(AUSTINTOWN, Ohio)--Capital University senior defensive back James Starks (Toledo/Toledo St. Francis) received the Lee Tressel Award and associate head coach/defensive coordinator Jim Bickel was named Assistant Coach of the Year to headline 11 Crusaders that were named to the All-Ohio Athletic Conference football teams.
Starks, one of four first team selections, became fifth Crusader and second in the last three years to receive the Tressel Award for the most outstanding defensive back in the conference. Starks finished the season with a team-leading 59 tackles, seven tackles for loss, three interceptions, seven pass break-ups, two forced fumbles, and two blocked kicks.
Bickel claimed OAC Assistant Coach of the Year honors for the second time (2002) in his seven year tenure as the Crusaders defensive coordinator. Bickel was at the helm for a unit that finished the regular season as the nation's No. 2 rated defense.
Senior defensive lineman Jonathan Spring (Maple Heights/Trinity) was the other Crusader named to defensive first team. Spring tallied 38 tackles for the season and a team-leading 18 of them were for loss. Spring also had 9.5 sacks on the season for a squad that set a school single-season record and leads the nation with 50 sacks.
The first team selections on offense were senior left tackle Adam Persing (Springfield Twp./Springfield Local) and senior placekicker Matt Spitz (Xenia/Xenia). Persing started all 11 games at left tackle, while Spitz earns all-conference honors for a third time as he led the Crusaders in scoring, connecting on 26 of 28 PAT's and 15 of 23 field goals with a long of 47.
Four Capital defenders were named to the second team, including senior defensive lineman Zac McKenzie (Hilliard/Hilliard Darby), senior defensive lineman Nick Bucci (Hudson/Hudson), sophomore linebacker Matt Heagen (New Concord/John Glenn), and senior defensive back Matt Coleman (Westerville/Westerville South). Sophomore defensive back and kick returner Ronnie Smith (Columbus/Desales) was also named to the second team for special teams.
Rounding out the All-Conference selections for the Crusaders were sophomore wide receiver Evan Blake (Kingston/Logan Elm) and junior defensive back C.J. Steele (Hilliard/Bishop Watterson), who each received honorable mention honors.