19 SAC Football Players Named To Don Hansen All-America Team
PITTSBURG, Kan. - Nineteen football players from the South Atlantic Conference have been named to the 2010 Don Hansen All-American Team. Another 18 SAC players were named to the All-Super Region Two Team.
The Don Hansen Division II All-America Team carries out the legacy of long-time small college football advocate Don Hansen, who passed away at age 75 on August 29, 2010. Hansen, from Brookfield, Ill., started and published Don Hansen's National Weekly Football Gazette for three decades, selecting NCAA Division II All-America teams for the first time in 1988.
Tusculum College placekicker Gareth Rowlands, Carson-Newman College offensive lineman Michael Tribue and Newberry College safety Ron Parker were named to the First-Team.
Lenoir-Rhyne University offensive tackle Chandler Rearden, Mars Hill College defensive tackle Maurice Harris, and Catawba College return specialist L.J. McCray were named to the Second Team.
The Third Team was represented by Lenoir-Rhyne fullback Le'Quan McCorkle, Newberry wide receiver David Pressley and center Matt Holmes, along with Tusculum tight end Michael Rodriguez.
Honorable Mention honorees included Brevard College fullback Neville Bryce and punter Eric Watts, Mars Hill linebacker Rudy Cabral and running back Jonas Randolph, Tusculum quarterback Bo Cordell, wide receiver Deonte' Gist, and guard Hannibal Ruiz, along with Wingate University all-purpose player Perry Floyd and linebacker Greg Harmon.
Rowlands, is a two-time All-SAC First Team kicker who established school and league single-season records with his 111 points and 21 field goals made. Rowlands leads the nation in field goals made per game (1.91) and is sixth in scoring (10.09 ppg). His 111 points are the most this season by a Division II kicker, while going 21-for-26 in field goal attempts. He was also one of the ten finalists for the Fred Mitchell Award, which honors the college division (FCS, DII, DIII, NAIA) placekicker of the year.
Parker, makes the First Team after already being named a Second Team All-American by Daktronics and a Third Team Little All-American by the AP. In 2010, Parker led the South Atlantic Conference in interceptions and fumble recoveries while making 59 tackles.
Tribue (Antioch, Tenn.) paved the way for an Eagles' offense that finished second nationally in rushing offense, averaging 311.2 yards per game. As a junior, Tribue won the Jacobs' Blocking Trophy, which is awarded to the South Atlantic Conference's top offensive lineman. He was also a finalist for the Gene Upshaw Award, which is given to the nation's top lineman.
Rearden, who was named to the Second Team offense, was awarded the 2010 Jacobs Blocking Trophy, given to the top offensive lineman in the South Atlantic Conference. Rearden who is a two-time All-SAC performer, helped Lenoir-Rhyne lead NCAA Division II in rushing yards this year at 319.5 yards per contest.
Harris, a Second Team member led the South Atlantic Conference with 11 sacks while being named to the 2010 AP Little All-American Third Team, Daktronics All-American Second Team, and All-SAC First Team.
McCray, was a Second Team member who was named a First Team All-SAC return specialist after finishing second in the league with 32.5 kick return average and 2 kick return touchdowns.
McCorkle, is a member of the Third Team offense at fullback, after finishing the season second in rushing yards with 565 on the team and 3 touchdowns. McCorkle was the main catalyst for teammate running back Major Herron to rack up 16 rushing touchdowns on the season.
Pressley, makes the Third Team offense and earned All-SAC honors for the first time in his career in 2010, while establishing new school records for receptions with 86 and yards with 1,117, becoming the first Newberry player to record over 1,000 receiving yards in a season. Pressley recorded 11 receiving touchdowns on the year while ranking ninth nationally in yards per game (111.7) and sixth nationally in receptions per game (8.6).
Holmes, who made the Third Team offense, anchored an offensive line which only allowed 12 sacks this season, which were the fewest for any conference team this season. Holmes is a three time All-SAC honoree, making the First Team in 2010, and was named a semifinalist for the National Football Foundation's Campbell Trophy.
