The College of New Jersey’s senior
defensive lineman Michael Sykes has been selected as the
Division III Defensive Player of the Year by Lindy’s in their
2004 National College Football preview magazine. Also named to the
Lindy’s 2004 All-Division III Team on Defense on the First
Team, Sykes has now made two pre-season All-America Teams.
Already selected to the Don Hansen’s Football Gazette
All-America 2004 National Pre-Season First Team on defense, Sykes is
continuing to receive attention nationally. A 2003 Don Hansen’s
Football Gazette First-Team pick on defense last year, Sykes was
also a Don Hanson’s Football Gazette All-East First Team
selection as a junior in 2003.
Sykes, who finished the 2003 regular-season as the Division III
statistics leader with sacks per game (1.7), finished the season as
the national runner-up in sacks per game as a junior (1.6), while
leading the nation in total sacks with 16.
In the 2003 regular-season finale, the Lions posted a 29-0 victory
over Kean. Sykes was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference
Defensive Player of the Week, while also earning a selection as the
Eastern College Athletic Conference Southeast Defensive Player of
the Week and the Don Hansen’s Football Gazette Division III
National Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Against Kean, he
registered 12 total tackles, including six solo stops in a game in
which TCNJ held the Kean offense to –37 net yards. He also notched a
career-high tying three sacks to make him the NCAA Division III
national leader with 15.5 in nine games for an average of 1.72 per
game (giving him a three-year total of 26). Sykes also forced
a fumble in the victory.
Ranked first in the nation as of November 17 in sacks, Sykes
finished the 2003 season ranked No. 2 behind Ursinus’ Josh Kemp
(15.5 sacks, 1.7 per game). On the year, Sykes finished with 16
sacks (1.6 per game) for -89 yards. Sykes also registered a
team-best 21 tackles for a loss as well for -102 yards and was
ranked No. 18 nationally in the category with 2.1 per game. On his
collegiate career, Sykes boasts 25 career sacks (-163 yards) with
108 tackles. |
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