ALFRED, NY — Alfred University freshman quarterback Tyler Johnson (East Syracuse, NY/East Syracuse-Minoa) has been named Empire 8 Rookie of the Year and is among 13 Saxons to earn all-conference recognition.

The Empire 8 announced its all-league teams today. Four members of the AU team earned First Team recognition; five were named to the Second Team; and five were given honorable mention. AU sophomore cornerback Calvin Bain (Rochester, NY/East) earned First Team honors for defense and Second Team honors as an all-purpose runner and special teams return man.

Other Saxons named to the First Team were senior left tackle Ryan DiFlavio (West Seneca, NY/West Seneca West), senior defensive end Justin Collen (Averill Park, NY/Averill Park), and junior free safety Michael Perkins (Rochester, NY/East).

Johnson, who was given honorable mention at quarterback, was inserted into the starting lineup after leading the Saxons on a second-half comeback over Brockport in Week 3. In that game, he ran for 134 yards and a touchdown and passed for 157 yards and a score, rallying the Saxons from a 28-0 halftime deficit to a 34-28 overtime victory. He finished the season with 1,722 yards on 140-of-237 passing with 12 touchdowns. He also ran for 418 yards (second-most on the team) and five TDs.

Bain, in his first season after transferring to AU from St. Francis (PA) University, had 55 tackles (34 solo), three interceptions (86 return yards, one touchdown) and a team-leading 12 pass breakups. He also rushed 14 times for 79 yards and five touchdowns, four coming in a Week Nine win over Utica, and averaged 21.1 yards on kick returns.

DiFlavio, a four-year starter on the Saxon offensive line, earned all-conference recognition for a third straight year. He was also a First Team pick in 2012 and a Second team selection in 2011. He anchored a line that helped the Saxons to 373 yards of offense per game (217 passing, 156 rushing) and allowed only 15 sacks in 11 games.

Collen had 42 tackles (21 solo), including 7 ½ for loss (47 yards), a team-leading six sacks (37 yards) and two forced fumbles. Perkins had 41 tackles (28 solo, one for loss), a team-best five interceptions (58 yards) and five pass breakups. Both Collen and Perkins are first-time league all-starts.

Senior tailback Austin Dwyer (Hornell, NY/Hornell), sophomore tight end Isiah Young (Groton, NY/Groton), senior center Zach Harrington (Rochester, NY/Greece Olympia) and sophomore middle linebacker Corry Wallace (Mastic Beach, NY/Longwood) were named the Second Team.

Dwyer earned all-conference honors for the third time in his four years as the Saxons' starting tailback. He was a First Team selection and the league's Rookie of the Year in 2010 and was a First Team pick in 2011. He led the team in rushing (612 yards) and rushing TDs (11) this year while catching 11 passes for 107 yards and a score. The school's single-season record holder for rushing yards (1,437, set in 2010), Dwyer finished his career with 3,304 yards (fourth all-time at AU) and 30 rushing touchdowns.

Young, the team's backup tight end, saw action in all 11 games this year and was third on the team in receptions (23) and receiving yards (279). Harrington, a two-year starter at center, was given all-conference recognition for a second straight year after earning honorable mention in 2011. Wallace, in his first year as a starter, led the team in tackles with 115 (43 solo, 6 ½ for loss, one sack), with four interceptions, four pass breakups and one forced fumble.

Senior wide receiver Josh Phillips (Syracuse, NY/West Genesee), freshman nose guard Zack Bacon (Hornell, NY/Hornell), sophomore defensive tackle Zach Brinkley (Brockway, PA/Brockway) and freshman kicker Thomas Gioia (West  Seneca, NY/Bishop Timon-St. Jude) were given honorable mention.

Phillips, a four-year starting wideout, led the Saxons in receptions (54), receiving yards (815) and touchdown catches (seven). A first-time conference all-star, Phillips finished his AU career with 169 catches for 2,377 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Bacon, a starter as a freshman, had 31 tackles (4 ½ for loss, two sacks) to go with two interceptions and a fumble recovery. He returned one interception 38 yards for a touchdown and a fumble 25 yards for a score. Brinkley, in his first season as a starter, had 59 tackles (fourth on the team), including 1 ½ for loss, and a pass breakup. Gioia made 32 of 40 extra points and seven of nine field goals and was second on team in scoring with 53 points.
 
Each season, the Empire 8 honors students-athletes from each conference school, who play on teams sponsored by the conference, with Sportsperson of the Year awards. Honorees, chosen by their coaches, exhibited outstanding sportsmanship in keeping with the conference's mission of "competing with honor and integrity." Senior tight end Alec Ladonis (Nescopeck, PA/Berwick) is AU's honoree from the football team.

AU finished the season with an 8-3 record and placed second in the final Empire 8 Conference standings with a 5-2 league mark. The Saxons wrapped up the season with a 21-14 victory over visiting Cortland in the ECAC North Central Bowl Championship, played Saturday, Nov. 23, at Yunevich Stadium.