Rodriguez, a member of the Third Team, is a 2010 Second Team All-SAC selection finishing the year with a school single-season best nine touchdown catches and 727 yards receiving. He has already been named to the Daktronics All-Region Second Team.
Bryce, was named to the Honorable Mention All-America Team at fullback after finishing the year with 656 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns while being the main force in front of team leading rusher Kelvin Jeter who rushed for 1,145 yards and 7 touchdowns.
Watts, was named to the Honorable Mention Team after being named Second Team All-SAC. Watts finished the year leading the SAC in punting with a 42.9 average and a season-long kick of 73 yards.
Cabral, who makes Honorable Mention, led the SAC with 104 tackles in 2010. He was named to the Daktronics Super Region II and was an All-South Atlantic Conference First Team member.
Randolph, an Honorable Mention member, has already been named to the First Team All-SAC, AFCA Division II Coaches All-American Team, and the Daktronics All-Region team. This season, Randolph led the league in rushing with 1,367 yards and 13 touchdowns. Through three seasons at Mars Hill, Randolph has already established school career records with 37 touchdowns, 3,438 rushing yards, and 222 points scored.
Cordell, who made Honorable Mention, led all NCAA divisions in total offensive yards per game, passing yards per game, and completions per game. He was named the 2010 South Atlantic Conference Offensive Player of the Year and finished fourth in the voting for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which recognizes the Division II National Player of the Year. Cordell passed for a school and SAC record 4,657 yards along with 38 touchdown passes. He also established school and SAC records with 394 completions, 605 pass attempts, and 70 total offensive attempts.
Gist, another Honorable Mention team member, racked up 1,183 receiving yards for a new school record and third most in conference history, along with 8 touchdown receptions. He has already been named to the Daktronics Division II All-American Second Team and established school records with his 96 receptions along with 1,713 all-purpose yards, while being named to the 2010 All-Region and All-SAC First team.
Ruiz, is a two-time All-SAC honoree who earns All-American honors for the first time this season and All-Region honors for the second time this season. He recorded 75 knockdown blocks and has allowed just two sacks on the year. Ruiz anchored an offensive line that only allowed .056 sacks per pass attempt.
Floyd, on the Honorable Mention team, set a school record with 2,442 all-purpose yards, and was ranked third in the NCAA with his 203.5 all-purpose yards per game. He earned First Team All-SAC honors as a return specialist and Second Team as a wide receiver. Floyd led the SAC in all-purpose yards and punt returns (15.7 yards per return), and was named to the Daktronics All-Super Region 2 First Team as a return specialist.
Harmon, an Honorable Mention member, was named First Team All-SAC selection as he led the Bulldogs with 106 tackles on the year. A captain for the Bulldogs, Harmon helped Wingate lead the SAC in turnover margin for the second straight season, while being named to the Daktronics All-Super Region 2.
Wingate University
Wingate led the South Atlantic Conference with five players chosen to the 2010 Don Hansen All-Super Region Team. Running back Nelson Woods and offensive tackle Mike Arndt were name to the second team, and quarterback Cody Haffly, wide receiver Delric Ellington, and kicker R.P. Lopez were named to the third team.
Woods, finishes his career as the all-time leading rusher in school history with 3,990 yards and scored a 37 career touchdowns. Woods was named to the 2010 All-SAC First Team, and ran for 1,000 plus yards in three of his four Wingate seasons.
Arndt, a First Team All-SAC selection and a Daktronics All-Super Region Second Team pick helped anchor an offensive line that was second in the South Atlantic Conference in passing offense and total offense. He also led the way for running back Nelson Woods to rush for 1,000 yards for the third time in his career.
