Photo by Mark Campbell

RICHMOND, Va. -- The University of Delaware football squad placed 12 student-athletes on the Colonial Athletic Association Academic All-Conference team announced by the league office this week.

A total of 106 student-athletes from the 12 CAA schools were honored on the teams. To be eligible, players must be a starter or key reserve and have a cumulative grade point index of 3.0 or better. First-year freshmen and first-year transfers were not eligible.

Named to the team from Delaware were sophomore linebacker Andrew Harrison, senior defensive lineman John Higginson, junior wide receiver Mark Mackey, sophomore offensive lineman Rob McDowell (at right), senior tight end Trevor Mooney, sophomore offensive lineman Will Nagle, sophomore tight end Colin Naugle, junior tight end and long snapper Zack Reed, sophomore wide receiver Justin Rodriguez, sophomore wide receiver Mark Schenauer, junior offensive lineman Kevin Uhll, and junior punter Ed Wagner.

Harrison, a sophomore civil engineering major from Richmond, Va. (Highland Springs, Va.), started all 11 games at outside linebacker in 2009 and ranked No. 5 on the team with 56 tackles. He had 6.5 tackles for loss, a quarterback sack, pass breakup, and a blocked kick.

Higginson, a senior finance major with a minor in economics from Amherst, Mass. (Amherst Regional HS), started all 11 games at defensive end in 2009 and collected 36 tackles, including a team-high 5.5 quarterback sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss.

Mackey, a junior economics education major with a minor in math from Harrisburg, Pa. (Central Dauphin HS), was Delaware’s second leading receiver in 33 catches for 374 yards (11.3 avg.) and one touchdown. He was named to the ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic first team following the season and was also selected to the Football Championship Subdivision Athletic Director's Academic All-Star team.

McDowell, a sophomore finance and economics major with a minor in mathematics from Silver Spring, Md. (DeMatha HS) was one of Delaware’s steadiest linemen in 2009 when he anchored the front from the center position. In his two seasons with the Blue Hens, McDowell has started all 23 games of his career.

Mooney, a senior economics major from Mission, Viejo, Calif. (Trabuco Hills HS), caught two passes for 13 yards and a touchdown in 2009 and played in all 22 games for the Hens after transferring from Washington State. He earned a spot on the 2009 ESPN The Magazine/CoSIDA District 2 All-Academic second team.

Nagle, a sophomore criminal justice major from Marshfield, Mass. (Marshfield HS), saw action in seven games as a backup tackle and guard during the 2009 season to earn his second letter. He caught a pass for seven yards in the season finale vs. Villanova.

Naugle, a sophomore engineering technology major from Reading, Pa. (Reading Central Catholic HS), played in the first six games of the season in 2009 and started four contests before suffering a season-ending knee injury. He caught six passes for 73 yards and a 12.2 yard average.

Reed, a junior fitness major with a minor in strength and conditioning from Huntington, Pa. (Huntington HS), closed out his third season as the Hens’ deep snapper on punts and placements in 2009. He played in all 11 games in 2009, recorded two tackles on special teams, and helped continue Delaware’s streak of 216 straight punt attempts without a block that dates back to 2005.

Rodriguez, a sophomore finance major with a minor in entrepreneurial studies from Brockton, Mass. (Brockton HS), appeared in seven games during the 2009 season as a backup wide receiver and special teams performer. He posted one tackle on the season vs. Navy.

Schenauer, a sophomore finance major from Galloway, N.J. (Absegami HS), battled injuries for part of the year but appeared in seven games, including starting the first four contests of the season. He hauled in 17 passes for 218 yards and a 12.8 yard per catch average and had a season-long 56 yard catch in the season opener vs. West Chester when he had two receptions for 72 yards. He also caught five passes for 36 yards against Delaware State and four for 29 yards vs. Villanova.

Uhll, a junior chemistry major from North Wales, Pa. (North Penn HS), was a third-year starter at offensive tackle in 2009. He started all 11 games and extended his starting streak to a team-high 26 straight games. He was named the Blue Hen Touchdown Club Offensive Player of the Week vs. Delaware State in September.

Wagner, a junior biology major from Barto, Pa. (Perkiomen School) and a second-year transfer from Michigan State, earned third team All-CAA honors this past fall as a first-year starter. He punted 47 times for 1,879 yards and ranked third in the CAA with a 40.0-yard average. He had five punts go for 50 or more yards, including a career-long 73-yarder vs. James Madison, and also had 12 punts land inside the opponent 20-yard line.

In addition to the 106 players honored, Villanova linebacker and graduate student Osayi Osunde was named the 2009 CAA Football Student-Athlete of the Year. He carries a 3.95 grade point average while working on a master’s degree in human resource development.

Hofstra, New Hampshire, and Northeastern each placed 13 players on the team while Delaware and Towson each had 12 honorees and Rhode Island placed 10 members on the team. Richmond had eight players honored followed by Villanova (7), James Madison (6), Maine (5), Massachusetts (4), and William & Mary (3).