• 2014 Final Football Release

Navy Wins Back-to-Back Bowl Games For The Second Time In School History
• (AP) - Navy's Austin Grebe kicked the go-ahead, 24-yard field goal with 1 minute, 27 seconds left to lead the Midshipmen to a 17-16 victory over San Diego State in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.
• The Mids won their fourth straight and for the sixth time in seven games. They've won consecutive bowl games for just the second time in history. Addiitonally, they were playing just 10 days after beating Army for the 13th straight time.
• The Midshipmen won the contest after the Aztecs' Donny Hageman was wide right on a 34-yard field goal attempt with 20 seconds left.
• The winning drive was set up when Navy's Chris Johnson forced and recovered a fumble by Donnel Pumphrey.
• Fullback Chris Swain converted on a fourth-and-1 and Ryan Williams-Jenkins took a pitch and ran 28 yards to help set up the game-winner by Grebe.
• San Diego State then got to the Navy 17 before Hageman missed. Hageman earlier made field goals of 43, 37 and 30 yards. His third field goal gave SDSU a 16-14 lead late in the third quarter.
• Pumphrey gained 112 yards on 21 carries to set SDSU's single-season rushing record with 1,867 yards. The old record was 1,842 yards by George Jones in 1995.
• Navy lost four fumbles in the contest, while SDSU had three turnovers.
• Junior quarterback Keenan Reynolds ran for two touchdowns, extending his own NCAA record for scores by a quarterback to 64.
• He scored on a 1-yard keeper for the game's first score and then somersaulted into the end zone at the end of a 6-yard run to give Navy a 14-13 lead midway through the third quarter.
• Leading 16-14, SDSU went for it on fourth-and-5 from the Navy 12 but Quinn Kaehler's pass to Mikah Holder was incomplete.
• Navy punted on its next possession but got the ball back after Pumphrey fumbled.
• The Midshipmen rushed for 254 yards, led by Swain with 72 yards on eight carries.
• Navy improved to 2-2 in the Poinsettia Bowl. It avenged a 35-14 loss to SDSU here in 2010.
• Reynolds was named the game's offensive MVP, while senior linebacker Jordan Drake, who tied his career-high with 13 tackles, was named the game's defensive MVP.

Navy Bowl History
• Navy owns a 9-10-1 bowl game record all-time.
• Navy defeated San Diego State, 17-16, this year in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl, marking just the second time in school history the Mids have won bowl games in consecutive years.

Niumatalolo Named ECAC Coach Of The Year
• The Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) announced January 9 that Ken Niumatalolo had been named the 2014 ECAC Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) Coach of the Year. Niumatalolo was chosen as the most outstanding coach by his peers within the ECAC Division I FBS membership and members of the media.
• Niumatalolo led the Midshipmen to an 8-5 record this season, including a thrilling 17-16 victory over San Diego State in the 2014 Poinsettia Bowl. The trip to Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego marked Navy's 10th bowl game appearance in the last 11 years and sixth in the last seven years under Niumatalolo. Navy also enjoyed a 17-10 victory over Army in the annual rivalry game, making Niumatalolo the first coach in the history of the Army-Navy game to begin his career 7-0 against the rival Service Academy. In addition, Coach Niumatalolo became Navy's all-time winningest coach during the 2014 season, compiling a 57-35 record in his seven seasons. Niumatalolo is the fastest in school history to reach 50 wins, winning his 50th game against Temple this fall in what was his 81st career game.

