Rucker repeats as SAC Offensive Player of the Year, Fitzpatrick named Defensive Freshman of the Year
Mars Hill senior wide receiver Craig Rucker defended his title as SAC Offensive Player of the Year while freshman linebacker Dexter Fitzpatrick earned the Defensive Freshman of the Year title. Senior offensive lineman Travis James earned All-SAC Second Team honors.
ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – The South Atlantic Conference Champion Lenoir-Rhyne Bears had conference leading 15 All-SAC football selections as the annual football honors were released today.
Leading the way on offense was two-time Offensive Player of the Year Craig Rucker from Mars Hill, and Offensive Freshman of the Year Troy Dendy from Carson-Newman. On the defensive side of the ball, Lenoir-Rhyne's Jaquan Artis was named Defensive Player of the Year and Mars Hill's Dexter Fitzpatrick was named Defensive Freshman of the Year. Lenoir-Rhyne's Jason Poe was named the Jacobs Blocking Trophy award winner for the second year in a row and Lenoir-Rhyne head coach Drew Cronic took home Coach of the Year honors for the second consecutive year.
Rucker, a senior wide receiver from Orlando, Fla., finished the season ranked first in the conference in touchdowns (14), receiving yards (1,325), all-purpose yards (1,643), receiving yards per game (120.5) and receptions (97). He is ranked in the top five in NCAA Division II in receiving yards per game (No. 5), receiving yards (No. 3), receptions per game (No. 2) and receiving touchdowns (No. 7). He set new SAC career records in touchdowns, scoring 43, and receiving yards with 4,320 during his career as a Lion. For his efforts, Rucker was awarded SAC AstroTurf Football Offensive Player of the Week honors during the 2019 season.
Dendy, a freshman running back from Laurens, S.C., was one of the top rushers in the conference, racking up 611 yards on the ground with an average of 61.1 yards per game and six touchdowns. Dendy rushed for more than 100 yards in three games, including a 200-yard performance on Nov. 9 versus Limestone. He was named the SAC AstroTurf Offensive Player of the Week during the season.
Artis, a senior defensive end from Kinston, N.C., was a force on defense for the Bears this season. He led the SAC in sacks with 12 and is ranked ninth in NCAA Division II in sacks per game, averaging 1.05 per game. He made 65 total tackles this season, including 36 solo tackles, with 19.5 tackles for loss, accounting for 95 yards. Behind his leadership, the Bears rank No. 4 in the nation in team sacks and they are No. 6 in rushing defense allowing just 77.1 yards per game on the ground.
Fitzpatrick, a freshman linebacker from LaGrange, Ga., had a fantastic season for the Lions. He had 79 total tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, a sack, and he broke up a pass. He finished the regular season ranked fourth in the conference in total tackles and ninth in tackles per game (7.2).
Poe, a junior offensive lineman from Fitzgerald, Ga., played in all 11 games for the Bears and help lead them to the 2019 SAC Football Championship. He anchored an O-Line that helped the Bears accumulate 2,969 rushing yards and 1,886 passing yards during the 2019 season.
In his second season at the helm of the Lenoir-Rhyne football team, Cronic led the Bears to the 2019 SAC Football Championship, the Bears' second consecutive championship, with a perfect 8-0 record in conference. Ranked No. 6 in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division II Coaches Poll, Cronic's Bears are ranked in the top-15 nationally in scoring offense (42.3 points per game), scoring defense (15.7 points per game), rushing offense (270.5 yards per game) and they are one of just nine unbeaten teams in NCAA Division II. The Bears are currently riding an 11-game winning streak as they head into the 2019 NCAA Division II Football Playoffs.
In addition to Lenoir-Rhyne's 15 All-SAC selections, Wingate had 13 All-SAC picks, while Carson-Newman had 11 selections. Tusculum had six honorees, while Limestone had five and Newberry had four All-SAC selections. UVa-Wise had three players named All-SAC after their first season of play in the conference, with Catawba and Mars Hill rounding out the All-SAC selections with two each.
