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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Freed Earns Third Straight AP Little All-America Selection

Linebacker is the first three-time small college All-American in school history 

EAST STROUDSBURG – East Stroudsburg University outside linebacker Matt Freed was named to the Associated Press Little All-America third team for the third straight season, becoming the first Warrior to earn three career AP Little All-America honors, it was announced Thursday.

Freed (Souderton/Souderton) is the only player in the nation to be named to the AP Little All-America team in each of the last three years, capping a standout career that saw him become one of the most decorated student-athletes in school history.

Freed is one of 20 AP Little All-Americans in school history. Quarterback Jimmy Terwilliger and wide receiver Evan Prall were both named to the team in 2005 and 2006 and are the only other multiple-time selections. The team is comprised of the top 50 Division II, Division III and NAIA football players in the nation as voted on by members of the Associated Press.

The redshirt senior had 120 tackles, 14 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks in his final season for the Warriors and was the only defensive player among the 24 candidates for the Harlon Hill Award, which is given to the top player in Division II.

He ranks third in school history with 399 tackles and had 45 tackles for a loss, 22.5 sacks, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries and five interceptions as a four-year letterwinner and three-year starter. He had 132 tackles, 18 TFL and 11 sacks as a junior, 126 tackles, 11 TFL, 4.0 sacks and four interceptions as a sophomore and 21 tackles, 2 TFL and 1.0 sacks as a redshirt freshman in 2007.

Freed was the third Warrior to post three 100-tackle seasons, joining fellow AP Little All-Americans Jeff Johnson (1978) and Kevin Nagle (2000). Former NFL standout Mike Reichenbach (1983) and Pat Brady (1988) give the Warriors five linebackers who have earned AP Little All-America status, the most of any position.

He placed in the top 12 in Division II in tackles per game during each of the last three seasons – 9th in 2010, tied for 12th in 2009 and 6th in 2008. His 228 career solo tackles and 5.3 solo tackles per game are both in the top 10 in Division II since 2000, and he ranks 13th in total career tackles. He was fourth in the nation with 6.1 solo tackles per game as a senior. In his 34 career games as a starter, Freed had 24 double-figure efforts, 31 games with at least eight tackles and at least six tackles in every game.

Earlier this week, Freed was named to the Daktronics Division II All-America second team after earning first team status in 2008 and 2009.  He was also the Daktronics Super Region One Defensive Player of the Year and a member of the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America first team as a junior and senior.

A complete listing of Freed’s career honors is below:

Daktronics Division II All-America – 1st team 2008, 2009; 2nd team 2010
AP Little All-America (DII, DIII, NAIA) – 3rd team 2008, 2009, 2010
Daktronics Super Region 1 Defensive Player of the Year – 2009, 2010
Daktronics 1st team All-Region – 2008, 2009, 2010
All-PSAC East – 1st team 2009, 2010; 2nd team 2008
PSAC East Defensive Player of the Week – 5 times
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America – 1st team 2009, 2010
ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District – 1st team 2008, 2009, 2010
PSAC “Top 10” Award – 2009 (voting not yet conducted for 2010)
National Football Foundation’s Campbell Trophy – national semifinalist

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