South Atlantic Conference Lands 18 On Daktronics All-Region Football Team

December 3, 2008

NEWBERRY, S.C. -- Tusculum College senior quarterback Corey Russell and Delta State University junior linebacker Lardester Hicks-Green have been named the 2008 Daktronics Super Region 2 Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year, as selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

The South Atlantic Conference had 18 selection to the team, including six on the first team offense.

Russell was one of seven Pioneers garnering All-Region recognition this season. Joining Russell on the All-Region First Team are junior tight end Jarrell NeSmith and senior offensive lineman Danny Partida. The All-Region Second Team includes senior linebackers Justin Scott and Jarvis Littlejohn, senior free safety Jeremy Thompson and junior punter John Gregory.


Corey Russell	Jarrell NeSmith

Danny Partida	Justin Scott

Jarvis Littlejohn	Jeremy Thompson

John Gregory	Thomas Battle

Buck Wakefield	Darius Wrentz

Jamelle Cuthbertson	Melquan Fair

Marchent Faustin	David Harris

Will Newell	Kamaal McIlwain

Kelton Tindal	Deshun Nesbitt

The Pioneers posted a 9-4 record winning four of their last five outings to capture TC's second South Atlantic Conference title in five years. Tusculum also made its first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II Playoffs, advancing to the Sweet 16 round.

Russell, a 6-4, 190-pound native from Speedwell, Tenn., smashed the record books in the finest season ever posted by a Pioneer signal caller. The 2008 South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year peppered his name throughout the Tusculum, SAC and NCAA II record books.

Russell, who finished as one of eight national finalists for the Harlon Hill Trophy (Division II Player of the Year), established 15 Tusculum records this season, including a pair of NCAA Division II bests. He recorded 300 or more total offensive yards on 11 occasions this season, which were the best in DII history. He recorded 674 total offensive plays, which are a new NCAA II record. The All-SAC First Team signal caller established league single-season records in total offensive yards (4907), passing yards (4097) and touchdown passes (37). He also set TC season records for completions (301) and pass attempts (505).

Russell caps one of the most successful careers in Division II history. His 11,315 total offensive yards are the most ever by a Pioneer, second in SAC history and ninth in NCAA II history. The Cumberland Gap High School graduate also set career marks in pass attempts (1382), completions (773), passing yards (9887), TD passes (82), touchdowns accounted for (103), interceptions (49) and total offensive attempts (1853). He also becomes the first Tusculum quarterback to earn NCAA II All-Region honors and the first player to be named Region Player of the Year.

NeSmith, a 6-2, 215-pound product from Russellville, Ala., earned All-Conference First Team honors this year, finishing second on the team and in the league with 67 receptions. His catch tally is the third-best in school history. He totaled 635 receiving yards, while making seven touchdown receptions, which are tied for the fourth most in TC history.

NeSmith was also recognized for his off the field success as he was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America® College Division Third Team last week. The Russellville High School graduate has a 3.83 cumulative grade point average as a Pre-Medicine major. He is a two-time Academic All-District First Team selection, was also named the SAC Scholar Athlete for Football for a second consecutive year. He is a member of the SAC Commissioner's Honor Roll and the Tusculum Athletic Director's Honor Roll.

Partida, a 6-2, 270-pound center from Tujunga, Calif., becomes the fourth offensive linemen in TC history to earn All-Region First Team accolades joining former players Alan Dunn (2002, 2003) Felix Perez (2003) and Michael Bujnak (2006). Partida, an All-SAC First Team choice, started in all 13 games this season at center, where he played in all but 11 snaps for the Pioneers. He is also a nominee for the Gene Upshaw Award, which recognizes the Division II Lineman of the Year.