Haffly, a Second Team All-SAC selection was one of the 24 final candidates in the running for the 2010 Harlon Hill Trophy as the NCAA Division II National Player of the Year. On the year, Haffly threw for 3,952 yards and 42 touchdowns. He threw for over 300 yards in nine of the twelve games this season, and had five or more touchdown passes in five games this year. Haffly, led the SAC in passing efficiency (160.39) and averaged 320 yards per game of total offense, which was good for 12th in the nation.
Ellington, had a team-best 82 catches fro 1,077 yards with 10 receiving touchdowns on the year. Ellington also was fifth in the conference in receptions per game at 6.83.
Lopez, a Second Team All-SAC selection was 8-of-9 on field goal attempts this season, while going 54-for-54 in extra point attempts. His 54 extra points are a new school record for PATs in a season.
Tusculum College
Defensive End Terrance Smith from Tusculum was named to the Third Team All-Super Region Two Team.
Smith, was a 2010 All-SAC and Daktronics All-Region Second Team selection with 48 tackles including 16 for a loss, while accounting for three sacks, four pass breakups, forcing two fumbles, recovering one and blocked one extra point.
Carson-Newman College
Carson-Newman had five players named to the All-Region team. Offensive tackle Michael Tribue was named to the First Team, while punter Chris Jones was named to the Second Team, and running back Nate Inman, defensive end Zeke Andrews and cornerback Tarvin Jones were named to the Third Team.
Tribue, helped paved the way for Carson-Newman to finish second in the nation in rushing yards at 311.2 yards per game. A First Team All-SAC performer, Tribue helped lead the Eagles to 8,137 yards rushing and 98 rushing touchdowns in his final two seasons.
Chris Jones, was named to the First Team All-SAC, while finishing second in the league in punting with a 42.1 yard average while having a the longest punt in the league this season with a 73 yard boot.
Inman, was named to the Second Team All-SAC, while finishing fourth in the league in rushing yards per game (96.1) and rushing for a total of 1,057 and 10 touchdowns.
Andrews, was named to the First Team All-SAC defense, finishing the year with 45 tackles including 14 for a loss and 5 sacks.
Tarvin Jones, was named to the Second Team All-SAC defense, who had 29 tackles on the year with 4 interceptions.
Mars Hill College
Mars Hill College had two players named to the All-Region team, including wide receiver P.J. Gore who was named to the Second Team, while tight end Allen Woerner was named to the Third Team.
Gore, a First Team All-SAC selection became the first receive in school history to surpass 1,000 yards in a single season while ranking fourth in the league in receiving yards.
Woerner, who participated in the 2011 Cactus Bowl, the NCAA Division II Senior All-Star Game ranked second on the team in receiving touchdowns with six and ranking third on the team in receptions with 22 and receiving yards with 288. He was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference First Team.
Lenoir-Rhyne University
Lenoir-Rhyne had two players named to the All-Region team. Defensive tackle Brandon Martin and safety Marcus Shuford were both named to the Third Team.
Martin, was a First Team All-SAC performer at defensive tackle who finished the year with 22 tackles including 8 tackles for a loss, while recording 9 sacks
Shuford, was a First Team All-SAC defensive back, who had 78 total tackles and 3 interceptions on the year while being the leader for the Lenoir-Rhyne defense, and being named the Defensive Player of the Year in the conference.
Catawba College
Catawba College had two players named to the All-Region team. Cornerback Jumal Rolle was a Second Team member while defensive tackle Julian Hartsell was named to the Third Team.
Rolle, was a First Team All-SAC player, who led the South Atlantic Conference in interceptions (5) and forced fumbles (3).
Hartsell, was named to the First Team All-SAC at defensive tackle, who finished the year with 29 tackles and 1 forced fumble, while recording 6 sacks.
Brevard College
All-purpose player Kelvin Jeter from Brevard was named to the Third Team All-Region offense.
Jeter, was a First Team All-SAC performer, and was named the Offensive Freshman of the Year in the SAC, who was second in the league in rushing yards per game with (104.1), and finished the season with 1,145 yards rushing and 7 touchdowns.