Gridiron Pirates Picked Third By C-USA Coaches
July 22, 2002 | Football
The league also announced the coaches' choices for the preseason all-conference team which included four ECU student-athletes: offensive lineman Brian Rimpf, linebacker John Williamson, punter Jared Preston and kick return specialist Marvin Townes.
Rimpf started all 12 games last season to earn first-team All-Conference USA honors. Named All-Conference USA by Football News in 2001, Williamson is the Pirates' top returning tackler from last season with 65. He ranked sixth in the league in sacks (6.5) and eighth in tackles for loss (14) as a junior last year.
Also as a junior in 2001, Preston ranked 12th nationally and second in Conference USA with 44.1 yards per punt average, third highest season punting average in school history.
A member of the league's all-freshman team last season, Townes ranked third in Conference USA in kickoff return average with 25.0 yards per return. He also ranked among the top 10 in the conference in punt return average, while setting school records for most kickoff returns with 31 and most kickoff return yardage by a freshman with 775.
