Staten Island, NY – Senior offensive lineman
Matthew Martin (Pennsauken, NJ/Pennsauken) and junior safety
Stefen Gage (Syracuse, NY/Henninger) have been named to
Phil Steele's 2009 Preseason All-NEC Team.
Phil Steele's College Football Preview is one of the nation's most informativ
e preseason football magazines and annually selects preseason FCS All-Conference and preseason FCS All-American teams.
The 6-4, 315-pound Martin, who was named to
Phil Steele's Preseason All-NEC First-Team, has been a mainstay on the Seahawk offensive line since his arrival on Grymes Hill in 2005. He has seen action in 30 games during his time at Wagner, playing both the offensive tackle and guard positions. Martin possesses excellent feet with a rare blend of size, strength and agility. An early season leg injury in 2008 sidelined him for the remainder of the season and he will be competing in 2009 as a fifth-year senior.
Gage was named to
Phil Steele's Preseason All-NEC Second-Team. He is coming off a breakout season in 2008 where he finishing second on the team in tackles with 95, with a team-best 42 solo stops and 53 assisted tackles. The 6-0, 185-pound Gage also recorded 4.5 tackles for loss for minus 14 yards, three pass breakups, three forced fumbles, one sack and one interception. Gage was also a mainstay on special teams where he was a gunner on the punt coverage team.
The Seahawks will open the 2009 campaign with a home game vs. Stonehill College on Sat, Sept. 5 in a 1:00 pm kickoff.
