Student-athletes earn All-American honors
Standouts from football, soccer and field hockey receive national accolades
OUR UD | Every fall thousands of collegiate student-athletes begin the year with the anticipation of not only leading their teams to championships, but rising above the others to be recognized as standout performers.
This past fall, five UD student-athletes proved that they were among the best nationally in their chosen sport by being selected as All-Americans. And for two of them, it wasn’t the first time they have been honored.
Quiet giant
Senior offensive tackle Ben Curtis, AS15, who started each of his senior-year football games, was honored nationally twice this winter earning second team NCAA FCS Associated Press and third team College Sports Madness All-American honors.Curtis, a 6-foot-6, 290 lb. criminal justice major from Columbia, Maryland, was also selected first team All-Colonial Athletic Association and second team All-East for his outstanding play.
Delaware has now placed at least one student-athlete on a postseason All-American football team for 14 straight years. Curtis was a four-year starter and was the lone Blue Hen selected to the All-CAA first team during the 2015 season. He played in 43 career games for Delaware. He anchored an offensive front that has helped Delaware rank No. 2 in the CAA and No. 17 nationally in rushing offense.
Nearly perfect on the pitch
Blue Hen junior Guillermo Delgado, HS17, has accomplished a lot during his time in a Delaware soccer uniform and can now add three-time All-American to his list of accolades.
A Second Team honoree in 2013 and Third Team selection in 2014, Delgado earned Third Team praises once again this season from the NSCAA.
The forward completed his junior campaign with a team-best 24 points and 10 goals. Delgado led the Colonial Athletic Association with 1.20 points per game, 0.50 goals per contest and four game-winning goals. He is currently second in program history with 85 career points (37g, 11a) while his 37 goals are also good for second all-time.
Terrific tandem
Two Blue Hen field hockey players have been named National Hockey Coaches Association All-Americans.
Junior Esmée Peet, BE17, earned First Team honors, becoming the first Delaware player to do so since Michelle Rosenbaum, HS90, was named a First Team honoree in 1988. Senior Michaela Patzner, AS16, joined Peet as a Third Team selection.
Peet guided the Blue Hens this season with 15 goals and six assists for 36 points. The midfielder is currently tied for ninth in program history with 95 points (39g, 17a). Her 39 goals are also good to tie for eighth all-time. Patzner finished her Delaware career with 122 points, 28 assists and 47 goals. In 2015, Patzner logged 32 points on 12 goals and eight assists while leading Delaware (16-6) to its third straight Colonial Athletic Association title and NCAA Tournament appearance.
Soccer scholar
While the University had four individuals honored as All-Americans for their accomplishments on the field this past fall, equally impressive was the honor bestowed upon men's soccer standout Ben Sampson, EG16.
For the second straight season, Sampson was honored on the College Sports Information Directors of America Academic All-American squad for his efforts in the classroom.
A three-time District 2 All-Academic selection, Sampson carries a 3.98 cumulative grade point average, is a Dean's List student, has been selected to the CAA Academic Honor Roll, and is a member of the National College Athlete Honor Society. He is the third men's soccer player in UD history to earn Academic All-American accolades.
