Matt Christ Named to the D3football.com All-East Region First-Team
Tanner Kelly earns Second-Team Honors
Reading, PA – Junior safety Matt Christ (Birdsboro, PA/Reading Central Catholic) has been named to the D3football.com All-East Region First-Team, it was announced on Monday. Sophomore quarterback Tanner Kelly (Clearfield, PA/Clearfield) was named to the All-East Region Second-Team. The teams, selected in balloting by East Region sports information directors and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 173 nominations by Division III member schools.
Christ led an Albright defense that was a big part of the Lions' turnaround in 2007. He led Albright and ranked third in the conference with six interceptions, returning one for a touchdown October 20 at Wilkes. Christ also recovered three fumbles and forced another, giving him a total of nine takeaways on the season. He finished the 2007 regular season with 60 tackles, including 40 solo stops. Christ earned MAC Defensive Player of the Week honors on two occasions this fall. He was first selected for his play September 8 against Kean, when he picked off three passes in a 42-17 win over the Cougars. His second award came for his efforts against Wilkes, when he totaled two interceptions, forced a fumble, broke up a pass, and led Albright with 12 tackles in the 35-25 win. Christ was named to the MAC All-Conference First-Team as a safety in November.
Kelly was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year and First-Team All-Conference quarterback as a sophomore after earning MAC Rookie of the Year honors in 2006. Kelly led the conference in every major passing category this fall in becoming the first Lion to be named Offensive Most Valuable Player since Brian Snyder was tabbed in 1996 and 1997. He finished the season with 2629 passing yards, an average of 262.9 per game, and 25 touchdowns with only eight interceptions. Kelly had a passing efficiency rating of 163.4, the seventh highest total in the country in Division III. He also led the MAC in total offense with 2742 yards. Kelly completed 68.2% of his pass attempts this fall (206-302) and rushed for two touchdowns as well. Nationally, in addition to his rank of seventh in pass efficiency, he ranks 18th in passing yards, 20th in total offense, and 21st in passing yards pre game. He was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Week for the week of September 8, when he threw for 447 yards and four touchdowns in a 42-17 win over Kean. As a punter, Kelly averaged 39.3 yards per punt, and twice earned MAC Special Teams Player of the Week Honors.
