SAC Places 11 On Daktronics All-Region Football Team

SEARCY, Ark. - The South Atlantic Conference had 11 football players named to the 2007 Daktronics All-Southeast Region Football Team.

Valdosta State wide receiver Cedric Jones and safety Sherard Reynolds, Newberry offensive lineman Heath Benedict and Delta State linebacker Michael Eubanks repeated as First-Team selections on the 2007 Daktronics All-Southeast Region football team, selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). Wingate tight end Chris Conklin, Harding offensive lineman Ross Conn, Newberry running back Alex Haynes and Wingate defensive lineman Kenwin Cummings all moved from Second Team to First Team in 2007. Cornerback De'Audra Dix of Johnson C. Smith and safety Jamarcus Wiggins of Delta State repeated on the Second Team. Delta State had the most honorees with 10.

Heath Benedict	Alex Haynes
Tony Ransom	Chris Conklin
Kenwin Cummings	Ron Ellington
Terence Crosby	Kory Fisher
Andrew Coln	Adrian Samples
Rashawn Champion

First-Team honorees move on to the national All-America ballot. The All-America team will be released on Dec. 11.

The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acnowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition.

The Southeast Football Region includes the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association, the Gulf South Conference, the South Atlantic Conference and the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Heath Benedict, Alex Haynes, Tony Ransom

Newberry College's Heath Benedict and Alex Haynes have been named to the 2007 Daktronics All-Southeast Region First Team, while Tony Ransom was named to the second team, it was announced today. Benedict was named to the first team for the second consecutive year, while Haynes moved from the second team to the first team.

Both Benedict and Haynes were the leading vote-getters at their respective positions and are now available for Daktronics All-American status.

Offensive lineman Heath Benedict (Greer, S.C.) earned all-region first team honors for the second straight year. He played in eight games this season, and is considered by many to be the top offensive lineman in Division II. He became only the fourth South Atlantic Conference player to be invited to the Senior Bowl, which will be held January 26, 2008, in Mobile, Ala.

Running back Alex Haynes (Summerville, S.C.) has been an all-Southeast Region and all-South Atlantic Conference selection at running back the past two seasons. In each of the last two years, Haynes has rushed for over 1,000 yards, and rushed for over 2,500 yards in his career. He had had two games with over 200 rushing yards in 2007, including a school-record 255 yards in the win over Bowie State. He had 24 rushing touchdowns in his career, as well as three receiving touchdowns. He was also a participant in the East Coast Bowl last weekend.

Defensive lineman Tony Ransom (Marion, S.C.) earns his first all-region honor after accounting for 51 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks this season.

Chris Conklin, Kenwin Cummings

Senior tight end Chris Conklin and senior defensive end Kenwin Cummings both earned first team honors.

Bulldog senior defensive end Kenwin Cummings (Maxton, N.C.) is a three-time selection, as he earned second team honors in 2005 and 2006. A first team All-South Atlantic Conference performer in 2007, Cummings finished first overall in the SAC in sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (18) on his way to registering a total of 71 total tackles this season. He ranked 18th overall in the nation in tackles for loss and 49th in pass sacks.

Cummings was named to the 2005 Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division II All-America first team. A first team All-South Atlantic Conference performer in 2006 and 2007, Cummings led the SAC in tackles for loss (17.5), quarterback hurries (15) and quarterback sacks (nine) in 2006. He compiled 66 tackles and three forced fumbles in 2006.

Bulldog senior tight end Chris Conklin (Snow Camp, N.C.) was the top vote-getter among Southeast Region tight ends. He is also a repeat performer, as he earned second team honors in 2006.

In 2007, Chris Conklin earned first team All-SAC honors for the second year in a row. Conklin led SAC tight ends with 30 catches for 446 yards and 10 touchdowns in 2007. His 10 touchdowns were the most of any SAC receiver (WR, TE, RB) this year.

On the 2007 Wingate scoring charts, Conklin was third in scoring behind redshirt senior place-kicker Jonathan Beford (68) and redshirt freshman tailback Nelson Woods (66). In 2006, Conklin led SAC tight ends with 25 catches for 438 yards and four touchdowns.

Valdosta State wide receiver Cedric Jones and safety Sherard Reynolds, Newberry offensive lineman Heath Benedict and Delta State linebacker Michael Eubanks repeated as first team selections on the 2007 Daktronics All-Southeast Region football team, selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Conklin, Cummings, Harding offensive lineman Ross Conn and Newberry running back Alex Haynes all moved from second team to first team in 2007. Cornerback De'Audra Dix of Johnson C. Smith and safety Jamarcus Wiggins of Delta State repeated on the second team. First-team honorees move on to the national All-America ballot. The All-America team will be released on Dec. 11.

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a private four-year co-educational institution of 2,041 students, offering active learning opportunities through personalized instruction, world travel, faith development, career discovery and community service.

Wingate offers more than 40 undergraduate majors in arts and sciences, business, education, fine arts, music and sport sciences. It also offers pre-professional programs, graduate degrees in business, education, physical education and sport administration and the doctor of pharmacy degree.

In the spring of 2007, Wingate University awarded its first-ever doctor of pharmacy degrees. Bulldog student-athletes compete in 17 NCAA Division II sports.

Andrew Coln

Lenoir-Rhyne College's Andrew Coln was named to the 2007 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region Second Team, officials announced today.

Coln, a senior kicker from Simpsonville S.C., connected on all 13 of his extra point attempts and 13 of 18 of his field goal opportunities including two career-long 50-yarders in 2007.

The Mauldin High School graduate received All-South Atlantic Conference First Team honors for the second time in his career after a season (52 points) that lofted him into third place on the all-time list in scoring for kickers with 167 career points.

