Fairfield: Grant & DiRenzo Named Stats Perform All-Americans
Sacred Heart University running back Malik Grant knows he wouldn’t have had as successful of a season if it weren’t for the guys up front on the offensive line. Both Grant and one of the guys opening the holes, left tackle J.D. DiRenzo, were recognized Monday with a spot on the Hero Sports Third-Team All-America squad.
For Grant it’s the second national honor of the postseason to go along with a spot on the Hero Sports FCS Third-Team. DiRenzo was an AFCA All-American in the spring.
Named the New England Football Writer’s Most Outstanding Player, Grant was also named the Northeast Conference Offensive Player of the Year. A finalist for the Walter Payton Award, he is fourth in the FCS at 1,347 rushing yards – fifth on the SHU single-season list – and sixth with 112.2 yards per game.
A First-Team All-NEC selection, Grant crossed the goal line 11 times, which was tops in the NEC and 32nd nationally. The Bronx, NY native was named NEC Offensive Player of the Week five times. His 228 yards against Merrimack was the sixth-highest single-game total in school history and the 10th-best in the FCS this year.
An anchor for one of the best rushing attacks in the country, DiRenzo was named All-New England for the first time. He earned his third All-NEC accolade after a second-straight Preseason All-NEC selection. A native of Hammonton, N.J., he has 40 games under his belt and started every game the last three seasons.
Sacred Heart won its second-straight NEC Championship but was defeated by Holy Cross in the first round of the FCS Playoffs.
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