SALEM, Va. – Matthew Foster of Virginia State was named the 2022 Central Intercollegiate Athletics Association (CIAA) Offensive Lineman of the Year as the Trojans tabbed a total of seven football student-athletes to the All-CIAA Football Team the league announced Friday ahead of the 2022 CIAA Football Championship game.
 

Joining Foster on the First Team ballot was running back Darius Hagans, linebacker Zion Johnson and cornerback Willie Drew. The Trojans had one second team honoree in defensive lineman Miqueal Pillow - Smiley. Additionally, Malik Hunter and Bruno Owuazor earned a spot on the CIAA All-Rookie Team.
 

Matthew Foster led a Virginia State offensive line unit that finished second in the conference in scoring (30.5 points per game) and third in offensive yards per game (416.6.). The Trojans were the only school in the CIAA to gain 2,000 yards through the air and on the ground. As a team, Virginia State generated 226 first downs (second in the league) and converted a league-high 17 fourth downs through 10 games. In the eight CIAA contests, Foster and the Trojans' offensive line allowed just 15 sacks, the second-best mark in the conference. Foster led on offensive line that allowed four different offensive backs to score at-least six rushing touchdowns which led to 29 on the season which ranked them second in the CIAA.
 

Senior standout Darius Hagans led the rushing attack with a team-high 1,012 yards which ranked him second in the conference. He has the longest running play of the season in the CIAA with an 86-yard touchdown run against Bluefield State University which was also was a career long for him. He currently ties for 16th in the country in rushing yards. Darius Hagans became to the first player in recent history to rush for more than 255 yards since Trenton Cannon back in 2017 as he ran for 261 yards on 21 carries and a touchdown.


Zion Johnson was a true sideline-to-sideline linebacker this season as he finished first on the team and tied for fifth in total tackles with 74 along with three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Johnson tied for second in the conference in forced fumbles also. His 74 total tackles ranked him sixth in the conference. He also finished third in the conference in assisted tackles with 41. Johnson amassed 15 tackles (six solo) with three coming behind the line of scrimmage with a half a sack.
 

Willie Drew cancelled all flights this season finishing second in the conference and is third in the nation in interceptions with five and has also accounted for seven pass breakups which ties for third in the conference. Drew leads the conference in passes defended with 12. He also has 40 tackles including 28 solo stops this season to go along with his terrific pass coverage statistics. Against Shaw, Drew accounted for two interceptions in just the first half.
 

Miqueal Pillow - Smiley gave offensive coordinators fits all season as the game wrecker led the defensive line with 12 tackles-for-loss to go along with 5.5 sacks. His 12 tackles-for-loss ranked him seventh in the conference while his 5.5 sacks ranked him fourth in the conference. With 23 assisted tackles he ranked third on the team while 39 total tackles led the defensive line and ranked fifth on the team.
 

Malik Hunter was certainly a consistent piece of the passing game acquiring 322 receiving yards on 23 which ranked him third on the team. He averaged 14 yards per catch and 32 yards per catch.


Bruno Owuazor was a mid-season addition to the roster for the Trojans as the 6-10 Tackle immediately added value to the VSU offensive line as his long arms helped the Trojans tremendously with pass protection.  
  

Virginia State finished the 2022 season with a 6-4 record and 5-3 mark in league action.