RICHMOND, Va. (Nov. 24, 2015) – After leading the No. 13 William & Mary football team to a share of the Colonial Athletic Association title this fall, a school-record 16 Tribe standouts combined to earn 20 all-conference honors based on voting by the league's 12 head coaches.
 
In addition to a school-record seven first-team all-league selections, senior free safety DeAndre Houston-Carson was chosen as the co-defensive player of the year and sophomore wideout DeVonte Dedmon was named the special teams player of the year. It marks the second consecutive season that a W&M standout has been selected as the league's top defensive player, while Tribe players have earned the league's top special teams honor six straight years.
 
Houston-Carson was joined on the All-CAA First Team by senior linebacker Luke Rhodes, senior center Andrew Jones, senior defensive tackle Tyler Claytor, junior running back Kendell Anderson, junior punter Hunter Windmuller and sophomore placekicker Nick Dorka.
 
Senior fullback Andrew Weidinger, junior cornerback Trey Reed, sophomore wide receiver DeVonte Dedmon and sophomore tight end Andrew Caskin all garnered second-team honors. Dedmon also earned second-team distinction as both a kick returner and punt returner.
 
The Tribe's third-team all-league honorees include senior wide receiver Christian Reeves, junior quarterback Steve Cluley, junior right tackle Jerry Ugokwe, sophomore left tackle Chris Durant and sophomore left guard Connor Hilland.
 
A finalist for the STATS FCS National Defensive Player of the Year award, Houston-Carson effectively transitioned from an all-league cornerback to one of the country's top free safeties this season. In addition to leading the team with 83 tackles and ranking second in the CAA in tackles per game among defensive backs (7.8), he ranks second in the conference in interceptions (4) and leads the league in interception return yards (124). A two-time CAA Special Teams Player of the Week, he has also posted a pair of blocks. The first-team all-league selection's impressive career stats include 270 tackles, 10 interceptions and nine blocks. 
 
One of the nation's most dynamic playmakers, Dedmon earned the conference's special teams player of the year honor after leading the CAA in both kick return average (25.6) and punt return average (16.4). Among his highlights was an 89-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at Delaware and a 70-yard punt return for a score at Elon. A second-team selection as a wide receiver, kick return and punt returner, the Williamsburg, Va., native ranks fifth in the CAA in all-purpose yards per game (121.2), seventh in receptions per game (4.7) and 10th in receiving yards per game (48.2).
 
Despite logging a total of just 16 carries during the first two weeks this fall, Anderson emerged as one of the nation's elite running backs after becoming W&M's primary ball carrier in the Week 3 win against Stony Brook. Recently honored as a finalist for the STATS FCS National Offensive Player of the Year award, Anderson currently ranks 10th nationally in rushing yards per game (110.7) and ninth in rushing touchdowns (13). The stats are even more impressive when considering he has resumed splitting the carries with former first-team All-CAA tailback Mikal Abdul-Saboor during the past few weeks. Highlighting Anderson's impressive season was a six-game stretch in which he posted consecutive 100-yard rushing efforts.
 
One of the nation's elite linebackers during the past few seasons, Rhodes was named first-team all-conference for the third straight year after another impressive campaign. The lone FCS player selected to the Butkus Award Watch List, Rhodes ranks sixth in career tackles at W&M (324) and is one of just 11 Tribe players to be named a two-time team captain in the program's 122-year history. Highlighting Rhodes' efforts this season was a 13-tackle performance against Richmond in the regular-season finale.
 
Jones garnered first-team All-CAA honors for the second consecutive season after leading one of the country's top offensive lines. A team captain, Jones has earned 29 starts during his career and anchored an offensive line that led the conference in fewest sacks allowed (12) and ranked first nationally in fewest tackles for a loss per game (3.45). The line played especially well down the stretch when it surrendered just two sacks in the final six contests.
 
Claytor emerged as one of the league's top defensive tackles this fall and helped lead a defense that ranks second nationally in scoring defense (18.0).  The Snellville, Ga., native finished the regular season with 30 tackles, 7.0 TFL and 3.5 sacks. Additionally, he ranks fifth nationally with three blocks – two of which came in the win against James Madison when he equaled a NCAA record with a pair of blocked PATs.
 
Dorka established himself as one of the country's elite placekickers this fall after leading the CAA and ranking fifth nationally in made field goals per game (1.64). Additionally, he led the conference in field goal percentage (.818) and scoring among kickers (8.5). The Vienna, Va., native was 5-of-6 from beyond 40 yards this season with the lone miss coming from 51 yards. He finished the regular season perfect on PATs (39-39) and missed just four field goals (18-22).
 
Windmuller earned first-team all-conference distinction after leading the CAA in punting average (43.7). Additionally, the Oakton, Va., native totaled 13 50+ yard punts and pinned the opposition inside its own 20-yard line 12 times.
 
Weidinger was named to the All-CAA second team after making a significant impact as W&M's top fullback. Honored as a semifinalist for the 2015 Campbell Trophy, the Burke, Va., native has totaled 15 starts during the past three seasons. His efforts have helped the Tribe rank third in CAA in rushing (201.5).
 
One of the league's top pass-catching tight ends, Caskin garnered second-team all-conference honors after ranking second on the team with 29 receptions for 306 yards with two touchdowns. Among his highlights were a 37-yard touchdown catch at Virginia and a four-catch, 47-yard effort with a score in the win against Stony Brook.
 
In his second season as a starter, Reed earned second-team all-league honors this fall after a standout campaign as W&M's top cornerback. Reed's season stats include 44 tackles, an interception, seven PBUs and a TFL. In addition to recording his first career interception in the win against New Hampshire, he posted an eight-tackle effort in the win victory at Elon.
 
Selected to the All-CAA Third Team, Cluley ranked among the conference's best in virtually every passing statistical category. In addition to ranking third in the league in passing yards per game (221.6) and passing touchdowns (13), he threw just five interceptions this fall. His 23 consecutive starts is the longest streak by a W&M quarterback since former Peyton Award winner Lang Campbell started 24 straight games in 2003-04.
 
Although he missed the final three regular season games with injury, Reeves was named to the All-CAA Third Team. The McDonough, Ga., native averaged 19.3 yards per catch, while both of his touchdowns were longer than 50 yards. In addition to his pair of touchdown catches, his season stats include 22 catches for 424 yards.  
 
Ugokwe, Durant and Hilland all earned third-team all-conference distinction and helped comprise one of the nation's most effective offensive lines. In addition to helping W&M average 201.5 rushing yards per game, the line led the conference in fewest sacks allowed (12) and ranked first nationally in fewest tackles for a loss per game (3.45). The line played especially well down the stretch when it surrendered just two sacks in the final six contests.