Listed below is the 2020 All-Region Team for the East Coast. This list was voted on by captains within the East Coast Region.
1. Evan Eschenburg – JMU
For the 3rd year in a row, Eschenburg finds himself receiving an All-East Coast selection, and now adds an East Coast MVP to his illustrious career. While taking a step back as captain of the Dukes, his play certainly didn’t take any steps back. He was constantly a spark on a talented JMU team that finished 4th in the country.
2. Shawn Donahue – JMU
For a long time Donahue operated quietly but efficiently behind the scenes at JMU. Now, as a Senior, Donahue was able to bring his talents to the forefront as one of the team’s biggest leaders. The lefty provided an intensity and control over the Dukes that helped lead them to big wins this past season.
3. Zane Durbin – UVA
Like Eschenburg, this is Durbin’s 3rd year in a row making the All-East Coast team and for good reason. During the NCDA offseason, Durbin competed in the Elite Dodgeball league and was able to take some lessons and translate them to his Cavs team. Durbin displayed great court awareness and mobility during his career which allowed him to rack up kills. His presence will surely be missed by UVA next season.
4. Cory Nasiadka – WVU
Nasiadka is one of the best natural talents college dodgeball has seen. He continues to be the unquestioned leader for a young but hungry West Virginia side that continued to show improvement into their third season in the league. Next season it is very likely to see Nasiadka pick up an East Coast MVP selection, and there’s potential for WVU to climb up the rankings with a more experienced lineup than their East Coast counterparts.
5. Ike Fleckenstein – VCU
In his first year as captain of VCU, Fleckentstein was able to take the team to new heights, getting the team’s first ever win against JMU and 6th in the Gonzalez standings, their highest ranking in team history. His catching has continued to be the focal point of his game, while next season he will be relied on heavily as a thrower on a young Rams team.
6. Shawn Sullivan – UMD
Arguably the happiest kid on a dodgeball court, Sullivan played the game with as much passion and enjoyment as anyone has ever seen. Sullivan had plenty of signature plays last year including diving and point blank catches which gets the crowd fired up. His energy is irreplaceable.
7. Zach Fernald – UMD
Fernald was one of the main cannons for the ‘Terps last season, providing a heavy and consistent firepower which lead them to wins. Like Durbin, Fernald used his Summer improving his skills in Elite Dodgeball and the work resulted in the East Coast selection. Look for him to continue to be a force in the USAD Premier League after graduation.
8. Jeremy Shaw – UVA
Shaw has been around the game for a long time and has used that experience to continue to help play at a high level and influence the next generation of dodgeballers. The core of Shaw’s game is to play up close and personal to draw attention and throws his way, using his elite elusiveness to be able to get his team ball control. This, coupled with a solid arm and catching ability, helped him get on this list. Shaw also wanted to share the following statement:
“Between Vik Gupta in 2019, and Ryan Kelly in 2020, lots of amazing UVA players have been slept on. After being in the league for a decade and playing with/against some of the best… trust me when I say Jake Korman is the real deal. And he is gonna make sure he is never left off this list again!” -Jeremy Shaw
9. Brandon Kirby – Towson
Kirby really came into his own this past season while also gaining some leadership within the club. He represented a solid and steady presence on the court for the Tigers, very rarely making mistakes. His well-rounded style of play that focuses more on consistency and making smart decisions helped keep his team at the top of the table in the league.
10. Wayne Shortt – VCU
Wayne Shortt caps off his playing career at VCU with yet another All-East Coast selection. This past year he was part of a very Senior heavy team, but still managed to stand out among his teammates. His transition game improved greatly this year which allowed him to be one of the team leaders on offense.
11. Jeff Hayden – Towson
Hayden is arguably the best catcher on the East Coast, and that skill is what puts him on the list. It is exciting to watch him play because of a seemingly willingness to put himself in harms way in order to make a catch or protect a teammate.
12. Hunter Friedman – Towson
Rounding out the list, Hunter Friedman was a player who distinguished himself last year in many ways as a Freshmen, including a clutch catch to propel his team to a national championship. This year, we continued to see that improvement. Similar to his teammate Kirby, while not the flashiest of players, he has shown what it takes to get the job done.
Honorable Mentions
Colin Moerman – Towson
Jason Souder – JMU
RJ Morgan – VCU
Alex Hussey – Towson
James Klimkiewicz – UMD
Jake Korman – UVA