WEST CHESTER, Pa. - West Chester University R-Jr., LB
Tyler Morrissey (Springfield, Pa./Springfield-DELCO) was named to the second team AP Little All-America squad it was announced Friday afternoon. Additionally, the Golden Rams' inside linebacker was one of the many small-school defenders named to the Cliff Harris Award list.
Morrissey is the first Golden Rams player named to the AP Little All-America squad since 2015 when Andrew Cohen was selected. He is the ninth West Chester player named to the AP Little All-America team since 2004 when current head coach BIll Zwaan took over the reigns of the program. He is the first linebacker since Ronell Williams in 2012.
Morrissey enjoyed a breakout season on the defensive side of the ball this past fall as he registered a team-high 137 tackles, which led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference and was good enough for third most in a single season in program history, and the most in a season since Lee Woodall recorded 140 tackles in 1993. Morrissey also led the team in tackles for a loss as he registered 14.0 tackles for loss of 38 yards.Seven of these tackles came in the way of sacks, which accounted for a loss of 30 yards. Morrissey collected PSAC East Defensive Player of the Year and ECAC Defensive Player of the Year honors earlier in the season as well as first team All PSAC East and first team All ECAC honors. Morrissey was also named to the first team All-Super Region 1, before earning DII CCA second team All-America honors. This is Morrissey's second All-America citation of the fall.
The Cliff Harris Award is presented to the top defensive player in the country representing Division II, III and NAIA colleges and universities. Morrissey is the first Golden Rams player to be up for this award since Andrew Cohen in 2015. He joins Cohen, Al-Hajj Shabazz and Ronell Williams, who were all past finalists for the Cliff Harris Award during their senior seasons. A different West Chester player has been present on the Cliff Harris Award list of finalists in four of the past five seasons.
