ALFRED, NY – The Empire 8 released its 2018 All-Conference football team on Monday morning, naming eight Saxons to the squad, including three First Team members.
 
Senior Cole Reed (Gratz, PA/Upper Dauphin Area) was accompanied by sophomores Nas Smith (Auburn, NY/Auburn) and Raeqwon Greer (Buffalo, NY/Canisius) on the Empire 8 First Team. Senior Chris Harders (Shirley, NY/Longwood), junior E.J. Staniszewski (South Wales, NY/Holland), junior Wes Senn (Randolph, NY/Randolph) and sophomore Kevin Bragaglia (Holbrook, NY/Sachem North) were named to the Second Team while junior Nick Milgate (Hilton, NY/Hilton) was named Honorable Mention.
 
The AU football completed the 2018 season at 7-4 overall and 4-3 in Empire 8 play, earning a berth to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Asa S. Bushnell Bowl. The Saxons earned their 11^th win in 13 bowl game appearances, defeating host Salisbury, 14-7, on the road.
 
Reed, a defensive captain for AU, is making his debut on the Empire 8 All-Conference team as a First Team member. He finished the season atop of the conference in total tackles (130) and ranked ninth in the nation. During the final game of the season, Reed tallied 13 total tackles, moving up the AU all-time list for tackles in a season to sixth, surpassing Brian O'Neil '82 (129 tackles in 1981). John Hoosock '90 holds the record with 154 tackles in a single-season. On top of leading the Saxons in tackles, Reed also had a team-high 10.0 tackles for a loss, two sacks, two interceptions and two pass breakups. He completed his career at AU with 249 tackles including 17.5 tackles for a loss.
 
Smith is also making his debut on the Empire 8 All-Conference team after leading the conference in rushing yards (1,323), rushing touchdowns (16), and rushing yards per game (120.3). He now ranks second all-time at AU with 16 rushing touchdowns in a single-season while also jumping to fifth all-time for rushing yards in a single-season. Over the course of the season he rushed for more than 100 yards in six games, including a 269-yard game against the University of Rochester. He also added 118 yards receiving and two touchdown receptions to cap off the year.
 
In just two years at AU, he has 2,077 rush yards – trailing Rashaan Jordan '93, the 10^th ranked career rusher at AU (2,414) by 337 yards. The career record is held by Jesse Raynor '03 with 3,865 yards over the course of four years. Smith is also only two rushing touchdowns short of tying Nick Clark '11, who scored 26 career rushing touchdowns at AU.
 
Greer is making his second appearance on the Empire 8 All-Conference team in as many years after appearing on the Second Team following the 2017 season. As a strong safety, Greer had 56 total tackles including 32 solo tackles and 24 assisted tackles. He finished the year second in the Empire 8 Conference with five interceptions, leading the Saxon defensive unit that led the nation in interceptions (22) following the 2018 regular season. He also had six pass breakups during the course of the year. In two years at AU, Greer has 115 total tackles, six interceptions and one forced fumble.
 
Harders is being honored for the first time in his career on the Empire 8 All-Conference team as a Second Team member. From the tight end position, he caught 10 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns. He also helped the AU offense to 1,942 yards rushing and 25 touchdowns during the 2018 season. He completed his career at AU with 12 receptions for 158 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Staniszewski is being honored by the Empire 8 at the fullback position as a Second Team member. He spent a majority of the season serving as a lead blocker for Smith, who led the Empire 8 in rush yards and touchdowns during the 2018 season. Staniszewski also caught three passes for 34 yards and a touchdown. His lone touchdown reception came during the first half of the Saxons' ECAC bowl game win over Salisbury, 14-7.
 
Senn, an offensive captain for the Saxons, is being honored by the Empire 8 for the second time in his career at AU, earning Honorable Mention during his sophomore season. In 2018, Senn started all 11 games at center for the Saxons, anchoring the offensive line. As a unit, the offensive line led AU to the second-ranked rushing attack in the Empire 8 with 1,942 yards. Overall, the Saxons offense accumulated 3,501 yards.
 
Bragaglia is making his first appearance on the Empire 8 All-Conference team as a return specialist. He finished the season third in the Empire 8 in all-purpose yards (1,111) with 699 combined kick return yards, including 231 punt return yards and 468 kickoff return yards, while accumulating 276 receiving yards and 136 rushing yards. The triple-threat athlete scored touchdowns in various ways, rushing for two touchdowns, catching two touchdowns and returning one punt for a 92-yard touchdown.
 
Milgate is being named Empire 8 All-Conference Honorable Mention for the second consecutive year after finishing the season with 98 total tackles as an outside linebacker. His top performance of the season came in week three against Ithaca College when he racked up 18 total tackles, which ranks eighth all-time in a single-game in AU history. On top of stopping offensive players in their tracks, Milgate also served as a coverage threat, pulling in two interceptions in 2018. In three years at AU, Milgate has 189 total tackles while pulling in eight interceptions, returning two for a touchdown.
 
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 Lewis Ortega (Bronx, NY/Herbert H. Lehman) is the representative for the AU football team.