Fourteen SUNY Cortland players have been selected to the 2007 New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) football postseason all-league team. Highlighting the Red Dragons' selections is freshman linebacker Brian Haas (East Aurora/St. Francis), who was named the NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Year by the league's coaches.

Cortland finished the season with an 8-3 record and, with a 6-1 league mark, tied for first in the NJAC standings for the third straight year. The College of New Jersey, however, earned the league's NCAA tournament automatic berth by virtue of its win over the Red Dragons. Cortland is 34-15 in NJAC play since joining the league as a football-only member in 2000.

The Red Dragons earned a spot in the ECAC Division III Northeast Bowl for the program's 13th postseason appearance (five NCAA, eight ECAC) and defeated Union College, 23-7, in that contest.

Cortland's All-NJAC selections are as follows:

FIRST TEAM
Name (Hometown/High School)    Year    Position
Jeff Beck (Middlehope/Marlboro)    Senior    Cornerback
Matthew Mintz (Lawrence/Lawrence)    Senior    Kicker

SECOND TEAM
Name (Hometown/High School)    Year    Position
Paul Caughell (Niagara Falls/Niagara-Wheatfield)    Senior    Tight End
Brian Haas (East Aurora/St. Francis)    Freshman    Linebacker
Sean James (Pelham/Pelham Memorial)    Junior    Offensive Tackle
James Mignone (Farmingville/Sachem East)    Junior    Offensive Guard
Brad Robison (Groton/Groton)    Senior    Defensive End

HONORABLE MENTION
Name (Hometown/High School)    Year    Position
Keith Greene (Brentwood/Brentwood)    Senior    Wide Receiver
Ray Miles (Port Byron/Port Byron)    Junior    Quarterback
Ben Nagle (Rochester/Aquinas Institute)    Junior    Defensive End
Kyle Pierce (Cortlandt Manor/Walter Panas)    Senior    Linebacker
John Schillinger (Baldwin/Baldwin)    Junior    Center
Jim Smith (Nanuet/Nanuet)    Junior    Linebacker
Mike Sveda (Smithtown/Smithtown)    Senior     Fullback


Haas was the NJAC's Defensive Rookie of the Week six times. He led Cortland with 105 tackles, becoming the first Red Dragon to reach 100 tackles in a season since former NFL lineman R-Kal Truluck in 1995 and the first freshman to accomplish the feat since at least 1979 (when full defensive stats were first kept). After making only three tackles in minimal playing time through two games, Haas started the final nine games and recorded 102 tackles, including double-figure totals six times.

Beck earned All-NJAC honors for the third time in his four-year collegiate career. He was on the second team last year and was honorable mention in 2004. Beck finished this season with 29 tackles, 20 solo, along with three interceptions, three pass breakups and a forced fumble despite missing two games due to injury. He is Cortland's career leader with 15 interceptions.

Mintz, a second-team all-league selection in 2006, tied his own school single-season records this fall for field goals made (12) and points by a kicker (71). He connected on 12-of-16 field goal attempts and 35-of-36 point-after kicks. Mintz established a school record with 70 consecutive successful PATs, a streak that dated back to the 2005 season before ending with a blocked kick versus Montclair State this year. His 25 career field goals made are fourth-best in school history.

Caughell makes his third appearance on the All-NJAC squad. He was a first-team selection last year and a second-team choice in 2005. Caughell was fourth on the team this year with 15 receptions for 153 yards.

Robison moved up to the All-NJAC second team this season after an honorable mention showing in 2006. He registered 41 tackles, including 2.5 sacks and seven total tackles for lost yardage. He also had a forced fumble, two fumble recoveries and a pass breakup.

James, Mignone and Schillinger are all All-NJAC selections for the first time. They led an offensive line that helped Cortland finish first in the NJAC in scoring (29.0 points/game) and third in total offense (333.5 yards/game).

Greene led Cortland's receivers with 33 catches for 525 yards and six touchdowns in 11 games. Nine of his receptions covered at least 20 yards, including a school-record 85-yard touchdown catch in a win at Kean.

Miles took over as Cortland's starting quarterback in the first quarter of the season opener versus Morrisville after an injury to Alex Smith. Miles completed 168-of-318 passes (52.8 percent) for 2,157 yards and 19 touchdowns. His 19 scoring passes are the second-highest single-season total in school history and his 2,157 yards are fifth best on Cortland's career charts.

Nagle finished the year with 73 tackles and was the team leader with nine sacks and 16.5 total tackles for losses. He also recorded three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Nagle was named MVP of the ECAC Northeast Bowl after totaling four sacks and three forced fumbles versus Union.

Pierce was third among Red Dragon defenders this fall with 75 tackles. He finished with eight tackles for losses, including five sacks, and also registered an interception, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and three fumble recoveries.

Smith made 79 tackles, second-best on the team, in 10 games. He was also second with 11 tackles for losses, which included three sacks. He added five pass breakups and two forced fumbles.

Sveda earned All-NJAC honors for the third straight season. He was a second-team choice in both 2005 and 2006. Although primarily a blocking back, Sveda carried the ball 16 times for 65 yards and two touchdowns and caught 11 passes, tied for fifth-best on the team, for 123 yards and one score.