Football Trio Honored with Selected to the 2012 ECAC Division III North All-Star Team
Centerville, Mass. – Framingham State University has placed three players on the 2012 Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III North All-Star Team including senior defensive lineman James Muirhead (Middleboro, Mass.) and junior running back Melikke Van Alstyne (Salem, Mass.) who captured Player of the Year honors.
Muirhead was tabbed as an all-star and the Defensive Player of the Year, Van Alstyne picked up an all-star nod and Offensive Player of the Year honors, while senior cornerback Tyrone Notice (Gardner, Mass.) was also named to the ECAC All-Star team.
Muirhead continues to accrue honors this season as he was previously tabbed as the New England Football Writers (NEFW) Season Gold Helmet Award winner, an NEFW All-New England selection, a D3football.com First Team All-East Region selection, the NEFC Bogan Division Defensive Player of the Year and a first team All-Bogan Division selection. Muirhead led the NEFC with 10.5 sacks on the season and is the FSU career leader in sacks and tackles for a loss. He recorded multiple sacks three times this season and led the Rams with 83 tackles, 59 solo stops, and 23.0 for a loss. Muirhead had an interception and five forced fumbles with one recovery. For his career, Muirhead holds school records with 27.5 sacks, 55.5 tackles for a loss and 149 solo stops.
Van Alstyne, who was named to the ECAC All-Star team as a sophomore, had a record breaking season and has garnered multiple honors. The junior earned back-to-back NEFC Bogan Division Offensive Player of the Year honors, first team All-Bogan Division accolades as well as back-to-back selections as All-New England by the New England Football Writers and first team All-East Region by D3football.com. Van Alstyne led the NEFC in rushing averaging 149.2 yards on the ground per game. One of the nation's leading rushers, Van Alstyne amassed 1,790 yards on 311 carries (both new single season FSU records) with 18 scores, while also making 19 receptions for 301 yards and a touchdown. Van Alstyne, who went over the 4,000 rushing yard mark for his career, continued to leave his mark on the FSU record book during his junior season as he established a new single game rushing record with 294 yards on the ground in a win over Westfield State and set new FSU career touchdowns and career points records.
Notice has been named to the ECAC All-Star team for the first time in his career and is a two time first team all-division selection in the NEFC. Notice was one of the anchors of the Rams secondary that is ranked second in the NEFC in pass defense as he racked up 26 tackles this season with five interceptions and 10 pass breakups.
The 2012 Rams captured the NEFC Conference Championship with a victory over Salve Regina in the league's final championship game and battled Cortland State in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship. The Rams were narrowly defeated, 20-19, and finished with a school best 10-2 record.