Coln also led the SAC in field goal completion percentage this year.

This is the second time that Coln has been named an all-region player in his career. In 2004, Coln was also named to the all-region squad.

Adrian Samples

Tusculum College defensive end Adrian Samples was named to the 2007 Daktronics Division II All-Southeast Region Football Second Team announced College officials Wednesday. The Daktronics All-Region Team is selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA).

Samples, a 6-2, 255-pound senior defensive end, earned All-South Atlantic Conference First Team honors for a third straight season. The Rome, Ga. native finished third on the team with 57 tackles, including a TC-best 15 for loss (-48 yds.). Samples also led the team with six sacks, while breaking up five passes, recovered three fumbles, forced another and blocked two kicks on special teams.

He becomes only the second Tusculum defensive lineman to earn All-Region honors (Lebron Johnson, 3rd team in 2004).

During his stellar collegiate career, he made 130 tackles, including 43 for loss, which are the third most by a Pioneer. His 17 career sacks are fourth in school history.

After a 0-3 start, Tusculum won six of its last eight games to finish with a 6-5 overall record. The Pioneers finished tied for third in the SAC with a 4-2 league worksheet. Tusculum has recorded a winning season in seven of the last eight years.

Rashawn Champion

Mars Hill College defensive back Rashawn Champion was named to the 2007 Daktronics Division II All-Southeast Region Football Second Team announced College officials Wednesday.

Champion, a senior defensive back from Jacksonville, FL, led the South Atlantic Conference in interceptions per game (0.40) as he tallied four picks during the 2007 season. He was second in passes broken up with seven (1.10 PBU/GM) and seventh in kick off return average (22.4). Champion was a first team All-South Atlantic Conference selection in 2007.

Terrence Crosby, Ron Ellington, Kory Fisher

Catawba placed three players on the 2007 Daktronics All-Southeast Region Football Team. First team honors went to sophomore offensive lineman Terence Crosby (Winston-Salem, NC/Glenn HS) and senior defensive end Ron Ellington (Charlotte, NC/Independence HS). Senior running back Kory Fisher (New Bern, NC/New Bern HS) was a second team selection.

Crosby anchored an offensive line that paved the way for a record-breaking season on offense for Catawba. The Indians shattered the previous marks for points and yardage in a season, averaging 44.5 points and 478 yards per game. The unit allowed just 11 sacks in nearly 450 pass attempts.

Ellington is honored on the all-region team for the third time. He was third on the team this season with 70 tackles, including a team-high seven and half sacks and 17 stops for losses. Ellington caused four fumbles and recovered two, returning one for a score in a playoff win over Albany State. He finishes his career with 26 sacks, ranking third best all-time at Catawba.

Fisher led the team with 971 yards rushing on the year and scored 13 total touchdowns. He finished fourth in the league in rushing and sixth in scoring. Fisher finished his career with 2,625 yards which ranks him second on Catawba's all-time rushing list.

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Pos. Name School Yr.
TE Chris Conklin* Wingate SR
WR Cedric Jones* Valdosta State SO
WR Virgil Union Lane SR
OL Heath Benedict* Newberry SR
OL Ross Conn Harding JR
OL Terrence Crosby Catawba SO
OL Mark Ellis Delta State JR
OL Kurt Kutscher Henderson State SR
OL J.D. Whited North Alabama SR
QB David Knighton* Harding JR
RB Alex Haynes* Newberry SR
RB Willie Hopson Ouachita Baptist SR
AP Terry Allen* West Alabama FR
AP Dedrick Wilson* Delta State JR
K Jake Grubbs* Ft. Valley State JR

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Pos. Name School Yr.
DL Kenwin Cummings Wingate SR
DL Ron Ellington Catawba SR
DL Curtis Johnson* Clark Atlanta SR
LB Jeffrey Cargile Morehouse SO
LB Michael Eubanks* Delta State SR
LB William Montford Valdosta State SR
LB Brandon Smith Virginia Union SO
CB Devon Hughes* Henderson State JR
CB Monterio James Delta State JR
S Craig Fox North Alabama SR
S Sherard Reynolds* Valdosta State JR
P Michael Podobnik* Arkansas Tech JR

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Pos. Name School Yr.
TE Scott Houser Henderson State SR
TE Josh Throckmorton UNC Pembroke FR
WR Jeremy Franklin Johnson C. Smith FR
WR Tracey Stiger Arkansas Tech JR
OL Jeremy Ashcraft Arkansas Tech JR
OL Kevin Davis Henderson State SR
OL Chris Goff Delta State SR
OL Kynneth Moses Virginia Union JR
OL John Simmons Delta State SR
OL Louis West Henderson State JR
QB Jacary Atkinson Tuskegee JR
RB Kory Fisher Catawba SR
RB Isaac Redman Bowie State JR
RB J.L. Williams Arkansas-Monticello SR
AP De'Audra Dix Johnson C. Smith SR
K Andrew Coln Lenoir-Rhyne SR

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
Pos. Name School Yr.
DL Sam Carter Henderson State SR
DL Chris Eccles Delta State SR
DL Michael Lewis Delta State SR
DL Tony Ransom Newberry SR
DL Adrian Samples Tusculum SR
LB Lardester Hicks Delta State SO
LB Michael Johnson North Alabama SO
LB Earl Thomas Morehouse JR
LB Larry White Arkansas-Monticello JR
CB Rashawn Champion Mars Hill SR
CB De'Audra Dix Johnson C. Smith SR
CB Tito Jose Arkansas Tech JR
S Ivan Diggs Ft. Valley State SR
S Jamarcus Wiggins Delta State SR
P Brandon Larkin Clark Atlanta SR