May 3, 2010

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New York, N.Y. - Thomas Keaveney, a 1967 Fordham College graduate, and long-time football secretary Pat Allinger were honored with the Walsh Award and the Mara Family Award, respectively, at the annual Fordham Gridiron Club Dinner held at the Fordham University's Lincoln Center campus on April 30th.

The Mara Family and Walsh Awards honor members of the Fordham football family for their dedication and contributions to the program. The Mara Family Award is named in honor of the family of the late Wellington Mara, a 1937 graduate of Fordham, while the Walsh Award in named in honor of William D. Walsh, Fordham College class of 1951 and namesake of the Walsh Athletic Training Center as well as the Walsh Family Library on the Rose Hill campus.

Keaveney, a 1967 graduate of Fordham College who also is a 1969 graduate of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, has been a generous supporter of Fordham Athletics and the football program in particular. He was presented the award by Nick Baldino, FCRH `48, and a long-time friend.

In his acceptance speech, Keavney thanked those in attendance for the honor of receiving the Walsh Award. "It's amazing to me to be given an award with Bill Wash's name on it," said Keavney. "The Walsh family has certainly been generous to Fordham, between the donations for the library and the athletic training center, and it's humbling to get an award associated with him."

Keavney went on to read a note that was given to him by Larry Brauer, who captained the 1965 Fordham club team, a squad which finished the year ranked number one in the country. He emphasized how much the club team meant to the students in the 1960's and how 15,000 people turned out for the first club game at Fordham in 1964 when the Rams hosted NYU.

Pat Allinger was presented with the Mara Family Award by Susan Mara McDonnell, daughter of the late Wellington Mara, FCRH '37, for her work with the football team as the office secretary for the past 24 years.

In presenting the award, Mara McDonald praised Allinger for her devotion to the Fordham football program. "Pat Allinger is a jack of all trades for the Fordham football program," she said. "For over 20 years she has served as a surrogate mother to countless players as well as assisting their parents. Fordham football would not be where it is now without Pat Allinger."

After dinner, Robert Holdman, FCRH '86, LAW '91, addressed the seniors in attendance about their future and the importance of supporting the future Rams. He highlighted his speech with an email he received from former Ram Ryan Garner in response to an email that Holdman sent regarding former quarterback Josh Arcadia, who was about to undergo treatment for cancer, a treatment which may end with Arcadia losing his arm.

Garner is a member of the Love Hope Strength Foundation , an international, music-centric cancer charity dedicated to providing support for cancer centers, and inspiration to those affected, throughout the world.

When Garner, who was preparing for a trip to Tanzania to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro to support the charity, received Holdman's email, he wrote back, explaining how he was going to plant a prayer flag for Arcadia when he reached the top of the mountain as a way to send his support and prayers to the former quarterback.

"Even though Ryan and Josh never met, they shared a bond, that bond being Fordham football," said Holdman. "That's the type of person which makes up the Gridiron Club and the type of alumni Fordham produces and we challenge you seniors here tonight to join us in giving back to the university."

The Fordham Football Awards were also announced at the dinner with James Crockett winning the Macken Award, Jason Caldwell receiving the Danowski Award, Andrew Tyshovnytsky being named recipient of the Lansing Trophy, Ryan Darcey and Kelvin Colbert earning the Bill Tierney Award and John Skelton receiving the Rich Marrin, FCRH '65, LAW `68, Most Valuable Player Award.

The Macken Award was established in memory of Rams' special assistant coach Bob Macken, who passed away suddenly in June of 1992. Coach Macken was a key part of the Fordham staff for seven seasons, always handling the "little things" that are so vital to keeping a program going. He took special pride in working with the special teams, and his "Macken Pizza Party" for the top special teams plays of the year were a source of great pride for the team.

Besides being a three-year starter at linebacker, Crockett, the 2009 Macken Award recipient, also handled the long snapping chores for the Rams for four year. According to head coach Tom Masella, over his four years he only had ne bad snap, than coming on the final attempt of his career. Masella also recounted how he had one of the biggest plays in 2007, falling on a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown against Holy Cross in a win that clinched the 2007 Patriot League title for the Rams.

At linebacker last fall, Crockett, a 2009 team captain, recorded 74 total tackles, 52 solo, second best on the team. Included in the 74 tackles where seven for loss and 2.5 sacks and he also intercepted a pass and recovered two fumbles.

Over his career, Crockett recorded 229 tackles, including 21 for loss and seven sacks. He also intercepted four passes and broke up 12 others.

Caldwell, a 2009 All-American, was the recipient of the 2010 Danowski Award, given annually to the senior football player who through his leadership, sacrifice, and commitment to excellence upon the field of play and within the University community exemplifies the character of Danowski, a former Fordham player and head coach.

Named a 2009 All-American by the Associated Press, the College Sporting News and the Sports Network, Caldwell turned in one of the most productive season for a Fordham wide receiver this fall, catching 79 passes for 1,252 yards and nine touchdowns. The 79 receptions and 1,252 receiving yards are both the second best single season total in school history while his nine touchdown catches ties him for third. Caldwell leads the Patriot League in receptions per game (7.2) and receiving yards/game (113.8). He is third in the NCAA FCS in total receiving yards and receiving yards/game, tied for tenth in the in receptions/game and 27th in all-purpose yards/game.

