Costigan named ECAC Defensive Player of the Year
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The postseason honors continue to roll in for Bryant University football junior Thomas Costigan (Stamford, Conn.) as he was named the ECAC Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday.
In addition to his major award, Costigan also earned All-ECAC First Team honors, while redshirt sophomore Jean Constant (Delray Beach, Fla.) was named to the All-ECAC Second Team as a return specialist.
Two weeks after becoming Bryant's second Northeast Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Costigan becomes the program's first-ever ECAC Defensive Player of the Year. He finished the season with 103 tackles, 11.5 sacks, 17 tackles for a loss, four forced fumbles and an interception. Costigan became just the second player in program history with 100+ tackles in a single season and tied the program record for sacks. He currently ranks third nationally in sacks per game (1.05), fourth nationally in forced fumbles (0.36) and 11th nationally in tackles for a loss (1.5).
Constant picks up second team honors after putting together the best season for a kick returner in program history. An All-NEC First Team return specialist, Constant returned 36 kicks for a program-record 989 yards and two touchdowns. He tied a program record with a 100-yard return score against Wagner and also added an 86-yard kick return touchdown against Robert Morris. Constant is currently ranked third nationally in combined kick return yards (1,019), fifth in all-purpose yards per game (148.45) and seventh in kick return average (27.5).