Jean Named ECAC FCS Defensive Rookie Of The Year
Clark named to All-ECAC Team
Rookie Central Connnecticut State defensive back Christopher Jean added another accolade to his resume on Thursday, being named the FCS ECAC Defensive Rookie of the Year. His defensive backfield mate, junior Kimal Clark was named to the FCS All-ECAC Team. The duo are the only representatives on the team from Northeast Conference Football schools.
The ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) is an eighty-five-year-old organization with well over 200 member schools across all three NCAA Divisions - I, II and III. The ECAC exists to enhance the experience of student-athletes participating in intercollegiate athletics and provides great value for universities and colleges by sponsoring championships, leagues, bowl games, tournaments and other competitions throughout the Northeast. The ECAC also hosts a comprehensive esports program that presently involves 160 schools fielding 1100 teams across 14 different esports games, streamed live four nights a week. The ECAC's esports platform has and continues to expand the geographic footprint of the Conference nationally.
Clark, a two-time All-New England honoree, earned NEC Defensive Player of the Year accolades this fall, after he finished the season with 117 total tackles, the most by a Blue Devil in the program's Division I history. This week he has been named to the Stats Perform FCS All-America Third Team and was named an FCS AP All-America Honorable Mention. Clark tallied five double-digit tackle games this season, including a career-best 18 in the game at UMass. He finished the year at 9.0 tackles per game, third in the NEC and currently 25th in FCS. His 5.1 solo tackles per game, a career-best 66 on the year, is the top number in the NEC. Clark has 221 career tackles in his three seasons as a Blue Devil.
Jean, a defensive back, was named to the FCS Football Central Freshman All-American Team last week, after a campaign that saw him earn Northeast Conference Defensive Rookie of the Year and First-Team All-NEC. He also earned Stats Perform FCS Freshman All-America honors earlier this week. A native of Rochester, NY, he finished the campaign as the NEC leader in passes defending, averaging 1.4 per game. His four interceptions, including a record-setting three in the win over #19 Duquesne to clinch the NEC title, is tops in the NEC and his 10 PBU's ranked second, despite playing fewer games. Jean finished the campaign with 34 tackles and recovered a league-leading four fumbles, including one that he returned 49 yards for a touchdown.
CCSU won its NEC leading seventh championship during the 2024 season, after being picked to finish last in the preseason coaches poll. The Blue Devils went 5-1 in NEC play and posted a 7-6 overall record. The Blue Devils four FCS losses were by a combined 12 points (3.0/game) while its seven wins in FCS action came by a margin of 11.1 points per game.
