HADLEY, Mass. -- The Bates College football team saw three of its players receive all-conference awards on Tuesday, as the New England Small College Athletic Conference named junior cornerback Mohamed Coulibaly, senior quarterback Brendan Costa, and junior linebacker Tony Hooks to its 2021 All-NESCAC teams.

Hooks (New Rochelle, N.Y.) was named First Team Defense and Coulibaly (Philadelphia, Pa.) was named Second Team Defense, while Costa (Westport, Mass.) received Second Team Offense recognition.

Hooks started all nine games and led Bates in tackling for the second straight year, but his total grew from 59 tackles in 2019 to 92 this season, four more than any other player in the NESCAC. Hooks also tallied 4.5 sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss, ranking in the top 10 in the conference in both categories, along with two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. Hooks was additionally named to the Noontime Sports All-Noontime D3 New England Football Team on Tuesday.

Coulibaly started all nine games in 2021 and piled up big numbers for his position, ranking fifth on the team in tackles (41) and third in solo tackles (29). Coulibaly also had an interception and four pass breakups.

Costa received Second Team All-NESCAC honors after a brilliant senior season that saw him break Bates' single-season records for total offense (2,063) and passing yards (1,680). He is the second Bates quarterback to receive All-NESCAC recognition since the awards began in 2000, following Trevor Smith '13 in 2012.

In Week 3, Costa led Bates to a 33-10 win at Tufts, the Bobcats' first victory over the Jumbos since 2013, accounting for 367 yards of offense (254 yards passing, 113 rushing) and four touchdowns (three passing, one rushing). His performance earned him Division II/III Gold Helmet by the New England Football Writers that week. 

In what would be his final game with the Bobcats in Week 8, Costa threw four touchdown passes in the second half as Bates defeated Bowdoin 25-24, twice overcoming a 10-plus-point deficit in the half. 

Costa, Coulibaly and Hooks helped Bates to a 3-6 record this season, the team's most victories since 2016. Three of Bates' losses were by eight points or fewer.