Scott, a 6-3, 235-pounder from Jamestown, S.C., has been Tusculum's Minister of Defense this year leading the team and South Atlantic Conference with 113 tackles, the second most in school history. Scott has been two-time All-SAC selection, pushing his name into the record book in tackles for loss in a season (22) and a career (51). His seven career fumble recoveries are the most ever in Tusculum history. Scott was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week for his 10-tackle performance against Mars Hill. His 277 career tackles are tied for fifth all-time in school history with former All-American linebacker Craig Pritchett.

Littlejohn, a 5-11, 240-pound senior from Gaffney, S.C., finished second on the team with 105 tackles, which are the third most in a season by a Pioneer. The two-time All-SAC standout recorded nine tackles for loss, while forcing three fumbles to go along with four sacks. For his 38-game career, Littlejohn finished with 209 tackles, including 190 in just the last two seasons combined. His career hit tally is also the 12th most in school history.

Thompson, a 6-0, 200-pound free safety from Rome, Ga., recorded 75 tackles which was fourth on the team. The two-time All-SAC First Team honoree led the team with nine passes defended, including three interceptions. In Tusculum's 45-44 win over Carson-Newman, he recovered three C-N turnovers, including a 55-yard fumble return for the game-winning touchdown. For his efforts, he was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week. He finished his TC career with 205 career tackles and 2 passes defended which are the fifth most in school history.

Gregory, a 6-2, 210-pound punter from Ooltewah, Tenn., earns All-Region honors for a third straight season. He was a Daktronics All-Region selection in 2006 and was named to the Football Gazette All-Region squad in 2007. The three-time All-SAC honoree continues to rewrite the school punting records. Gregory owns the three top career marks for punt attempts (175), punting yards (7293) and punting average (41.67). The Ooltewah High School graduate averaged 43.52 yards per punt this season which is a new school record, breaking the previous mark set by Dick Schultz (43.50) in 1941. Gregory's average is currently fourth in the nation.

Newberry College had five football players have been named to the 2008 Daktronics All-Super Region 2 second team.

Wide receiver Kelton Tindal (Sumter, S.C.), offensive lineman Marchent Faustin (Summerville, S.C.), defensive lineman David Harris (Ninety Six, S.C.), linebacker Will Newell (Irmo, S.C.) and cornerback Kamaal McIlwain (Fort Mill, S.C.) all earned second team all-region honors.

Tindal finished his junior campaign with 39 receptions for 745 yards and six touchdowns. He averaged 19.1 yard per catch and 74.5 yards per game. His 745 yards is the seventh best receiving year in Newberry history. He now has 1,461 career receiving yards, which places him sixth all-time for the scarlet and gray.

Faustin capped his career with his third straight season in which he earned an all-SAC honor. He finished his career with a total of 41 starts, including the last 37 consecutive games.

Harris wrapped up his collegiate career with his first all-SAC honor. The senior defensive lineman made 34 total tackles, including 5.5 tackles for a loss and three sacks. He also recovered two fumbles with 63 return yards, including a 45-yard fumble return for a touchdown in his final game last weekend at Brevard.

Newell, a senior linebacker from Irmo, S.C., led Newberry in tackles for the third consecutive season, and finished his collegiate career with 338 total tackles, which is the fifth most in Newberry College history. He finished the 2008 season with 91 total tackles for an average of 9.1 stops per game. He recorded six tackles for loss and two sacks and forced two fumbles. He also registered five quarterback hurries, broke up three passes and snagged his first career intercept! ! ion on Homecoming night against Catawba. He was a defensive captain this season as the scarlet and gray claimed their second SAC Championship in the last three seasons.

Newell is only the second Newberry player to earn SAC Defensive Player of the Year honors, and the first since Charlie Coles in 1978, which was the league's fourth season of existence.

McIlwain, a sophomore from Fort Mill, had one of the more eye-catching breakout seasons in recent memory by any SAC player. After making 21 tackles in 2007, McIlwain followed that up with 30 tackles in his sophomore campaing. He also recorded a solo sack from his cornerback position. He led the Newberry squad with three interceptions and eight pass breakups, for a total of 11 passes defended. He also snagged two fumble recoveries, and blacked two kicks - both of which came in the win over Catawba on Homecoming. He earned one Special Teams Player of the Week honor as well as one Defensive Player of the Week honor.

