Morrissey Named Cliff Harris Award Finalist

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - West Chester University R-Jr., LB Tyler Morrissey (Springfield, Pa./Springfield-DELCO) was named a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award it was announced Wednesday afternoon.

Morrissey, who was also named to the second team AP Little All-America squad, the Conference Commissioner's Association (CCA) second team All-America squad as well as being named both the PSAC East and ECAC DII Defensive Player of the Year, is the first finalist for the Cliff Harris Award since Andrew Cohen in 2015.

Morrissey is one of 82 finalists across the country from NCAA Division II and III, as well as NAIA schools, to be named a finalist. He is one of 30 finalists from the ranks of Division II. He joins Slippery Rock DE Marcus Martin and Indiana (Pa.) DB Max Redfield on the finalists list representing the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC).

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. 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.


2017 Finalists

DIVISION II         
Player Name              Class     College                             Position
Andrew Benson            SR        Assumption                        DB
Adonis Davis                JR         Florida Tech                        DL
Dennis Gardeck           SR        Sioux Falls                          LB
Sterling Hammond        SR        Virginia Union                      DB
Kevin Haynes               SR        Central Washington              LB
Myles Humphrey          SR        Shepherd                             DL
Chris Johnson              JR         North Alabama                     DB
Marcus Jones              SR        NW Missouri State               DB
Markus Jones              JR         Angelo State                        DL
Kyle Kitchens              SR        Catawba                              LB
Davondrick Lison          JR        Southern Arkansas                DL
Tevin Madison              SR        West Alabama                     DB
Marcus Martin             SR        Slippery Rock                       DL
Tyler Morrissey          JR         West Chester                      LB
Blake Nelson               SR        Colorado Mesa                     DB
Brandon Payer             SO       Colorado State-Pueblo           LB
Evan Perrizo                SR        Minnesota State-Mankato      DL
James Prater Jr.           JR         Ashland                               DL
Max Redfield               SR         Indiana University  (Pa.)        DB
Brucks Saathoff           JR         Texas A&M-Commerce         LB
Terry Samuel               JR         West Alabama                     LB
Nathan Shepherd        SR         Fort Hays State                    DL
Zach Sieler                  JR         Ferris State                          DL
Andrew Spencer          SR         Winona State                       DB
Yusef Sterling-Lowe     SR         Texas A&M-Commerce         DB
Tavierre Thomas          SR         Ferris State                          DB
Osband Thompson      SR         Tuskegee                             LB
Landry Tullo                SR         Delta State                           LB
Austin Weltha             SR         McKendree                          LB
Darius Williams           JR         Colorado State-Pueblo          DB
                             
DIVISION III         
Player Name                 Class     College                                        Position
Haston Adams               SR        Mary Hardin-Baylor                       DL
O'Shea Anderson           SR        Washington & Jefferson College     DB
Austin Crow                   SR        Heidelberg University                     DL
Jason Farlow                 SR         Linfield College                             LB
Max Garrett                   SR        Washington and Lee University       LB
Nick Giorgio                   JR        Springfield College                         DL
Daniel Gonzales             SR       University of Redlands                    DB
Chase Greenlee             SR       Wheaton College (Ill.)                      DL
Fred Hargrove                 SO      Otterbein University                        DB
Jaquan Harris                 SR       Framingham State                         DB
Jordan Hassan               SR       Illinois Wesleyan                            LB
Darin Hungerford            SR        Kean University                             LB
Austin Jochum               SR       University of St. Thomas                 DL
Michael Joseph              SR       University of Dubuque                     DB
Nik Kelly                        SR       Southwestern (TX) University           DB
Casey Kerschner            SR       Widener University                         DL
Montel Lee                     SR       Ferrum College                              DL
A.J. LiCata                     SR       Alfred University                             LB
Mason McKenrick           SR       John Carroll University                    LB
Shawn Miller                   SR       Delaware Valley University              DB
Ty Parsons                     SR       East Texas Baptist University          LB
Jordan Powell                 JR        Widener University                          DB
Charles Riga                   JR        George Fox University                    LB
Mike Riley                      JR        Rose-Hulman Tech                         DL
Ryan Slager                    JR       Grinnell College                              LB
Micam Smith                  SR       Monmouth College                          DB
Mamadou Soumahoro     SR        Berry College                                 DL
Patrick Vidal                  SR        Catholic University                          DL
Marcus Winters              JR        Trine University                               DB
                
NAIA         
Player Name     Class   College                                       Position
Michal Arenas       SR     Eastern Oregon University             LB
Curt Boeke            JR     Dakota State (S.D.)                       DL
Josh Evans           SR     Evangel University                         DL
Keenan Fagan       JR     Rocky Mountain College                DB
Jamarae Finnie      SR     Langston University                      DL
Tim Hamilton         SR     Friends (Kan.) University               DL
Piercen Harnish     JR     University of St. Francis                 LB
Tucker Johnson     SR     Carroll College                              DB
Josh Kock             SR     Baker (Kan.) University                  DL
Tevin McCoy          JR     Reinhardt (Ga.) University               DL
Tionte McDaniel     SO     St. Xavier University                      DB
Caden McDonald    SR     Morningside College                     LB
Nate Moore            SR     College of Idaho                           DB
Trent Mueller          JR     Lindsey Wilson College                 LB
Cameron Oshodi     SR     Georgetown College                     DL
Chris Overton         SR     St. Ambrose University                 DL
Darius Price           SR     Siena Heights University              DB
Tarance Roby         SR     Concordia University Nebraska     DB
Thomas Sease       SR     Dickinson State (N.D.)                 LB
Evan Sprayberry     JR     Tabor College                               DL
Garrett Updegraft    SR     Kansas Wesleyan                       LB
Tomunci Whitfield   SR     Southwestern College                  DB
Cole Wiseman       SR     Doane University                          DB


Cliff Harris Selection Committee
Roger Staubach
Lee Roy Jordan
Walt Garrison
Gene Stallings
Jackie Smith
Drew Pearson
Rayfield Wright
Everson Walls
Charlie Waters
Bill Bates
Gil Brandt
Mel Renfro
Jim Hart
Cliff Harris