Dec. 4, 2008

WORCESTER, Mass. - Holy Cross senior wide receiver Jon Brock (Acworth, Ga.), senior kick returner Brett McDermott (Mansfield, Mass.), senior placekicker Matt Partain (Libertyville, Ill.) and senior quarterback Dominic Randolph (Amelia, Ohio) have been selected to the 2008 New England FCS All-Star team, as announced by the New England Football Writers. The four Crusaders were among 30 players from around New England named to the squad. The members of the team will be honored at the New England Football Writers Banquet on Dec. 11 in Wilmington, Mass.

Brock was previously named first team All-Patriot League, after leading the team in receiving this season with 60 catches for 927 yards and 13 touchdowns. He tied the school single-season record for touchdown catches, while placing sixth on the single-season list for receiving yards and 10th for receptions. Brock also ranked second in the Patriot League in both scoring (78 points) and receptions, and third in receiving yards. Over the course of his collegiate career, he totaled 129 catches for 1,721 yards and 18 scores. Brock ranks third all-time at Holy Cross in career touchdown catches and ninth in career receiving yards.

McDermott led the Patriot League and ranked 13th in the nation in kickoff returns this season, averaging 26.4 yards on 17 returns with one touchdown. He also caught 43 passes for 491 yards and five scores as a wide receiver, and led the team with 998 all-purpose yards. Over the course of his career, McDermott caught 138 passes for 1,736 yards and 14 touchdowns, while returning 29 kickoffs for 746 yards. He finished his career ranked seventh all-time at Holy Cross in career receptions and eighth in career receiving yards, while his career average of 25.7 yards per kickoff return is the best in school history.

Partain was previously named first team All-Patriot League for the second straight season, after leading the team in scoring with 84 points, while making 12 out of 17 field goals and 48 of 49 extra point attempts. He tied the school single-season record for field goals made, while placing third on the single-season list for extra points made and fourth for extra point percentage. Partain finished his career making 24 of 33 field goals and 98 of 99 extra points for 170 total points. Partain's career field goal percentage (72.7 percent) and career extra point percentage (99.0 percent) are both the best in Holy Cross history, while he stands third in field goals made and fourth in extra points made.

Randolph became only the second player in conference history to earn Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year honors twice, in addition to winning the 2008 season Gold Helmet award and placing ninth in the voting for the Walter Payton Award. He completed 340 of 520 passes this season for 3,838 yards and 34 touchdowns, setting Holy Cross single-season records for passing yards, total offense (3,917 yards), completions and passing attempts, while tying the single-season mark for touchdown passes. Randolph led the Patriot League in total offense, passing yards and pass efficiency (142.4 rating), in addition to leading the nation in total offense, passing yards and completions. Over the course of his career as a Crusader, he has completed 821of 1,301 passes for 9,679 yards and 83 touchdowns. Randolph owns the Holy Cross career records for total offense (9,984 yards), touchdown passes, completions and attempts, while standing second in passing yards. Holy Cross concluded the 2008 season with an overall record of 7-4, and placed second in the Patriot League with a 5-1 mark in conference games.

A complete list of the 2008 All-New England football teams follows.

2008 ALL-NEW ENGLAND FOOTBALL TEAM

OFFENSE
QB  Chris Pizzotti      Harvard         Sr.
QB  Dominic Randolph    Holy Cross      Sr.
RB  Tony Nelson         Massachusetts   Jr.
RB  James Mallory       Central Conn.   Jr.
WR  Bobby Sewall        Brown           Jr.
WR  Mike Boyle          New Hampshire   Sr.
WR  Jon Brock           Holy Cross      Sr.
WR  Buddy Farnham       Brown           Jr.
TE  Brian Mandeville    Northeastern    Sr.
OL  Darius Dale         Yale            Sr.
OL  Shane Kelley        Brown           Sr.
OL  Ryan Canary         Maine           Sr.
OL  James Williams      Harvard         Jr.
OL  Josh Droesch        New Hampshire   Sr.

DEFENSE
DL  Don Smith           Bryant          Jr.
DL  Matt Curtis         Harvard         Sr.
DL  Jovan Belcher       Maine           Sr.
DL  David Howard        Brown           Sr.
LB  Bobby Abare         Yale            Sr.
LB  Eric Schultz        Harvard         Sr.
LB  Phil Higgins        Northeastern    Sr.
LB  Matt Parent         New Hampshire   Sr.
LB  Matt Hansen         Rhode Island    So.
DB  Andre Isla          Sacred Heart    Jr.
DB  Andrew Berry        Harvard         Sr.
DB  Courtney Robinson   Massachusetts   Sr.
DB  Ian Wilson          Dartmouth       Sr.

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK  Matt Partain        Holy Cross      Sr.
P   Brett Arnold        Massachusetts   Sr.
KR  Brett McDermott     Holy Cross      Sr.