Football | 12/19/2014 8:49:00 PM

UTICA, NY  -- Utica College football senior left tackle Zach Hunnewell (Nashua, NH/Nashua North) was named a D3football.com All-American Honorable Mention on Friday night.  Just eight offensive tackles were selected for the All-American team in all of Division III football.

Hunnewell is just the second player in the program's 14 year history to earn the distinction as a D3football.com All-American. UC wide receiver Jeremy Meier was a third team selection back in 2012. Hunnewell is one of just four players from the Empire 8 to be named All-American by D3football.com as he joined tight end Ben Carey from Ithaca, linebacker Marquis Artis from Buffalo State, and punter Kyle Hamby from Salisbury.

Hunnewell was an all-region pick earlier this off season and he was also named Empire 8 All-Conference for the third straight year. He wrapped up his career as a four year starter and garners a five star lineman rating from the coaching staff.  He personally allowed just one sack all season and anchored an offensive line that finished its season ranked third nationally by allowing an average of .55 sacks per game.  He helped pave the way for 1,699 rushing yards and a new school-record of 29 touchdowns on the ground.  He was the lead blocker for the program's all-time leading rusher, Jesse Baldassare (Mt. Sinai, NY/Mt. Sinai) and he also protected the blind side of senior quarterback Connor Butkiewicz (Southington, CT/Southington), who only threw two interceptions all season.

Utica wrapped up its season with a school-record seven wins and earned a bid into an ECAC Postseason Bowl Game for the first time in program-history.  The Pioneers also finished the regular season in third place in the highly competitive Empire 8 Conference.