Fox and Van Alstyne Named to 2011 New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England Team
Framingham, Mass. – Sophomore running back Melikke Van Alstyne (Salem, Mass.) and senior offensive tackle Dan Fox (Tyngsboro, Mass.) are among 28 players representing 20 different teams who have been named to the 2011 New England Football Writers (NEFW) Division II/III All-New England Team. The 2011 New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division Champion Framingham State University Rams are one of three teams to have two players honored, while the NEFC as a whole had six players selected.
Van Alstyne and Fox continue to rack up honors this season after previously being named first team NEFC All-Bogan Division. Fox was also selected as the NEFC Bogan Division Offensive Lineman of the Year, while Van Alstyne was tabbed as the Bogan Division Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore.
Van Alstyne, the 2010 Bogan Division Offensive Rookie of the Year, earns his first All-New England Honor as well as his first Offensive Player of the Year honor and first all-division selection as he lead the NEFC in rushing, all-purpose yards and scoring this season. Van Alstyne finished the season ranked 6th in the nation in rushing, 5th in scoring, and 19th in all-purpose yards. Van Alstyne rushed for 1,579 yards on 293 carries with 21 rushing touchdowns averaging 143.5 yards per game on the ground. He has amassed 100 yards rushing in nine of the Rams 11 games and has gone over 200 yards twice. In 2011 Van Alstyne established a new FSU single season rushing mark and broke the FSU career rushing record as he now has 2,713 rushing yards in just two seasons.
Fox also earns his firs NEFW All-New England honors in addition to his first Offensive Lineman of the Year honors. Fox was a first team NEFC Bogan Division selection for the second year in a row. Fox was an integral part of the Rams offensive line this season that was a major factor in the Rams offensive success in 2011. The Rams offense averaged 357 yards of total offense a game, including 176 yards on the ground, and 27 points per game.
The Rams who finished the 2011 regular season 7-3 overall and 6-1 in the Bogan Division captured their first Bogan Division Title and their second straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Title. The Rams were defeated by NEFC Boyd Division Champion Western New England Golden Bears in overtime in the NEFC Championship game to conclude the year 7-4.