Hofstra University senior lineman Willie Colon is one of four players from the Atlantic 10 Football Conference who has been named to the 2005 American Football Coaches Association I-AA All-America Team, it was announced this week. Colon (Bronx, NY/Cardinal Hayes), who is also an All-Atlantic 10 first team selection and a Walter Camp I-AA All-American in 2005, is Hofstra's fifth AFCA I-AA All-American since 1995 and the school's first since defensive end Khary Williams won the honor in 2000.

Colon, who started 34 consecutive games at offensive tackle after moving over from the defensive line following the 2002 season, anchored a line for an offense (429.8 ypg) that ranked second in the A10 and 15th in I-AA in 2005. The Pride passing attack ranked first in the Atlantic 10 and third in the country, averaging 306.45 passing yards per game. The 6-4, 315-pound lineman has also been invited to the Magnolia Grid Iron Classic All-Star Game in Jackson, Mississippi on December 24.

Other Atlantic 10 players named to the AFCA All-America team includes: New Hampshire junior wide receiver David Ball; Villanova senior linebacker Brian Hulea; and Massachusetts senior defensive back Shannon James.

The AFCA's Division I-AA All-America Selection Committee is made up of three head coaches from each of the AFCA's nine districts, one of whom serves as a district chairman, along with another head coach who serves

as the chairman of the selection committee.  The coaches in each district are responsible for ranking the top players in their respective districts prior to a conference call between the district chairmen and the committee chairman on which the team is chosen.

HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY-AFCA I-AA ALL-AMERICANS

1994 - Brian Clark, LB

1995 - Dave Fiore, OT

1995 - Dave Ettinger, K

2000 - Khary Williams, DE

2005 - Willie Colon, OT

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