Mars Hill College's Deshun Nesbitt has been named to the 2008 Daktronics Super Region 2 All-Region second team. Deshun was a first team All-South Atlantic Conference selection, led the SAC in interceptions (5), second in the SAC in passes broken up, 13th in nation in interceptions and 45th in nation in passes broken up.

Morehouse senior linebacker Jeffrey Cargile and Valdosta State safety Sherard Reynolds repeated as first team all-region selections this year, while Hicks-Green and North Alabama junior linebacker Mike Johnson moved up from the second team this season. Reynolds earned first team all-region honors for the third consecutive season.

First team all-region selections are eligible for the 2008 Daktronics All-American team, and top vote-getters at each position are marked with an asterisk.

National semifinalist North Alabama led the way with nine total selections, including six first-teamers.

The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Pos. Name School Yr.
TE Jarrell NeSmith * Tusculum Jr.
WR Garett Manning * Henderson State Sr.
WR Julius Pruitt Ouachita Baptist Sr.
OL Thomas Battle Carson-Newman Sr.
OL Ross Conn @ Harding Sr.
OL Mark Ellis Delta State Sr.
OL Sam Hathorn * North Alabama Sr.
OL Danny Partida Tusculum Sr.
QB Corey Russell *! Tusculum Sr.
RB Jamelle Cuthbertson Catawba Sr.
RB Buck Wakefield * Carson-Newman Jr.
RS Greg Godfrey * Henderson State Sr.
K Tom Schneider * North Alabama Sr.

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Pos. Name School Yr.
DL Derrick Chatman * North Alabama Sr.
DL Jarvis DeVaughn Tuskegee Sr.
DL Melquan Fair Catawba Jr.
LB Jeffrey Cargile ^ Morehouse Sr.
LB Lardester Hicks-Green *#! Delta State Jr.
LB Mike Johnson # North Alabama Jr.
LB Garry Pack West Alabama Sr.
CB Devon Hughes * Henderson State Sr.
CB David Raymond * North Alabama Sr.
S Sherard Reynolds *^$ Valdosta State Sr.
S Dominic Spinks Delta State Sr.
P Will Batson * North Alabama Jr.

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Pos. Name School Yr.
TE Brandon Alldredge North Alabama Sr.
WR Kurt Adams Harding Jr.
WR Kelton Tindal Newberry Jr.
OL Jeremy Ashcraft Arkansas Tech Sr.
OL Marchent Faustin Newberry Sr.
OL Michael Stevens Tuskegee Jr.
OL Pete Vaseau Delta State Jr.
OL Torence Wright Arkansas Tech Jr.
QB A.J. Milwee North Alabama Sr.
RB Trevar Deed Delta State So.
RB Winston Thompson Clark Atlanta So.
RS Jamar Rodriguez Morehouse R-Fr.
K Micah Streiff Morehouse Sr.

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Pos. Name School Yr.
DL Darius Wrentz Carson-Newman Sr.
DL David Harris Newberry Sr.
DL Michael Castillo Henderson State Sr.
DL Andre Bernardi $ North Greenville Sr.
LB Sevohn Greer $ Harding Sr.
LB Jarvis Littlejohn Tusculum Sr.
LB Will Newell @ Newberry Sr.
LB Justin Scott Tusculum Sr.
CB Kamaal McIlwain Newberry So.
CB Deshun Nesbitt Mars Hill Jr.
S Jeremy Thompson Tusculum Sr.
S Bobby Brooks North Alabama Sr.
P John Gregory @ Tusculum Jr.

! - Player of the Year Selection
^ - 2007 First Team Selection
# - 2007 Second Team Selection
$ - 2006 First Team Selection
@ - 2006 Second Team Selection