NEWARK — The Delaware football team was rewarded for its 5-0 spring regular season by receiving 16 honorees on the All-Colonial Athletic Association team.

That group was led by senior running back Dejoun Lee, who was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year, and Danny Rocco, who was selected as the Coach of the Year.

Lee is the first Blue Hen to win Offensive Player of the Year since quarterback Pat Devlin in 2010, while Rocco is the first UD conference coach of the year since Tubby Raymond was Yankee Conference Coach of the Year in 1991.

“We are excited to be able to recognize a number of our student-athletes as All-CAA performers,” Rocco said. “This has been an extremely difficult season for both our players and coaches and we have demonstrated both the grit and perseverance, working through the unknowns of the spring season. Our strength remains in our unity and I am extremely proud of this team for both its commitment, as well as its performance.”

A total of 14 Hens make up the 16 honors taken home by Delaware on Wednesday, the most by any CAA program this spring.

Rocco earned his fifth conference coach of the year honor. He is a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award and won AFCA Region 1 Coach of the Year honors. He has the Blue Hens in the playoffs in two out of the last three seasons.

The Hens had four offensive first-teamers, highlighted by Lee’s Player of the Year honor. He rushed for just shy of 500 yards in five games on 77 carries with five going for touchdowns.

Lee had a 221-yard game at then No. 18 Rhode Island, the second-most in a game this season in FCS. Lee was also selected as the first-team kick returner after taking the season-opening kickoff back for an 87-yard touchdown.

Smyrna High grad Nolan Henderson is the All-CAA first-team quarterback after an efficient spring, throwing for 988 yards and completing over 70 percent of his passes. He ranks fourth in the nation in pass efficiency.

Henderson was second in the CAA with nine touchdown passes.

Wide receiver Thyrick Pitts was a first-team pick after catching 22 passes for 368 yards and three touchdowns.

Delaware is represented by two offensive lineman as senior David Kroll was selected to the All-CAA first team and redshirt junior Mickey Henry is honored on the second team. Kroll has appeared in 39 career games.

On the defensive side, the Hens had three first-teamers, led by junior Johnny Buchanan at linebacker. He made a team-high 27 tackles this spring.

Senior Nijuel Hill has been selected to the All-CAA first team after back-to-back interceptions in the final two regular-season games. He made 14 tackles on the season.

Junior safety Kedrick Whitehead followed up his third-team appearance from 2019 with a first-team selection this spring. The Middletown High grad forced two fumbles and recovered one, making 18 tackles this spring, with two pass breakups.

Senior Gene Coleman II was selected to the All-CAA second team at wide receiver after making 23 catches for 229 yards. Junior tight end Bryce De Maille caught seven passes with two TDs and a rushing score to be selected to the second team.

A pair of defenders, sophomore defensive lineman Chase McGowan and safety Noah Plack, also received second-team honors.

Sophomore Ryan Coe rounds out Delaware’s honorees, earning second-team selection at kicker. Coe has perfect on extra points and
was 8-for-12 on field goal tries.