NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - For the 21st time in the 25-year history of the Christopher Newport University football program, a member of the Captains has been named All-American. Junior quarterback
Connor Barry was selected second team All-America Wednesday by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). Barry is the sixth CNU player to achieve All-America status from the AFCA, and the 14th different Captain to be named All-American.
Barry led the Captains to their first-ever undefeated regular season, 10-0, and was voted the Offensive Player of the Year in the New Jersey Athletic Conference. He set numerous school records for passing, including most touchdowns in a season with 35 this year. He also threw for a new mark of 2,866 yards, completed 67 percent of his passes, and averaged 260.5 yards per game passing. Barry also scored 11 times this season on runs, and was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Week six times.
"Connor and our offense had a historic season, and he did a great job utilizing his talent and the weapons he had," Head Coach
Paul Crowley said. "Not only did he have a fantastic receiver in
Colin Hart and running back in
Gunner White, he also played behind a great group of offensive linemen and tight ends who played at a very high level all season. Awards like this are made possible by when you have overall team success like we did this year, and I think it's a great sign for our program moving forward to have an All-American quarterback."
Barry, from Vienna, Va., is one of 15 semifinalists for the Gagliardi Trophy, the annual honor for the most outstanding football player in the country in Division III. This is the first time in the 25-year history of the Christopher Newport University football program the Captains have had a student-athlete in the field for the top award. Barry is also a finalist for the 2025 Willie Lanier Award, presented annually by the Touchdown Club of Richmond to Virginia's best player at the Division II and III levels.
The AFCA has selected an All-America team every year since 1945. The organization has previously honored CNU student-athletes as All-American in 2004 (Tommy Fitzgerald, first team), 2005 (Justin Wood, first team), 2006 (Rob Rodriguez, first team), 2008 (Tunde Ogun, first team), and 2023 (Josh Hartley, second team). The Captains have now received 21 total All-American awards.
This marks the third straight year the Captains have received an All-American accolade (Hartley in 2023 and last year
Amaan Miller was selected third team All-American by D3football.com).
CLICK HERE for the 2025 AFCA Division III Coaches' All-America Team team.
