×

Amherst standouts Knight, Kennedy draw Division 1 All-New England status at UNH

BOSTON – Amherst’s Trevor Knight and Jake Kennedy, of the University of New Hampshire, were among four Wildcats named to the 2017 All-New England Division I Football Team on Tuesday.

The others were Neil O’Connell and Portsmouth’s Rick Holt.

The four helped lead Wildcats to a 14th consecutive NCAA playoff appearance and a 14-0 victory against Central Connecticut State in a Nov. 25 first-round game at Wildcat Stadium. UNH plays at fourth-seeded University of Central Arkansas in a second-round game on Dec. 2 (3 p.m. Eastern).

Kennedy, who was named to the CAA Football Second Team Offense last week, has started all 12 games. The 6-3, 303-pound senior center and captain has helped pave the way for a Wildcat offense that is averaging 22.8 points and 374.1 yards per game. UNH scored a season-high 45 points vs. Bryant and has eclipsed 500 total yards of offense twice.

Knight’s other accolades the past week include New England Football Writers Division I Season Gold Helmet Award and CAA Football Third Team Offense. The junior quarterback is 265-for-423 (62.6%) for 3,150 yards and 24 touchdowns – and just seven interceptions – for a 142.36 passer efficiency rating. On UNH’s list of single-season superlatives, those numbers rank fourth in passing yards and completions, and fifth in pass attempts.

Knight is ranked in the Top 20 in six national statistics: No. 11 in passing yards (3,150), No. 12 in passing yards per game (262.5), No. 13 in completions per game (22.08), No. 15 in total offense (274.3 yards/game), No. 16 in passing TDs (24) and No. 19 in points responsible for (156).On the CAA leaderboard, Knight is second in both passing yards/game and total offense/game, as well as third in passing efficiency.

It’s the first All-New England Division I Football Team selection for all four.