Football Team Honored At Annual Banquet
• The annual Naval Academy football banquet was held January 9 at Alumni Hall where several prestigious awards were handed out.
• Navy finished the 2014 campaign with an 8-5 record, qualified for a bowl game for the 11th time in the last 12 years, won a bowl game in consecutive seasons for just the second time in school history and defeated Army for a series-record 13th consecutive year.
• Head coach Ken Niumatalolo became the all-time winningest coach in school history (57-35) with the win over Army and also became the first coach in Army-Navy history to win his first seven games in the greatest rivalry in sports.
• Navy's senior class finished with a 30-21 (.588) record over four seasons in Annapolis, qualified for three bowl games, won two bowl games and won two Commander-In-Chief's Trophies.
• Junior quarterback Keenan Reynolds was named the winner of the E.E. "Rip" Miller Award, which is presented to the season's most valuable player as voted on by his teammates. This is the third straight year Reynolds has won the award after becoming the first freshman to win the award in 2012. Reynolds also won the Annapolis Touchdown Silver Helmet Award for the third consecutive year. He will be presented the award at the annual Annapolis Touchdown Awards Dinner on February 19.
• Reynolds rushed for 1,191 yards and 23 touchdowns, while completing 52 of his 111 pass attempts for 843 yards and six touchdowns despite missing two games due to injury and playing hurt in several others. He broke the school record for career rushing touchdowns when he scored his 50th against San Jose State and then set the NCAA record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback when he scored his 60th against Georgia Southern. His 64 career rushing touchdowns are tied with Anthony Thompson (Indiana) and Cedric Benson (Texas) for the fourth most in NCAA history. The NCAA record is 77 set by Montee Ball of Wisconsin. His 23 rushing touchdown this year are tied for the fourth most in NCAA history by a quarterback (he set the record last year with 31) and are the third most in school history.
• Senior defensive end Paul Quessenberry was named the winner of the Roger Staubach Award, which is presented to the varsity football player who demonstrated consistent, outstanding leadership and an "Expect to Win" attitude in contributing to the team's success during the season and embodied honor, courage and commitment on and off the playing field.
• Quessenberry recorded 38 tackles on the year with 8.5 tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. The 8.5 tackles for a loss were the second most on the team. Quessenberry was a consistent performer for the Mids while also supporting his brother, David, who is battling lymphoma.
• Senior safety Shakir Robinson took home the Jeffrey R. Korn Memorial Scholar-Athlete Award, which is given annually to the first classman on the team who has demonstrated excellence both in the classroom and on the football field.
• Robinson was a team leader for the Mids while serving on the scout team, taking some of the team's younger members under his wing and teaching them how to be a Navy football player. Robinson, who had a positive attitude since the day he stepped on the Yard, also excelled in the classroom earning a 3.36 grade-point average while majoring in history. He is currently serving as the First Regimental Commander for the Brigade of Midshipmen.
• Senior nose guard Adrian Barnaby won the Cooke Award, which is given to the player who has done the most to promote team spirit.
• Barnaby was the definition of selfless in his four-year career, doing whatever it took on the practice squad to make the Mids a better team. This year he volunteered to move to offensive guard on the scout team to make sure the Navy defense got the best look possible.
• Senior linebacker James Britton and senior wide receiver Brendan Dudeck were named co-recipients of the First Lieutenant Ron Winchester Unsung Hero Award, which is presented to an unheralded senior recognized as an overachiever and role model as selected by a vote of his teammates.
• Britton and Dudeck were two of Navy's emotional and toughest leaders. Britton started the first two games of the year against Ohio State and Temple before suffering a lisfranc injury that was thought to end his career. Instead, he battled back and dressed for the South Alabama and Army games before getting on the field one last time on special teams in the Poinsettia Bowl.
• Dudeck finished second on the team with 12 catches for 112 yards and two touchdowns, while also serving as Navy's top perimeter blocker. He was the unquestioned leader of the wide receivers and helped mold that group after his personality and tenacity.
• Senior Joe Worth was named the winner of the Cmdr. Ralph Sentmann Award, which honors the member of the graduating class from the varsity football team who has achieved the highest ranking in academic order of merit.
• Worth, who is majoring in mathematics, carries a 3.76 grade-point average and is also serving as the Brigade Commander for the spring semester. He was also the midshipman in charge of the first half of Plebe Summer.
• Senior safety Parrish Gaines was the recipient of the Joe Bellino Award, which is presented to the varsity football player whose inspiring on-the-field performance made a significant impact on the team and contributed to its overall success during the season.
• Gaines finished with 43 tackles, four pass break-ups, three interceptions (one of which he returned for a touchdown) and 2.5 tackles for a loss while serving as a co-captain during the 2014 season. He started 44 consecutive games for the Mids.
• Senior fullback Noah Copeland was named the winner of the Napoleon McCallum Award, which is presented to the Navy varsity football player of the graduating class who has gained the most all-purpose yards in his career.
• Copeland finished his career with 2,036 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns, while catching 18 passes for 199 yards and two touchdowns. The co-captain had a stellar senior campaign, rushing for 889 yards and five touchdowns on 117 carries. His 7.6 yards per carry is the second-best average in school history for a single season.
• Senior guard Jake Zuzek was awarded the George Fritzinger Memorial Award, presented annually to a member of the graduating class who as a football interior lineman has excelled as a student-athlete and contributed to the overall team leadership and spirit.
• Zuzek was Navy's bell cow on the offensive line, starting 39 consecutive games at guard and is the only member of the senior class to play in all 51 games of his career. He helped Navy finish second in the nation in rushing in 2014, averaging 338.1 yards per game.
• Freshman slot back Darryl Bonner was awarded the Collins/Roos Class of 1949 Junior Varsity MVP Award, presented annually to the most valuable player on the junior varsity football team as chosen by a vote of his teammates.
• Bonner helped lead the JV team to a 5-0 record and is expected to compete for playing time in the varsity next fall. A 2013 graduate of Terry Sanford High School, Bonner attended the Naval Academy Prep School during the 2013-14 academic year. He was a three-sport athlete in high school who earned letters in basketball (2), football (3) and track & field (2).

Reynolds And Sarra Named 2015 Team Captains
• Navy head football coach Ken Niumatalolo announced at the annual Navy football banquet that rising seniors quarterback Keenan Reynolds and nose guard Bernard Sarra have been elected team captains for the 2015 football season by their teammates.
• "Being elected team captain at the Naval Academy is one of the highest honors you can receive at an institution that prides itself on producing great leaders," said Niumatalolo. "Keenan and Bernie are not only great football players, but they are great leaders on the field, in Bancroft Hall and in the classroom. There is no question in my mind that they will do a great job in this very important role. They both work extremely hard and will set an example for the entire team on and off the field."
• Reynolds will go down as one of the greatest players in program history. He has rushed for 3,186 yards and 64 touchdowns in his career, while throwing for 1,798 yards and 23 touchdowns. His 3,186 career rushing yards are the third most in school history and needs 994 yards next year to pass record holder Napoleon McCallum. He also ranks 17th in NCAA history for rushing yards by a quarterback and needs 1,310 yards to pass Michigan's Denard Robinson to become the all-time leader. His 64 career rushing touchdowns are the most in school history, the most in NCAA history by a quarterback and tied for the fourth most in NCAA history by any player. He needs 14 more to pass Montee Ball of Wisconsin to set the record. His 23 career touchdown passes are tied for the fourth most in school history and is seven shy of passing current Commandant of Midshipmen Bill Byrne for the school record.
• Sarra has been a force in the middle for the Mids, starting 22 games over his first three years. He has recorded 68 career tackles, including a career-high 38 in 2014. Sarra blocked three field goals this year, which was tied for the most in the country.