Bowie State's Dynamic Duo Pulling in All-America Honors Early
June 20, 2002
BOWIE, MD, ---In 2001, the tandem effort of junior defensive lineman Charles Alston and freshman linebacker Atcheson "AT" Conway led the Bowie State University football team's defense which was ranked first in Division II in pass efficiency defense (108.1 ypg) and sixth in the nation in total defense (239.3 ypg). With expectations running high for the team and the duo in 2002, it was no surprise to see both named to the Street and Smith's Black College All-America Defense Second Team. |
Charles
Alston |
 |
| Atcheson "AT" Conway |
Alston, a 6-6, 270-pound defensive end has been receiving interest from the professional ranks and could potentially be a draft pick in 2003, if he has good a season in 2002 as he did in 2001. He started all 10 games and headed the Bulldogs' pass rush finishing with a team-high seven sacks for a loss of 45 yards. He was second on the team with 73 tackles, 17 of which were tackles for a loss of 76 yards. He forced three fumbles, broke up three passes and recovered a fumble. His post-season awards included being named to the 2001 SBN Sports Black College All-American Team. He was the first Bulldog since Rodney Belfield in 1989 to be named a first-team All-American and is just one of four to receive that honor since 1980. He was also named to the 2001 Football Gazette's NCAA Division II All-American Third Team and was a 2001 All-Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association First Team selection.
Alston made history on November 17, 2001, when he played in the Bulldogs
football game at Cheyney University in the afternoon then traveled to the
District of Columbia and played in the basketball team's season-opener that
evening. The football pants and basketball jersey he wore on that historic
day now reside in a display in the College Football Hall of Fame in South
Bend, IN.
With the body of a defensive back playing at linebacker, Conway, a 6-foot, 205-pounder from Silver Spring, MD (Paint Branch), broke onto the scene in a big way in the CIAA. He started all 10 games and finished with 103 tackles, seven interceptions for 103 yards and forced four fumbles. He began his college career with a bang, intercepting a pass against Johnson C. Smith University on the team's first defensive series of the year. He had two games with two interceptions and recorded his career high in tackles (19) against Winston-Salem State University in the second week. He was the CIAA's Rookie of the Week three times and was a Don Hansen National Co-Defensive Player of the Week for his performance against Winston-Salem. At the conclusion of the season, Conway's accolades included being the 2001 CIAA Rookie of the Year, a spot on the 2001 All-CIAA First Team and was named the Dopke.com College Football Division II Freshman of the Year.
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