THROGGS NECK, N.Y. (May 7, 2012) – Last Thursday evening at the Maritime Senior Award Ceremony, Privateer football co-captain Jamie Spanopoulos (Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey) (Franklin Square, N.Y./H. Frank Carey) was recognized with the Lt. Evans - Lt. Col. Howard Player of the Year Award by the Sons of the American Legion, Squadron 50, based out of Pelham, N.Y.
 
        On hand at the ceremony to present the award to Spanopoulos was Ken Kraetzer, Commander of Sons of the American Legion in Pelham, N.Y. as well as Frank Barbieri, former Post 50 Commander. The award is named after two Pelham natives who were members of Morgan State College's 1949 National Championship football team and graduates of the school's landmark Army Reserve Officer Training Program. Lt. Eugene Evans served in the Korean War and died in service while leading a night mission over enemy lines. Lt. Col. Eli Page Howard Jr. served in Korea, Germany, and Washington D.C. On a second Vietnam tour, he died when his helicopter was shot down while leading the 3rd Battalion of the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, near Da Nang during a 1969 battle. Both Lt. Evans and Lt. Col. Howard were named members of the Pelham Hall of Honor which recognizes graduates of Pelham Memorial High School and the Pelham community.
 
        In its second year, the award recognizes outstanding performance and commitment to service by college football players attending military service academies, with an emphasis on demonstrating superb leadership abilities.
 
        Spanopoulos was selected by his peers to be a team captain for the 2011 season and is a three-time All-ECFC Conference First Team Offense member. He finished a spectacular four-year career at Maritime in 2011 and will be graduating with a degree in Marine Transportation. He has been the Privateers' primary running back for the past four seasons and has set program records for rushing yards and touchdowns, to name a few. He has started every game for Maritime since his freshman season and has continuously finished among the nation's best in both scoring and rushing.
 
        Jamie finished as high as fifth in the country in scoring after the 2009 season (11.4 points per game) and ranked 29th among all DIII players in rushing after this past 2011 season (108.8 yards per game). He helped lead the team to three-straight seasons of having a Top-10 national rushing ranking from 2008-10. Jamie finished his career rushing for 100 or more yards in 18 games and compiled 3,085 rushing yards, 122 receiving yards and 48 touchdowns.
 
        The fullback has been named the team Offensive MVP for the past three years, as well as the program's WARFACE Family Award recipient. Spanopoulos is also a member of SUNY Maritime's Regiment of Cadets and will be pursuing a deck license from the U.S. Coast Guard upon graduation.