2019 South Atlantic Conference Football All-Conference
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Grayson Willingham, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB – Antonio Wimbush, Carson-Newman
RB – Nijere Peoples, Wingate
RB – Domineke McNeill, Wingate
WR – Craig Rucker, Mars Hill
WR – Braxton Westfield, Carson-Newman
WR – Jalen Brooks, Wingate
OL – Andrew Strickland, Wingate
OL – Jason Poe, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL – Keveon Broadwater, Tusculum
OL – Connor Baroniounas, Wingate
OL – Phillip McDowell, Carson-Newman
TE – Drake Starks, Lenoir-Rhyne
PK – McLean Robertson-Wingate
LS – Dawson Campbell, Carson-Newman
RS – Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Jaquan Artis, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL – Dan Louba, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL – Keito Jordon, Newberry
DL – Jordon Anderson, Wingate
LB – Robbie Wallace, Wingate
LB – Ivan Hogans, Tusculum
LB – Clayton Horn, Lenoir-Rhyne
LB – Rondrow Peebles, Carson-Newman
DB – Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB – Dee Alford, Tusculum
DB – Desmond Fairell, Carson-Newman
DB – Davion Washington, Wingate
P – Thomas Cook, Limestone
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Shaw Crocker, Wingate
QB - Derrick Evans, Carson-Newman
RB – Jaquay Mitchell, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB – Ameen Stevens, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB – Jerko'ya Patton, Limestone
WR – Deshun Kitchings, Newberry
WR – B.J. Muckelvene, Wingate
WR – Tory Ponder, Tusculum
OL – Jordan Seal, Carson-Newman
OL – Travis James, Mars Hill
OL – Tyler Anderson, Newberry
OL – Ronnie Clifton, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL – Cameron Thomason, Limestone
TE – Trevor Makarov, Carson-Newman
PK – Chase Allbaugh, Lenoir-Rhyne
LS – Travis Morgan, Newberry
RS – Demetrius Mann, UVA-Wise
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Amari Houston, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL – Cal Hanford, Wingate
DL – Montel Presely, Carson-Newman
DL – Kelvin Atkins, Limestone
LB – Austin Hicks, UVA-Wise
LB – Elijah Gilmore, Wingate
LB – Jeremiah Ferguson, Catawba
LB – Jackson Cauthen, Tusculum
DB – Eric Jackson, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB – Marcus Tarrer, UVA-Wise
DB – Chris Page, Catawba
DB – Malik Goodman, Tusculum
DB- Mannie Ogletree, Limestone
P - Nate Craft, Carson-Newman
P- Michael Owen-Lenoir-Rhyne
Offensive Freshman of the Year
Troy Dendy, Carson-Newman
Defensive Freshman of the Year
Dexter Fitzpatrick, Mars Hill
Offensive Player of the Year
Craig Rucker, Mars Hill
Defensive Player of the Year
Jaquan Artis, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jacobs Blocking Trophy
Jason Poe, Lenoir-Rhyne
Coach of the Year
Drew Cronic, Lenoir-Rhyne
Statistical Champions
Rushing Yards Per Game: Antonio Wimbush, Carson-Newman (88.9)
Passing Yards Per Game: Jimmy Urzua, Mars Hill (210.1)
Total Offense Per Game: Jimmy Urzua, Mars Hill (210.9)
Receptions Per Game: Craig Rucker, Mars Hill (8.8)
Receiving Yards Per Game: Craig Rucker, Mars Hill (120.5)
All-Purpose Yards Per Game: Craig Rucker, Mars Hill (149.36)
Passing Efficiency Rating: Grayson Willingham, Lenoir-Rhyne (183.7)
Punt Return Avg.: Demetrius Mann, UVa-Wise (20.9)
Kick Return Avg.: Thurlow Wilkins, Tusculum (32.6)
Punting Avg.: Thomas Cook, Limestone (43.1)
Scoring Average (TDs): Craig Rucker, Mars Hill (9.8)
Scoring Average (K): McLean Robertson, Wingate (8.2)
Field Goals Per Game: McLean Robertson, Wingate (1.36)
Field Goal Percentage: Eli Shepherd, Tusculum (.800)
Tackles Per Game: Marcus Tarrer, UVa-Wise (8.8)
Sacks Per Game: Jarquan Artis, Lenoir-Rhyne (1.05)
Tackles for Loss Per Game: Jarquan Artis, Lenoir-Rhyne (1.7)
Interceptions Per Game: Desmond Fairell, Carson-Newman (0.70)
Team Scoring Offense: Lenoir-Rhyne (42.3)
Team Scoring Defense: Lenoir-Rhyne (15.7)
Team Passing Offense: Mars Hill (306.1)
Team Passing Defense: Newberry (145.4)
Team Rushing Offense: Carson-Newman (316.9)
Team Rushing Defense: Lenoir-Rhyne (77.1)
Team Total Offense: Lenoir-Rhyne (442)
Team Total Defense: Carson-Newman (287.9)
