University of Albany DE Mike Kelly & TB Dillon Romain Earn NEC Weekly Football Awards After Monmouth Win - UAlbany Sports 2010

Somerset, N.J. - University at Albany's Mike Kelly has been named the Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Week, as announced by the conference office on Monday, Nov. 22. Dillon Romain earned his third consecutive NEC rookie of the week award. He has been honored four times this season.

Kelly, a senior defensive end from West Long Branch, N.J., totaled nine tackles, including 1.5 hits for a loss, one interception, one pass break-up and a 1/2 sack in last Saturday's season-ending 28-19 victory over Monmouth. He led a defense that forced four turnovers, including two that led directly to touchdowns. Kelly picked off quarterback Kyle Frazier in the third quarter and returned it 38 yards to stamp out a scoring threat in the third quarter. He is fifth on the team in tackles with 49 this season, plus has 2.0 sacks and two interceptions Kelly finished his college career with 137 tackles and 8.5 sacks.

Romain, a freshman tailback from Vernon, N.J., accounted for 159 all-purpose yards and rushed for 71 yards on 18 carries against Monmouth. His 48-yard kickoff return in the second quarter led to UAlbany's second touchdown and a 14-3 lead. Romain, who also had a 37-yard kick runback, is 32nd nationally among the FCS leaders with a 25.1 kickoff return average. Romain toppled the 100-mark in all-purpose yards for the third game in a row and fourth time this year. He is second on the team in rushing yards (547) and all-purpose running yards (954).

Paw Prints: UAlbany (6-5, NEC 4-4) ended the season with three consecutive victories ... the Great Danes set a program record with their fifth consecutive winning campaign, breaking a mark of four straight that was established from 1996-99 ...

UAlbany has never had a losing record in Northeast Conference play since joining the league in 1999 ... Bob Ford moved into fourth place among NCAA FCS Division I's all-time winningest coaches with his 247th career victory ... Ford, who has a 247-174-1 career record, trails Grambling's Eddie Robinson (408), Eastern Kentucky's Roy Kidd (314) and Delaware's Tubby Raymond (300) on the all-time list ... UAlbany returns 14 starters, including seven on both offense and defense, and all specialists for the 2011 season.


Courtesy: UAlbany Sports Information