On the year, Caldwell recorded seven 100-yard receiving games, including a nine-catch, 254-yard, four-touchdown game at Cornell on October 17th, tying Javarus Dudley's single-game mark for touchdown receptions in a game and finishing one shy of Dudley's school mark for receiving yards in a game.

Caldwell brought his career totals to 115 receptions for 1,733 yards and 15 touchdowns this year. He is sixth on the Fordham all-time receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns lists.

Tyshovnytsky, who recently signed a free agent contract with the Indianapolis Colts, was named the 2010 recipient of the Lansing Trophy, named for Jim Lansing, a former player and coach who was a consensus All-American, in 1941. That was the same season that Fordham downed Missouri 2-0 to capture the 1942 Sugar Bowl. As a coach, Lansing won national club championships in 1965 and 1968, and became the school's first varsity coach since 1954 when the program was elevated to Division III in 1970. In five club seasons and two varsity campaigns, Lansing posted a 29-20-3 record.

Last month, Tyshovnytsky was named the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year, an award that recognizes a student-athlete's dedication to strength training and conditioning. It is the third accolade garnered by Tyshovnytsky in 2009-10 who was named to the ECAC FCS All-Star Team in December and First Team All-Patriot League in November.

Tyshovnytsky, a three-year starter on the offensive line, started all eleven games at right tackle for Fordham this fall. He was a cog on the offensive line that helped the Rams set the school record for total offense in a season, amassing 5,377 yards, eclipsing the former record of 4,995 yards set by the 2002 team. The Rams led the NCAA FCS in total offense (488.82 yards/game) and were second in passing offense (337.09 yards/game) and tied for second in first downs per game (23.64).

Colbert, a 2009 First Team All-Patriot League selection, and Darcey, a starter at linebacker for the Rams in 2009, were co-recipients of the Bill Tierney Spirit Award, presented annually to the Fordham varsity player who in the estimate of his teammates, represents the spirit that Bill so unselfishly exemplified. A special Ram award was commissioned by Ernest H. Hammer, FCO '55, and created by David Hacker (a New York artist and a former formidable football player at California). The award is presented annually to the winner of the Bill Tierney Award. Tierney suffered a cardiac arrest brought on by viral myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, on October 12, 1996 while warming up for the Homecoming football game.

Colbert closed out his Fordham career with a team-best 14 pass deflections in 2009, along with a team-high four interceptions. He leads the NCAA FCS in pass deflections per game (1.64) and is tied for the Patriot League lead in interceptions per game (0.36). Colbert also notched 32 total tackles on the year, 28 solo, including two for loss and one sack. His top game was an eight tackle effort against Lafayette on October 24th, tying his career-high.

Over his career, Colbert intercepted eleven passes and registered 38 pass deflections. He also amassed 132 tackles, 64 solo, including 4.5 tackles for loss and one sack.

Darcey started all eleven games for the Rams this past fall, recording 45 total tackles, 21 solo, including 6.5 for loss. He also broke up two passes and forced three fumbles.

Over his career, Darcey notched 140 total tackles, including 18.5 for loss and two sacks.

Skelton, who was drafted in the fifth round by the Arizona Cardinals, was named the team Most Valuable Player. A four-year starter at quarterback, he wrapped up a record-shattering career for the Rams this fall, closing out the year completing 284 of 441 passes (64.4%) for 3,708 yards and 26 touchdowns. He set new school marks for completions and passing yards, breaking Kevin Eakin's former school records of 247 completions for 3,072 yards set in 2003 as well as breaking Steve O'Hare's completion percentage record of 63.1% set in 1997. Skelton led the NCAA FCS in passing yards/game (337.09) and was ranked second in total offense (348.18 yards/game), fourth in completions per game (25.82) and total passing yards and tenth in passing efficiency (149.95).

Skelton threw for over 300 yards eight times in eleven games this year, including four 400-yard games. He completed 20 of 27 passes for 420 yards and five touchdowns against Cornell on October 17th, breaking the school record of 413 passing yards set by Joe Moorhead in 1995 and coming up one shy of the school record for scoring passes of six, set by Kevin Eakin in 2003. Skelton then broke his own record two weeks later, completing 43 of 67 passes for 427 yards, all school records, against Holy Cross on October 31st. He finished one passing attempt shy of the NCAA FCS record for most pass attempts in a game without an interception, just missing the national mark of 68 set by Marshall's Tony Petersen against Western Carolina in 1987 (Peterson completed 34). Skelton surpassed his own school record of 420 passing yards in a game while breaking Matt Georgia's 1999 records of 36 completions and 65 attempts.

Over his career, Skelton completed 802 passes for 9,923 yards and 69 touchdowns, all school marks. He shattered Joe Moorhead's career completions record of 518 while also surpassing Eakin's career marks for passing yards (6,112) and touchdowns (45).

The Rams open the 2010 season on Saturday, September 4th, as they travel to Smithfield, R.I., to face Bryant University at 3:00 p.m.