Rock Hill, S.C. ? Six members of the Lenoir-Rhyne University Football Team were selected to the 2009 All-South Atlantic Conference Preseason Teams, league officials announced today.
L-R was also picked seventh in the coaches preseason poll.? Carson-Newman, winners of 20 South Atlantic Conference Championships, was selected to win the league title after receiving six of the eight first-place votes.? Carson-Newman tied for the conference championship with Newberry and Tusculum in 2008.? The Eagles also led the way with 11 preseason All-SAC selections.
Sophomore placekicker Colin Corpe (Ocala, Fla.), senior long snapper Jordon Simmons (Charlotte, N.C.) and junior offensive lineman Chandler Rearden (Greenwood, S.C.) were picked to the first team for the Bears.
Corpe, a First-Team All-SAC honoree in 2008, made a conference-high 10 field goals last year and tied the school record for field goals in a single game with four against Brevard (September 27, 2008).? Corpe also led the team in points (55) and converted 25-of-31 extra-point-attempts.
Simmons has earned all-league honors the past two years while Rearden, a 2008 first-team all-conference pick, paved the way for Lenoir-Rhyne to finish fifth in NCAA Division II in rushing last season (259.3 yards per game).
The Bears also had three players earn second-team all-league honors:? senior center Harrison Smith (Clayton, N.C.), junior free safety Marcus Shuford (Newton, N.C.) and junior fullback Anthony Silvers (Burnsville, N.C.).
Harrison is entering his third year as a starter while Silvers finished second on the team in rushing with 410 yards despite missing the final three games due to injury in 2008.
Shuford led Lenoir-Rhyne in tackles last year with 78 to go along with a South Atlantic Conference-high four interceptions.?
Lenoir-Rhyne (3-8 overall and 1-6 in league play in 2008) opens the season on Saturday, August 29, when it hosts Shorter College beginning at 7 p.m.
2009 SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON FOOTBALL COACHES POLL
1. Carson-Newman (6) -?62
2. Catawba (1) - 46
2 (tie) Tusculum - 46
4. Wingate - 41
5. Mars Hill (1) - 35
6. Newberry?- 34
7. Lenoir-Rhyne - 16
8. Brevard - 8
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
2009 ALL-SOUTH ATLANTIC CONFERENCE PRESEASON FOOTBALL TEAMS
OFFENSE
First Team
QB - Alex Good, Carson-Newman
RB - Buck Wakefield, Carson-Newman
RB - Nelson Woods, Wingate
RB - Marcus Foster, Tusculum
WR - Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman
WR - Kelton Tindal, Newberry
WR - Ryan Tallent, Tusculum
TE - Jarrell NeSmith, Tusculum
OL - Terence Crosby, Catawba
OL - Chandler Rearden, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Josh Sims, Mars Hill
OL - Matt Holmes, Newberry
OL - Ross Shaffer, Carson-Newman
PK - Colin Corpe, Lenoir-Rhyne
LS - Jordon Simmons, Lenoir-Rhyne
Second Team
QB - Brandon Gantt, Newberry
RB - Ricky Harris, Carson-Newman
RB - Anthony Silvers, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB - Gerald Legree, Newberry
WR - Nate Binder, Tusculum
WR - John Brown, Mars Hill
WR - Calvin Britt, Tusculum
TE - Ryan Webb! ! er, Wingate
OL - Hunter Carnes, Catawba
OL - Harrison Smith, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Walter Simmons, Newberry
OL - Josh Stone, Tusculum
OL - Ben Benshoof, Wingate
PK - Michael Pinkerton, Mars Hill
LS - Kyle Davis, Wingate
DEFENSE
First Team
DL - Melquan Fair, Catawba
DL - Brandon Harmon, Carson-Newman
DL - Brandon Sutton, Catawba
DL - Lance Clark, Newberry
LB - Brian Brown, Carson-Newman
LB - Stanley Jones, Brevard
LB - Brandon Rawls, Brevard
LB - Stan Galbraith, Mars Hill
DB - Mario Russell, Carson-Newman
DB - Deshon Nesbitt, Mars Hill
DB - Kamaal McIlwain, Newberry
DB - Tylan Merkerson, Wingate
P - John Gregory, Tusculum
RS - Patrick Pinchinat, Wingate
Second Team
DL - Marqus Davis, Catawba
DL - Maurice Harris, Mars Hill
DL - Marcus Nelums, Newberry
DL - Brandon Kelley, Tusculum
LB - Lakeem Perry, Catawba
LB - Zach Johnson, Mars Hill
LB - Ben Hinson, Wingate
LB - Aaron Plyler, Wingate
DB - Marcus Shuford, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB - Andre Moyd, Newberry
DB - Michael Gist, Brevard
DB - Denares Waites, Carson-Newman
P - Chris Jones, Carson-Newman
RS - Reggie Hubbard, Carson-Newman
