RICHMOND, Va. -- Eight Christopher Newport football standouts were named All-State selections while Paul Crowley headlined the honorees as the 2025 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) College Division State Coach of the Year. Six CNU players earned first team All-State recognition and two more earned second team plaudits after the Captains' historic 2025 campaign. 

Connor Barry (QB), Colin Hart (WR), Ethan Barham (TE), Andrew Belford (OL) earned first team All-State recognition on offense. Connor Estrella (DL) and Noah Martin (DB) secured first team accolades on defense. Rounding out the CNU picks were defensive players Charlie Clawson, Jr. (DL) and Yasir Geter (DB) earning second team plaudits. 

For the first time in his four-year tenure at Christopher Newport, Crowley hauled in the VaSID College Division State Coach of the Year selection and joins predecessor Matt Kelchner (2008, 2011) in CNU lore as coaches to earn the top designation in the state. The recognition comes after also collecting his third New Jersey Athletic Conference Coach of the Year plaque this Fall. 

Crowley was also named the Commonwealth Small College Coach of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Richmond after helping lift the Captains to the finest season in program history. His team set a new school record for wins in a season with ten, total points scored, and longest winning streak in program history, 15, dating back to last season. The Captains closed out a perfect 10-0 regular season, the first perfect year in the 25-year history of the program, and secured the second NJAC title in program history. 

The Captains featured a high-powered offense that ranked fourth nationally in passing efficiency (188.24) and ninth in scoring offense, averaging 45.1 points per game. CNU reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament and closed out the year ranking in the top-25 nationally in total offense with 449.4 yards per game. 

The offense was led by AFCA Second Team All-American quarterback Connor Barry who earned first team All-State honors. A semifinalist for the Gagliardi Trophy, Barry set numerous school records for passing including touchdowns in a season (35) and career (55) while also setting the career mark for passing efficiency (185.2). In 2025, Barry ranked second nationally in efficiency and third in passing yards per completion. He ranked second in Division III in points responsible for per game, accounting for an average of 25.3 points per game. Barry finished the year 177-for-264 for 67 percent while tossing for 2,866 total yards. He added 257 yards rushing and led the team in rushing TD with 11. 

Each of his top two targets collected first team All-State recognition in senior wideout Colin Hart and junior tight end Ethan Barham. Hart put an outstanding punctuation mark on his storied career by setting the program record in career receptions (187) and reception yards (3,556) while also finishing second in receiving touchdowns (30). His senior season saw him catch a career-high and program-record 12 touchdowns while racing upfield for 1,281 all-purpose yards, ranking seventh highest all-time at CNU. A first team All-Region selection, Hart ranked sixth nationally in receiving yards per game (115.7) and 14th in receiving touchdowns. Barham enjoyed a breakout campaign and collected second team All-Region honors. He also earned first team All-Conference recognition after catching 26 passes for 525 yards and seven scores. He averaged 47.7 yards per game and 20.2 yards per reception. 

Rounding out the first team All-State offensive selections was All-American offensive lineman Andrew Belford. The junior from Chesapeake, Va. was a first team All-Region selection and first team All-Conference offensive lineman before beind recognized as a D3football.com second team All-American. Belford anchored a CNU offensive line that protected the aforementioned aerial attack that ranked among the nation's elite units in 2025. He and his fellow linemen yielded just 21 sacks in 11 games played while also protecting a rushing attack that averaged 176.6 yards per game. 

On the defensive side of the ball, Connor Estrella led the way as a first team All-State pick in 2025 along with junior Noah Martin. Estrella was a first team All-Region selection after setting the school single season record for sacks with nine stops in ten games played. He finished the year with 35 tackles including 13.5 tackles for a loss. The playmaking pass rusher forced a pair of fumbles and broke up two passes during the season. Martin finished the year leading the Captains in total tackles with 72 and added four stops for lost yardage. He snagged a pair of interceptions and had three pass breakups on route to earning first team All-Conference honors. 

