TOWSON, Md. – Eight Towson University players have been recognized in the 2023 Coastal Athletic Association (CAA) Football Postseason Awards, announced by the league on Tuesday.
Five Tigers were placed on the CAA Football All-Conference Teams while three more were chosen as honorable mention.
Carter Runyon earned a spot on the CAA Football All-Conference First Team, while three Tigers were selected to the Second Team:
Jesus Gibbs,
Robert Javier and
Keegan Vaughan.
D'Ago Hunter was placed on the Third Team.
Dion Crews-Harris,
Josh Cupitt and
Ralph Paige Jr. were all honorable mention all-league selections.
Towson came back from down 11 to defeat Rhode Island 31-30 on Saturday to finish 5-6 overall and 4-4 in CAA play in the team's first year under head coach
Pete Shinnick. The Tigers have earned a .500 or better CAA year four of the last five fall seasons.
The CAA Football Postseason Awards are nominated and voted on by the league's head coaches.
Runyon is the first-ever Towson tight end to be an All-CAA First Team honoree. Playing in his first season after transferring in from Shenandoah, he was Towson's leader in receptions with 43, receiving yards with 549 and receiving touchdowns with four. The redshirt junior led all CAA tight ends in receiving yards, having at least 62 receiving yards in six of his last eight games.
Gibbs earns his second All-CAA Second Team honor at defensive line in as many years. The redshirt senior was Towson's leader in sacks with six and tackles for loss with 12.5, ranking seventh in the CAA in each category, adding 40 total tackles, seven quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles. Gibbs notched at least one tackle for loss in seven games this year.
Javier earns his first All-CAA yearly honor and is the first Towson cornerback to be All-CAA since Tye Smith in 2014. The graduate student tied for the CAA lead in interceptions with four and was third in the league with 12 passed defended, adding 29 tackles. He earned at least one pass break-up in five different games this year.
Vaughan notches his first-ever yearly conference award, being the first Towson kicker with All-CAA recognition since Aidan O'Neill in 2019. Vaughan finished second in the CAA with 15 total field goals and an 83.3% field goal percentage, being 11
th and ninth respectively in all of FCS. Along with 23 made extra points, the junior placekicker was tied for ninth in the league with 68 points scored.
Hunter, recognized as a Third Team kick returner, is a four-time All-CAA honoree, including two selections last season and one in 2021, the first such Towson player since Shane Simpson. Playing in six games before getting injured, Hunter averaged 24.3 yards per kick return on 20 returns. Hunter totaled 959 all-purpose yards in six games along with 308 rushing yards and 137 receiving yards.
Redshirt junior Crews-Harris picks up an honorable mention at defensive line in his first year at the position in college since moving from fullback. The team's sacks leader going into the last game of the year, the Baltimore native tallied up 37 tackles, five sacks, 7.5 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries, being seventh in the CAA in sacks per game.
Cupitt's first year as Towson's primary punter gets him his first All-CAA honorable mention award. The redshirt junior in third in FCS and first in the CAA in yards per punt with 44.9, having eight punts of over 50 yards, including a 60-yarder vs. Norfolk State on Sept. 23, and 10 punts placed inside the 20.
Paige Jr. is recognized with an honorable mention for the first time in year two with Towson since transferring from Merrimack. Towson's starting center in nine games this season, the redshirt junior helped anchor an offensive line that allowed just 15 sacks, the lowest amount among all CAA teams this season.
2023 CAA Football All-Conference Team – Towson
First Team
Carter Runyon (TE)
Second Team
Jesus Gibbs (DL)
Robert Javier (CB)
Keegan Vaughan (K)
Third Team
D'Ago Hunter (KR)
Honorable Mention
Dion Crews-Harris (DL)
Josh Cupitt (P)
Ralph Paige Jr. (OL)
