MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – D3football.com has announced its 2024 All-Region I honors, and five UMass Dartmouth student-athletes have been recognized. Senior
Angel Sanchez, graduate student
Dante Aviles-Santos, seniors
Tyler Gmyr and
Mike Henricksen, along with graduate student
Shane Meerbott were all tabbed for their outstanding seasons. It marks the third All-Region honor for Sanchez and Aviles-Santos, while marking the first for Gmyr, Henricksen and Meerbott.
Sanchez was named to the All-Region 1 First Team Offense, while Aviles-Santos and Gmyr were both Second Team Offense selections. Henricksen was tabbed for Second Team Defense honors as Meerbott took home Third Team Defense recognition.
Sanchez, a captain and wide receiver from Providence, R.I., played in all 11 games with 16 touchdowns to his credit. Making 81 catches, he compiled 1,088 yards, averaging 13.4 yards per catch and 98.9 yards per contest. Sanchez currently ranks ninth amongst Division III receivers in receiving TD's, while also ranking 12th in receptions per game (7.4). He is the MASCAC leader in receiving TD's, receiving yards, receiving yards per game and receptions per game.
In his career, Sanchez played in 31 games, becoming the Corsairs all-time career leader in receiving yards with 3,123 yards in just three seasons played. Totaling 183 receptions, he caught 33 touchdowns in his career, averaging 100.7 receiving yards per game and 17.1 yards per reception during that time. The 2024 season marked the second time in Sanchez's career that he eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards in a season.
Aviles-Santos, a quarterback and captain from Cumberland, R.I., was named to the Second Team after throwing for 2,833 yards during the 2024 campaign. In 11 contests, he went 212-of-328 in completions with just five interceptions for a 64.6 percentage. Aviles-Santos – who was a three-time MASCAC Offensive Player of the Week this season – threw for 42 touchdowns, including a long of 73, with an average of 257.5 yards per game.
In his incredible career, Aviles-Santos played in 44 games, going 735-of-1,235 (59.5) with 10,580 career passing yards. He also threw for 116 touchdowns in that time, averaging 16.7 completions per game, 14.4 yards per completion and 240.45 passing yards per contest. Additionally, he has rushed 235 times for 949 yards with 14 touchdowns. Additionally, Aviles-Santos graduates as the program record holder in nine different career categories and countless season records.
Gmyr, an offensive lineman and captain from New London, Conn., was an anchor on an offensive line that allowed only five sacks this season. Due to its outstanding offensive line, the Corsairs currently own the third ranked scoring offense (51.7) and the fifth-best total offense (507.7) in Division III. UMass Dartmouth is also fifth nationally in sacks allowed and own the 11th-ranked rushing offense in the country (234.5) as well.
Individually, the 2024 MASCAC Offensive Lineman of the Year and First Team selection graded out at 97% this season for the Corsairs, allowing just one sack on the year. He and his linemates have helped the squad lead the MASCAC in over 23 different categories, including total offense, team passing efficiency (175.6), scoring offense and completion percentage. A three-time All-MASCAC First Team Offense selection, Gmyr has helped the Corsairs lead the conference in rushing offense all four years, playing in 44 career contests.
Henricksen, a linebacker and captain from Lakeville, Mass., led the team with 85.0 total tackles, including 37 solo during the 2024 campaign. Of his takedowns, 6.5 were for a loss of 15 yards with 0.5 sacks for a loss of one yard, while also notching two interceptions on the season. His efforts helped the Corsairs rank first in the nation in team passing efficiency defense, surrendering just 88.59 yards per game. The Corsairs also rank third in DIII in passing yards allowed with just 124.6 surrendered.
During his career, Henricksen played in 43 contests, recording 210 total tackles. Of those, 85 were solo efforts, while 18 saw a loss of 55 yards. Additionally, the two-time All-MASCAC selection recorded six sacks for a loss of 30 yards. Henricksen posted three interceptions in his Corsairs career, adding two pass breakups as well.
Meerbott, a defensive back and captain from Cumberland, R.I., posted 63.0 tackles, including a team-high 37 solo with a squad best six interceptions on the season for 93 yards. Of his six INT's, two were returned for touchdowns. Meerbott opened the season with a 30-yard pick-six in a 64-24 win over Nichols and added his second INT return for a score in a 51-7 win over Bridgewater State. In that game, he posted two interceptions for 54 yards, including a 37-yard touchdown.
In his career, Meerbott played in 44 games for the Corsairs. He recorded 10 interceptions over his four years for 108 yards with two of those leading to touchdowns. Meerbott amassed 171 total tackles, including an impressive 120 of them solo. He also recorded 33 pass breakups during that time, a mark that stands as the best all-time in program history.
Aviles-Santos, Gmyr and Meerbott will be honored on Thursday, December 12 at the New England Football Writers Association Captains & Awards Banquet, while Aviles-Santos is currently one of 18 Semifinalists in Division III for the Gagliardi Trophy – Presented by Stearns Bank. The finalists of which will be announced on December 19 and fully awarded during the first week of January – coinciding with the Division III National Championship game.
UMass Dartmouth concluded its incredible season on Saturday, falling to Springfield College in the NCAA Division III Tournament Second Round. It marked the first appearance in the second round for the program. The Corsairs went 10-1 overall in 2024, winning their third straight MASCAC title after an impressive 9-0 record.
