Big South cites Liberty pair
Published: November 26, 2008
CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Liberty running back Rashad Jennings and coach Danny Rocco yesterday picked up Big South Conference awards after the Flames' 10-2 season.
Jennings was voted the league's offensive player of the year and Rocco the coach of the year after Liberty went 5-0 in conference games, yet missed out on an at-large berth for the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Gardner-Webb linebacker Jeffrey Williams was named the Big South defensive player of the year. Stony Brook running back Edwin Gowins was voted the top freshman, and VMI's Jacob Rochester earned scholar-athlete of the year honors.
Jennings rushed for a league-record 1,500 yards and 17 touchdowns. Williams led the Big South with 119 tackles and added three interceptions.
FIRST TEAM
Offense - Brock Smith, QB, Liberty; Rashad Jennings, RB, Liberty; Edwin Gowins, RB, Stony Brook; Dobson Collins, WR, Gardner-Webb; Dominic Bolden, WR, Liberty; Gerald Stevenson, WR, Charleston Southern; Josh Miller, TE, Gardner-Webb; Mike Godsil, OL, Liberty; Demario Deese, OL, Gardner-Webb; Britt Leggett, OL, Coastal Carolina; Steve Council, OL, Stony Brook; Britt Stone, OL, Liberty
Defense - Jake Killeen, DL, Charleston Southern; James Harris, DL, Stony Brook; Philip Oboh, DL, Coastal Carolina; Adam McKinney, DL, Presbyterian; Jeffrey Williams, LB, Gardner-Webb; Nick Hursky, LB, Liberty; Antwan Thomas, LB, Presbyterian; D.J. Rice, LB, Coastal Carolina; Daniel Cooke, DB, Gardner-Webb; Philip Ashley, DB, Charleston Southern; Kent Hicks, DB, Liberty; Cedric McGowan, DB, Gardner-Webb
Special teams - Ryan Gates, PK, Gardner-Webb; Ben Erdman, P, Coastal Carolina; Dan Pope, LS, Liberty; Gerald Stevenson, KR, Charleston Southern; Dominic Bolden, PR, Liberty
Offensive player of the year - Rashad Jennings, Liberty
Defensive player of the year - Jeffrey Williams, Gardner-Webb
Freshman of the year - Edwin Gowins, Stony Brook
Coach of the year - Danny Rocco, Liberty
SECOND TEAM (State players only)
Offense - Tim Maypray, QB, VMI; Howard Abegesah, RB, VMI; Jonathan Crawford, WR, Liberty; Corey Rasberry, TE, Liberty; George Handler, OL, VMI; James Boatright, OL, VMI
Defense - Kevin Richard, DL, Liberty; Colin Dugan, DL, Liberty; A.J. Gross, LB, VMI; Ryan Greiser, DB, Liberty; Pat Calvary, DB, Liberty
Special teams - Travis Ludden, LS, VMI; Dominic Bolden, KR, Liberty
ODAC
Randolph-Macon's Pedro Arruza was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's coach of the year after the Yellow Jackets rallied from a 2-4 start to claim their first league title in 11 years.
R-MC and rival Hampden-Sydney dominated the all-league team with each school placing 10 players on the list.
For the Yellow Jackets, offensive lineman Kevin Wagner (Patrick Henry) and running back Zak Thornton were first-team selections.
For the Tigers, former Mills Godwin running back Josh Simpson, former Hanover offensive lineman Ben Rogers and linebacker Josh Miller made the first unit.
Catholic University quarterback Keith Ricca and defensive back Nick Olivero were chosen as the league's offensive and defensive players of the year.
FIRST TEAM
Offense - Keith Ricca, QB, Catholic; Caleb Jennings, RB, Emory & Henry; Josh Simpson, RB, Hampden-Sydney; Zak Thornton, RB, Randolph-Macon; Miles Sabrick, WR, Catholic; Kevin Vaughn, WR, Guilford; Stuart Sitterson, RB, Washington and Lee; Charlie Craigle, OL, Washington and Lee; Jim Gehringer, OL, Catholic; Chris Mickno, OL, Emory & Henry; Ben Rogers, OL, Hampden-Sydney; Kevin Wagner, OL, Randolph-Macon
Defense - Matt Baldwin, DL, Emory & Henry; Dean Petrone, DL, Catholic; Dustin Rexrode, DL, Emory & Henry; Scott Russell, DL, Washington and Lee; Bill Gross, LB, Catholic; Josh Miller, LB, Hampden-Sydney; Kevin Worley, LB, Emory & Henry; Joey Daniels, DB, Emory & Henry; Chris Killian, DB, Bridgewater; Nick Olivero, DB, Catholic; Chris Prugar, DB, Washington and Lee
Specialists - Luke Hawk, K, Emory & Henry; T.J. Breslin, P, Catholic
Offensive player of the year - Keith Ricca, QB, Catholic
Defensive player of the year - Nick Olivero, DB, Catholic
Rookie of the year - Charlie Westfal, QB, Washington and Lee
Coach of the year - Pedro Arruza, Randolph-Macon
SECOND TEAM
Offense - Corey Sedlar, QB, Hampden-Sydney; Greg Brown, RB, Catholic; Andrew Buis, WR, Catholic; Adam Gillette, WR, Hampden-Sydney; Akex Ramirez, RB, Randolph-Macon; Stuart May, TE, Randolph-Macon; Ryan McManus, TE, Catholic; Rich Brennan, OL, Catholic; Morgan Cross, OL, Randolph-Macon; Drew Kirkner, OL, Bridgewater; Greg Kurkis, OL, Washington and Lee; Brad Lester, OL, Emory & Henry
Defense - Markas Brunson, DL, Guilford; Austin Icaza, DL, Bridgewater; Sam Rosten, DL, Hampden-Sydney; David Woo, DL, Catholic; Matt Cassilly, LB, Washington and Lee; T.J. Montague, LB, Bridgewater; Christian Stahl, LB, Randolph-Macon; Scott Ahonen, DB, Randolph-Macon; Eric Dardozzi, DB, Randolph-Macon; Billy Doody, DB, Hampden-Sydney; Bryan Furr, DB, Emory & Henry
Specialists - T.C. Stevens, K, Hampden-Sydney; T.J. Frazier, P, Emory & Henry
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