Rounding out the Christopher Newport selections were second team All-State players Charlie Clawson, Jr. and Yasir Geter. Geter capped his career at corner with a third team All-Region selection in 2025. He ranked second on the team in total stops with 57, including 36 solo stops. Geter broke up six passes and snared one interception with a pair of forced fumbles. Clawson scored a defensive touchdown with a 21-yard fumble return and closed out the year with 38 total tackles. Of them, 8.5 tackles went for lost yardage including 3.0 quarterback sacks for a loss of 15 yards.

2025 VaSID College Division All-State Football Teams
Individual Award Winners
Coach of the Year: Paul Crowley, Christopher Newport
Offensive Player of the Year: Curtis Allen, Virginia Union
Defensive Player of the Year: Ean Rhea, Emory & Henry
Special Teams Player of the Year: Zyaire Tart, Virginia Union
Offensive Rookie of the Year: Ryan Clemens, Washington and Lee
Defensive Rookie of the Year: Tarell Sablon, Bluefield

First Team
Quarterback: Connor Barry, Christopher Newport
Running Back: Curtis Allen, Virginia Union
Running Back: Jordan Jackson, Emory & Henry
Wide Receiver: Colin Hart, Christopher Newport
Wide Receiver: Mason Cunningham, Hampden-Sydney
Wide Receiver: Omarza Gray, Ferrum
Tight End: Ethan Barham, Christopher Newport
Offensive Line: Andrew Belford, Christopher Newport
Offensive Line: Myles Bridges, Randolph-Macon
Offensive Line: Cash Topinka, Hampden-Sydney
Offensive Line: Mathias Nielsen, Virginia Union
Offensive Line: Wesley Howenstein, Washington and Lee

First Team Defense
Defensive Line: Ean Rhea, Emory & Henry
Defensive Line: Brady Kinloch, Randolph-Macon
Defensive Line: Connor Estrella, Christopher Newport
Defensive Line: Will Knight, Washington and Lee
Linebacker: Daniel Eliasek, Randolph-Macon
Linebacker: Matt Conroy, Shenandoah
Linebacker: Aaron Nice, Bridgewater
Defensive Back: Shawn Collins, Emory & Henry
Defensive Back: Javier Waldron, Roanoke
Defensive Back: Noah Martin, Christopher Newport
Defensive Back: Ty Smith

First Team Special Teams
Kicker: Trace Butcher, Emory & Henry
Punter: Aiden Grefe, Bridgewater
Return Specialist: Zyaire Tart, Virginia Union

Second Team Offense
Quarterback: Carter Sido, Hampden-Sydney
Running Back: Terry Hicks, Hampden-Sydney
Running Back: Ryan Clemens, Washington and Lee
Wide Receiver: T.K. Petty, Apprentice School
Wide Receiver: Ian Browne, Bridgewater
Wide Receiver: Jaylen Pretlow, Virginia State
Tight End: Landon Farriss, Randolph-Macon
Offensive Line: Andy Anderson, Shenandoah
Offensive Line: Chop Deaver, Randolph-Macon
Offensive Line: Joseph Rounds, Virginia Union
Offensive Line: Deshaun Sharp, Emory & Henry
Offensive Line: Michael Carpanica, Bluefield

Second Team Defense
Defensive Line: Kamari Federick, Virginia Union
Defensive Line: Tim Semisch, Randolph-Macon
Defensive Line: Phoenix Andes-Stowell, Shenandoah
Defensive Line: Charlie Clawson, Jr., Christopher Newport
Linebacker: Charlie Davis, Roanoke
Linebacker: Brennan Stout, Washington and Lee
Linebacker: Robert Clarke, Hampden-Sydney
Defensive Back: Kindin Richardson, Randolph-Macon
Defensive Back: Parks Cromwell, Hampden-Sydney
Defensive Back: Tarella Sablon, Bluefield
Defensive Back: Yasir Geter, Christopher Newport

Second Team Special Teams
Kicker: Brady Myers, Virginia Union
Punter: Jake Marcantel, UVA Wise
Return Specialist: Sean Perry, Shenandoah