Aug. 24, 2005

PHILADELPHIA - UMass is one of two schools in the nation to have a candidate on both the Payton and Buchanan Award Watch Lists for the top offensive and defensive players in Division I-AA, respectively (Furman is the other). Tailback Steve Baylark (Apopka, Fla.) is up for the Payton Award while safety Shannon James (Stratford, Conn.) is a candidate for the second year in a row for Buchanan Award.

After rushing for 1,177 yards in 2003, Baylark led the A-10 with 1,138 yards on the ground last season and added eight touchdowns. The junior ranks in the top 15 among active players in I-AA in rushing yards (2,315), carries (511) and touchdowns (18).

James, a consensus First Team All-American in 2004 and preseason First Team All-American was the A-10 Defensive Player of the Year in 2004. He led the league and was second in the nation in interceptions with eight last season. He was also second on UMass in tackles playing from the secondary. He enters the season as the nation's leader in career interceptions with 16, regardless of division.

Release From The Sports Network

A total of 32 players have been chosen by The Sports Network, I-AA college football's most widely recognized information service, as official "Payton Watch" and "Buchanan Battle" members. The "Payton Watch" and "Buchanan Battle" pages, which can be found at The Sports Network's website (www.sportsnetwork.com) keep track of the quest for the 19th Walter Payton Award, presented annually to the top player in I-AA football, and the 11th Buck Buchanan Award, which goes to the top defensive player in I-AA. The honors will be presented at the 19th annual I-AA College Football Awards on Thursday, December 15th. The Eddie Robinson Award, honoring I-AA's top coach, and the Sports Network Cup, bestowed upon the nation's best I-AA mid-major program, will also be presented on Dec. 15th.

Following are the 32 current members of both the "Payton Watch" and "Buchanan Battle" lists, with additional information on each player, as well as history and facts about each of the I-AA awards, available at www.sportsnetwork.com.

"Payton Watch" Candidates (Aug. 24)

Jermaine Austin, RB, Georgia Southern

David Ball, WR, New Hampshire

Steve Baylark, RB, Massachusetts

Clifton Dawson, RB, Harvard

Bruce Eugene, QB, Grambling State

Terrance Freeney, RB, UNI

Travis Glasford, RB, Western Illinois

Nick Hartigan, RB, Brown

Lex Hilliard, RB, Montana

Eric Kimble, WR, Eastern Washington

Travis Lulay, QB, Montana State

Ingle Martin, QB, Furman

Erik Meyer, QB, Eastern Washington

Joel Sambursky, QB, Southern Illinois

Ricky Santos, QB, New Hampshire

Richie Williams, QB, Appalachian State

"Buchanan Watch" Candidates (Aug. 24)

Maurice Bennett, LB, Lafayette

Katon Bethay, DT, Wofford

Antoine Bethea, DB, Howard

Sean Conover, DE, Bucknell

Reed Doughty, S, Northern Colorado

Justin Durant, LB, Hampton

Brady Fosmark, DE, Weber State

William Freeman, LB, Furman

Chris Gocong, DE, Cal Poly

Shannon James, S, Massachusetts

Jerome Jones, LB, Eastern Kentucky

Tony LeZotte, S, James Madison

Markus Mikulec, LB, Sam Houston State

Tom Parks, DT, Delaware

David Pittman, CB, Northwestern State

Antonio Thomas, CB, Western Kentucky