PITMAN, N.J. – Freshman defensive back Doug Dudek (5-9, 170, Rockaway, N.J./Morris Hills) was named the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Football Defensive Rookie of the Year, leading eight William Paterson selections to the all-conference teams, the league office announced Nov. 21.

Junior wide receiver Joel Rivera (6-1, 190, Hoboken, N.J./Hoboken) was selected to the Offense First Team, while sophomore defensive back Leer Biddle (5-10, 195, Sicklerville, N.J./Lenape), junior linebacker Jared Burke (6-1, 220, Egg Harbor Twp., N.J./Egg Harbor Twp.) and sophomore defensive end Dyon Moore (6-2, 260, Brooklyn, N.Y./Hudson Catholic) were named to the Defense Second Team. Dudek, senior center Jeffrey Arista (6-2, 295, Paterson, N.J./Passaic Tech), junior left tackle Saul Garcia (6-3, 290, North Bergen, N.J./North Bergen) and junior fullback Derrik Rideg (5-10, 213, Rochelle Park, N.J./Paramus Catholic) were honorable-mention honorees.

Dudek started in six of nine appearances, collecting 37 tackles (22 solo), 4.0 tackles for a loss of 19 yards, 1.0 sack (-10 yards) and four passes broken up. He was named the NJAC Defensive Rookie of the Week after posting five tackles (three solo) and four PBUs against Morrisville State Oct. 11, and again after making nine tackles (four solo, 1.5 TFL) at The College of New Jersey Oct. 18.

Rivera established new school records with 74 catches and 965 receiving yards while starting all 10 games this season, and hauled in seven touchdowns. The NJAC leader with 7.4 receptions per game (tied-17th in Division III), he was second in the conference with 96.5 receiving yards/game (31st in NCAA) and seventh with 114.3 all-purpose yards/game. Named the NJAC and ECAC Southeast Region Offensive Player of the Week after breaking the William Paterson single-game receptions (16) and yardage (226) records at Rowan Sept. 27, he also returned eight kickoffs for 158 yards (19.8 yards/return) this season.

Biddle started all 10 games this fall and intercepted a team-high five passes while ranking second for the Pioneers with five passes broken up. Biddle made 40 tackles (35 solo) and blocked a kick, and he also kicked off 13 times for an average of 50.3 yards/kick. He was tied for first in the NJAC with 0.50 interception/game and tied for seventh with 1.00 pass defended/contest.

Burke, who earns his second straight selection to the All-NJAC Second Team, started in eight of nine games and ranked second for the Pioneers with 65 total tackles (32 solo), 10.5 tackles for loss (-40 yards) and 2.5 sacks (-21 yards). He added two passes broken up, one fumble forced and one blocked kick, and ranked 13th in the NJAC in both tackles (7.2 per game) and TFL (1.17 per game).

Moore started all 10 games for William Paterson this fall and led the Pioneers with 66 tackles (28 solo), 14.0 tackles for loss (-59 yards), 5.0 sacks (-36 yards), four fumbles forced and four fumbles recovered (110 return yards). Tied for first in the NJAC in fumbles forced (0.40/game), he was tied for second in fumbles recovered/game (0.40), tied for third in TFL/game (1.40, tied-59th in Division III), tied for eighth in sacks/game (0.50), and tied for 16th in tackles/game (6.6). Moore was named the NJAC Defensive Player of the Week and a member of the D3Football.com National Team of the Week after collecting 11 tackles (five solo, 1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack), two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery at Brockport Sept. 6, and the NJAC Defensive Player of the Week after posting 12 tackles (three solo, 1.0 TFL, 0.5 sack) a forced fumble and a 60-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Western Connecticut Nov. 15.

Arista anchored the William Paterson offensive line, starting all 10 games this season at center for the Pioneers. Since transferring from Saint Peter's College, he started all 20 games in two years at WP. He helped to lead a William Paterson offense that ranked fourth in the conference statistics in passing offense (218.9 yards/game).

Garcia started nine times at left tackle this fall, helping to lead a William Paterson offense that ranked fourth in the conference statistics in passing offense (218.9 yards/game). As a sophomore last season, he started three times on the defensive line before starting the final seven contests on the offensive side of the ball, and as a freshman in 2006, he saw action in six games.

Rideg started in eight of nine contests in his first season as a Pioneer, catching 19 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns while carrying three times for 15 yards. A transfer from Western Connecticut, he caught TD passes at Brockport (four yards) Sept. 6 and at Kean (two yards) Nov. 8.