Co-Champions Mars Hill and Lenoir-Rhyne Lead SAC Football Award Winners
ROCK HILL, S.C. - Following a memorable football regular season, the SAC announced its All-Conference Teams and individual award winners on Tuesday, with Offensive Player of the Year Jonas Randolph and Defensive Player of the Year Demetrius Green headlining the honorees.
Overall, co-SAC champions Mars Hill and Lenoir-Rhyne had the most student-athletes named All-Conference, with the Lions placing a total of 10 on the First and Second Teams while the Bears had nine.
Randolph spearheaded a potent Mars Hill offense with one of the best individual seasons in conference history. The senior, who also earned first team All-Conference accolades in addition to being Offensive Player of the Year, was the leading rusher in all NCAA divisions in 2011, finishing the regular season with a SAC record 1,970 yards.
Randolph also set the SAC single-game rushing record against Tusculum on Oct. 29, piling up 373 yards. With Mars Hill's season still active after being selected to the NCAA Division II Football Championship, Randolph has a shot at breaking the conference's career rushing record, which he trails by just 196 yards.
Green, who at linebacker anchored Lenoir-Rhyne's league-leading scoring and total defense, was named SAC Defensive Player of the Year and first team All-Conference after averaging 7.7 tackles for the Bears. Green did a bit of everything in helping L-R finish 10th in the country in total defense, recording 3.5 sacks, eight tackles-for-loss, three passes defended and two pass breakups.
Joining Green on the All-SAC First Team from Lenoir-Rhyne were quarterback Major Herron - a top-five finisher in the conference in both rushing and passing yards - defensive lineman Brandon Martin, defensive back Michael Green, kicker Colin Corpe and offensive lineman Chandler Rearden, who also earned the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the second season in a row.
L-R also placed three on the All-SAC Second Team.
In addition to Randolph, Mars Hill had four more first-team selections in tight end Josh Crumpton, offensive lineman Tyler Hodgson, defensive lineman Kevin Johnson and defensive back Marvin James.
The Lions also had five second-team selections, led by wide receiver Dimitri Holmes, who was top-five in the SAC in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns en route to being named the league's Offensive Freshman of the Year.
Brevard placed five student-athletes on the All-Conference First Team, including linebacker Prince Simunyu, who led the league in tackles and fifth in tackles-for-loss. He was joined on the First Team by offensive lineman Caleb Campbell, defensive back Michael Gist and Eric Watts, who earned All-SAC distinction both as a wide receiver and punter.
BC had two players earn second-team distinctions as well.
Newberry's 4-3 finish in the SAC landed the Wolves four spots on the All-Conference First Team in running back John Gadson, offensive lineman Chase Gamble, defensive lineman Anterio Arnold and linebacker Apollo Stretch, the league's second-leading tackler. They join three other teammates on the Second Team.
Tusuclum had eight All-Conference selections - three on the First Team and five on the Second Team. The Pioneers' high-scoring offense was led by wide receiver and return specialist Deonte Gist, who finished second in the SAC in all-purpose yards, earning All-Conference honors at both positions. He was joined on the First Team by long snapper Skylar West.
Carson-Newman saw three players named first team All-Conference, led by running back Nate Inman, the league's second-leading rusher. Defensive lineman Zeke Andrews and linebacker Larry Lumpkin also received first-team honors, and were joined by three more Eagles earning second-team distinction.
The strong offensive attack of Wingate landed the Bulldogs three spots on the All-SAC First Team in wide receiver Chris Bowden, tight end Brandon Ellington and offensive lineman Mike Arndt. Three more Wingate players were named to the Second Team as well.
Catawba's Jumal Rolle led the SAC in passes defended, earning first team All-Conference defensive back honors. He was joined by first-team linebacker selection Lakeem Perry and three members of the Second Team, including Defensive Freshman of the Year CJ Barksdale.
Finally, after leading their teams to identical 6-1 conference records, Lenoir-Rhyne's Mike Houston and Mars Hill's Tim Clifton were fittingly named co-SAC Coaches of the Year. It marks the first time either coach has received the award.
The SAC Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award winner will be announced on Wednesday.