Zilbar named D3football.com West Region Defensive Player of the Year
The UW-Platteville football team received five D3football.com All-West Region selections on Monday.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Wisconsin-Platteville football team received five D3football.com All-West Region selections on Monday.
Senior Jacob Zilbar was named West Region Defensive Player of the Year, and was joined by senior guard Jayson Eddy on the first team. For the second straight year defensive end Andrew Robinson garnered second team honors, while senior running back Andy Puccini also received second team recognition. Senior center Brian Lurquin rounded out the Pioneer selections with third team accolades.
Zilbar led the UW-Platteville defense from his linebacker spot and was named the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Defensive Player of the Year. He had 78 total tackles, four interceptions and five pass breakups for the 7-3 Pioneers.
Eddy and Lurquin anchored the offensive line that helped produce 401.6 yards of total offense per game, and only allowed 12 sacks. They also helped Puccini break the school's 40-year-old single season rushing record with 1,252 yards.
Puccini was the WIAC's leading rusher with 125.2 yards per game and nine touchdowns. The Bartlett, Ill. native, rushed for 1,252 yards, setting a new school record, and became the sixth Pioneer to surpass 1,000 yards mark.
Robinson tallied 16.5 tackles for a loss and 7.5 sacks, and also totaled 51 tackles. He was also named WIAC Defensive Player of the Week twice in the final six weeks of the season.