University of Albany FCS Football's Justinian Mason Chosen Northeast Conference Special Teams Player of the Week - UAlbany Sports 2010

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Justinian Mason has been chosen Northeast Conference Special Teams Player of the Week in football, as announced on Monday, Oct. 4 by the conference office. Mason's efforts helped UAlbany defeated Yale, 23-20, as the program recorded its first-ever win over an Ivy League team.

Mason, a redshirt freshman from Cincinnati, Ohio, was at the forefront of a superb all-around effort by UAlbany's special teams unit against Yale. The free safety scored a first-quarter touchdown and later made a drive-extending catch with the punt team on the field. He erased a 6-0 deficit when he scooped up a blocked punt and ran seven yards for a score with 3:31 left in the opening quarter. The play ignited a run of 17 unanswered points. With UAlbany lined up to punt on its first possession of the second period, Mason converted a 4th-and-5 situation by hauling in a 28-yard pass from Andrew Smith.

Mason, who was the first UAlbany player to run back a blocked punt for a touchdown since Oct. 13, 2000, is a member of the kickoff cover, kickoff return, punt cover and punt return units. The Great Danes limited Yale to an average of 19.4 yards on five kick returns and a total of nine yards on two punt returns.

Paw Prints: UAlbany (2-2) returns to conference play against Saint Francis, Pa. on Saturday, Oct. 9 as part of Homecoming/Fall Festival Weekend ... the homecoming game will be televised at 1:00 p.m. on Time Warner Cable (TWCS), with Rodger Wyland and Erik Elken handling the broadcast coverage ... the Great Danes will play at University Field for the first time this season and are the last NCAA Division I FBS or FCS program to have a home game ... UAlbany induct three former athletes and a legendary coach into its Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday, Oct. 8th ... Mike Cinque '87, basketball; Joe McCullen '92, cross country/track & field; Valerie Terry '02, softball; and R.K. Munsey, head cross country and track & field coach from 1962-85, will be enshrined.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information