Van Alstyne & Muirhead Named to D3football.com All-America Teams

Framingham, Mass. – Framingham State University junior running back Melikke Van Alstyne (Salem, Mass.) and senior defensive lineman James Muirhead (Middleboro, Mass.) have been named to the D3football.com 2012 All-America Teams.   Van Alstyne was a third team selection on offense, while Muirhead was a fourth team defensive selection.

Van Alstyne, who earns his first D3football All-America nod, had a record breaking junior season and has garnered multiple honors including being named the ECAC Division III North Offensive Player of the Year.   He 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 (NEFW), first team All-East Region by D3football.com and selection to the ECAC Division III North All-Star squad.  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.

Muirhead also continues to accrue honors this season as he was previously tabbed as the ECAC Division III North Defensive Player of the Year, an ECAC Division III North All-Star, the New England Football Writers 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.

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.