Youngstown State placed three players on the Missouri Valley Football Conference's 2018 All-Newcomer Team, the league announced on Tuesday.
YSU senior quarterback Montgomery VanGorder, redshirt freshman tight end Miles Joiner and redshirt freshman linebacker Ray Anderson were named the conference's all-newcomer squad.
VanGorder is the first YSU quarterback since Kurt Hess in 2010 to make the All-Newcomer team and is the fifth Penguin signal caller to be named to the squad. Anderson is the first linebacker since Lee Wright and Armand Dellovade in 2015 to be recognized. Joiner is just the second YSU tight end and first since Louis Irizarry in 2006 to make the All-Newcomer squad.
VanGorder passed for 1,934 yards in his lone season with the program after transferring from Notre Dame. He started 10 of the 11 contests and also rushed for 209 yards on the campaign. Joiner became a key playmaker on offense leading the unit with four touchdown receptions. Anderson saw increased playing time during the conference portion of the season and started five league contests.
It marks the second straight year the Penguins have had three players make the MVFC All-Newcomer squad.
All-Newcomer Team Selections
#8 LB Ray Anderson, 6-1, 225, RFr., Youngstown, Ohio/Cardinal Mooney
Played in nine games and made five starts…credited with 22 total tackles, including 14 solo stops…had 20 tackles in MVFC play as he saw increased playing time…had a season-high seven tackles at Illinois State, including two TFLs…had five stops at South Dakota State…had three solos at NDSU.
#12 QB Montgomery VanGorder, 6-2, 220, Sr., Buford, Ga./Buford/Notre Dame
Started 10 games and played in all 11 at quarterback…completed 149-of-277 passes for 1,934 yards and 14 touchdowns…averaged 175.8 yards per game…had 79 rushes for 209 yards and a TD…in MVFC play, completed 107-of-205 passes for 1,341 yards and seven touchdowns…averaged 167.6 yards per game…had a school-record setting performance at Western Illinois completing 33-of-57 passes for 418 yards and three touchdowns…set school mark for completions, attempts and yards vs. WIU…had five 200-yard plus efforts.
#80 TE Miles Joiner, TE, 6-4, 250, RFr., Dayton, Ohio/Butler
Played in 10 games and made eight starts…caught 12 passes for 202 yards and caught a team-leading four touchdowns…averaged 16.8 yards per catch…caught passes in nine games…had TDs against Butler, West Virginia, North Dakota State and Illinois State…had a season-long 58-yard scoring grab at Illinois State…hauled in a 52-yard grab vs. UNI…had 10 catches for 195 yards in MFVC games.
