Four Named Division I All-New England; Teevens Coach of the Year

HANOVER, N.H. — The New England Football Writers today announced the organization's Division I All-New England Team as well as its season award winners with Buddy Teevens, the Robert L. Blackman Head Football Coach, selected as the Jack Grinold University Division Coach of the Year for the second time in his 20 seasons at Dartmouth. The Big Green led the All-New England Team with four players chosen in Niko Lalos, Zach Sammartino, Isiah Swann and Jack Traynor.

Teevens, one of 15 finalists for the Eddie Robinson Award given to the top head coach in the FCS and the Ivy League Coach of the Year, led the Big Green to its Ivy-record 19th conference crown this fall with a 6-1 record in the circuit and 9-1 overall. The final win of the season, a 29-23, come-from-behind victory at Brown, not only gave Dartmouth a share of the title, but also gave Teevens his 105th win at Dartmouth, breaking the record held by Bob Blackman (1955-70).

Under Teevens' guidance, Dartmouth finished the year ranked 20th in the AFCA FCS Coaches Poll and 21st in the STATS poll, the second straight year the team was ranked in the top 25. The Big Green also ended the season among the top 10 in a number of statistical categories, including scoring defense (2nd, 12.4 points per game), red zone defense (2nd, 62.5 percent), completion percentage (3rd, 68.1), team passing efficiency (3rd, 173.08), fewest penalties per game (3rd, 3.7), third-down conversion percentage (4th, 52.1), team passing efficiency defense (6th, 112.78) and punt returns (6th, 16.4 yards per return).

Dartmouth began the season by winning its first six games by at least 29 points each, one of which was a 42-10 romp over Yale, its only loss of the season. The Big Green improved to 7-0 in a thrilling, 9-6 triumph at Harvard that concluded on a 43-yard Hail Mary pass that grabbed national attention. The following week, Dartmouth won a clash between undefeated teams when it beat ninth-ranked Princeton, 27-10, at Yankee Stadium.

Over the last six seasons, Teevens has guided Dartmouth to a record of 47-13 overall and 30-12 in the Ancient Eight, both the top marks in the conference.

Lalos was solid all season on the defensive line but came on strong late in the year, being named the Ivy League's Defensive Player of the Week twice in the last three weeks. The senior from Akron, Ohio, ranked fourth in the league with 5.5 sacks and seventh with 10.0 tackles for a loss and a total of 35 stops. He led Dartmouth with eight quarterback hurries and utilized his 6-5, 270-pound frame to break up six passes and intercept another, returning it 22 yards for a touchdown in the win at Yankee Stadium. Lalos is also the only Ivy defensive lineman to rank among the league's top 20 in passes defended (0.7 per game, 13th).

The lone returning starter on the offensive line, Sammartino was the anchor up front for Dartmouth from his spot at right guard. He started all 10 games and helped pave the way for the Big Green to lead the league in rushing (167.0 yards per game), fewest sacks allowed (14) and red zone conversions (83 percent). The 6-3, 295-pound fifth-year senior from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, also played a big role in the offense ranking among the top five nationally in completion percentage, third-down conversion percentage and team passing efficiency.

A 6-0, 195-pound senior from Queen Creek, Arizona, Swann is also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award, bestowed upon the top defensive player in the FCS, a year after earning unanimous All-America honors and the Bushnell Cup as the league's top defender. Despite missing the first three games, Swann still managed to lead the Ivy League with 15 passes defended and four interceptions, including two pick-sixes to give him four in his career, setting a Dartmouth record. Swann also collected 31 tackles and finished his career with 17 interceptions, another Big Green record that rates fourth all-time in the Ivy League.

Traynor wrapped up a terrific Dartmouth career with 75 tackles, third most in the circuit, 4.5 of which went for a loss including an assisted sack. The 6-0, 230-pound fifth-year senior from Lake Forest, Illinois, also returned a pair of interceptions for a league-high 93 yards, one of which went for a touchdown, plus recovered two fumbles, returning one of those 17 yards for a touchdown as well. A three-time member of the Division I All-New England Team, he finished his Dartmouth career 11th all-time with 270 tackles, 16 going for a loss with 1.5 sacks to his credit.

All four players were also named to the All-Ivy League First Team last week, with Swann and Traynor being unanimous selections.

Notes: Teevens other selection as the New England Coach of the Year came in 2015 … the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston had Teevens as its New England Head Coach of the Year in 1990 and 2015 … this is the second straight year four Dartmouth players were named to this team with Swann and Traynor (third time) repeat honorees.

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