LEWIS NAMED FIRST-TEAM ALL-REGION

GREENSBORO, N.C., - Junior defensive lineman Rickie Lewis has been named Division I-AA first-team All-Eastern Region by Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette. Defensive back James McCoy made the second team.

Lewis, a 6-foot-2, 225 junior out of Greensboro, N.C., was a first-team All-MEAC selection in 2004.

Lewis, a second-team All-MEAC selection in 2003, started putting his name in the first-team conference picture early. In the first game of the season, Lewis forced a fumble, recovered the same fumble and returned it 36 yards to score the Aggies first touchdown in a game where his score made a big difference in a narrow 16-15 win over N.C. Central. He also recorded seven tackles in the game and was named MEAC Defensive Player of the Week.

Seven weeks later he played a key role in the Aggies 14-13 overtime win over Howard. Lewis recorded 15 tackles (11 solo) and had two key stops behind the line of scrimmage on third downs to halt Bison drives.

For the season, Lewis finished with 73 tackles - 34 of those stops were unassisted - and he had three sacks. Twelve-and-a half of Lewis' tackles were behind the line of scrimmage for a total of 60 yards lost by the opposition. Lewis led all MEAC defensive linemen in tackles.

Teammate James McCoy, a 5-10 senior cornerback out of South Mills, N.C., made the MEAC's defensive second team.

McCoy led an Aggies secondary that was ranked fourth in the nation in pass defense. He intercepted three passes on the season, returning two of them for touchdowns. On Sept. 25 against Elon, his 46-yard interception return helped the Aggies seal a 19-17 win at home.  At Hampton on Nov. 13, he intercepted a Kerry Dixon pass and returned it 59 yards to spark a rally that fell short. McCoy finished his N.C. A&T career with nine interceptions, and has returned more than half of those picks (five) for touchdowns.