,042 yards through the air. Having always been a threat to tuck it and run, Norris accounted for 264 rush yards and two touchdowns over 74 attempts.

Paul, who burst onto the scene as an electrifying kick returner in 2007, proved to be both a reliable and explosive pass-catcher this season. His 14.8 yards per catch average was tops amongst NEC receiving leaders while his 782 yards were third. The 6-foot-1 Floridian made 53 receptions, none bigger than the 69-yard touchdown sprint that lifted CCSU past Monmouth in the waning minutes of Week 11.

Junior tackle Mike Allison, a true bookend at 6'6" and 300 pounds, started all 11 games during CCSU's title run. He helped anchor the line that led the league in rushing and allowed the fewest sacks during the season.

Junior Jeff Marino's selection gives CCSU a second team linebacker for the second consecutive season after graduate Mike Cooke claimed the honor in 2008. The 6-foot-1 Marino was the leading tackler (85) for a defense that allowed 298.1 yard per game.

CCSU junior Dominique Rose is a second teamer for the second straight season after accounting for 30 tackles and seven passes defended (6 PBU + 1 INT).

The Blue Devils will finish the 2009 season at 12 noon on Saturday in the Gridiron Classic at Butler. Central has a chance to win 10 games for the first time in school history. Their nine wins so far this season matched a school-record set in 1973 (9-1).