SPARTANBURG, SC -- The Southern Conference Sports Media Association today named its 2003 All-Southern Conference football team and its individual award winners.
Georgia Southern fullback Jermaine Austin was named the Offensive Player of the Year by the media. Austin, a sophomore, led the SoCon in rushing with 1,461 yards and in all-purpose yards with an average of 133.5 yards per game.
Wofford safety Matt Nelson was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year. Nelson, a senior, intercepted five passes during the regular season and is the fourth-leading tackler in the SoCon with 96 stops. Wofford will host North Carolina A&T on Nov. 29 in the first round of the NCAA Division I-AA Playoffs.
Wofford head coach Mike Ayers was named the Coach of the Year by the Sports Media Association. Ayers led the Terriers to a 10-1 record, an 8-0 Southern Conference record, a 10-game winning streak and the school’s first-ever berth in NCAA Division I postseason play.
Wofford running back Kevious Johnson was picked as the Freshman of the Year. Johnson leads the Terriers in rushing with 582 yards and nine touchdowns.
Wofford led the way on the all-conference team with eight players selected to the first team. In total 10 Terriers earned a spot on the first and second team. Furman had the most total selections with 12 players on the two teams.
Western Carolina and Wofford each landed three players on the offensive first team. The Catamounts were represented by tight end Todd Bargella, wide receiver Lamont Seward and tackle Jason Whaley. Wofford place guard Eric Deutsch and Bobby Gibbs as well as tackle Chad Bentley on the first team.
Five Terriers earned first team mention on defense including Nelson, lineman Lee Basinger, linebacker Timmy Thrift and Teddie Whitaker and punter Jimmy Miner.
Furman had five first team selections including center Corey Stewart, placekicker Danny Marshall, defensive lineman Michael Burant, linebacker Mike Killian and defensive back Cam Newton.
MEDIA First Team All-Southern Conference Offense
TE Todd Bargella Western Carolina 6-5 260 Sr. Nanticoke, PA/Lackwanna JC
WR Alonzo Nix Chattanooga 6-1 180 Jr. Laurel, MS/Jones Community College
WR Lamont Seward Western Carolina 5-11 200 Sr. Warrenton, NC/Warren County
OT Jason Whaley Western Carolina 6-3 265 Sr. Beulaville, NC/East Duplin
OT Chad Bentley Wofford 6-1 290 Sr. Pickens, SC/Pickens
C Corey Stewart Furman 6-2 283 So. Lilburn, GA/Brookwood
OG Bobby Gibbs Wofford 6-3 290 Jr. Corbin, KY/Whitley County
OG Eric Deutsch Wofford 6-3 315 Sr. Cincinnati, OH/Wyoming
QB Willie Simmons Citadel 6-0 195 Sr. Quincy, FL
RB Jermaine Austin Georgia Southern 5-8 198 So. Darien,GA/McIntosh County
RB Nehemiah Broughton Citadel 6-0 240 Jr. North Charleston, SC/North Charleston
PK Danny Marshall Furman 6-0 188 Sr. Atlanta, GA/Marist
RS Lewis Barr Georgia Southern 5-9 192 So. Winston-Salem, NC/North Forsyth
MEDIA First Team All-Southern Conference Defense
DL K.T. Stovall Appalachian State 6-2 245 Sr. Fayetteville, NC/Pine Forest
DL Michaele Spicer Western Carolina 6-3 260 Sr. Goldsboro, NC/Southern Wayne
DL Lee Basinger Wofford 6-1 255 Jr. Kannapolis, NC/A.L. Brown
DL Michael Burant Furman 6-3 292 Jr. Lexington, VA/Rockbridge County
LB Mike Killian Furman 6-1 234 Jr. Atlanta, GA/Chamblee
LB Timmy Thrift Wofford 6-0 220 Jr. Hilliard, FL/Hilliard
LB Teddie Whitaker Wofford 6-2 230 Sr. Burton, SC/Battery Creek
DB Tony Tiller East Tennessee State 6-1 185 Sr. Lithonia, GA/Stephenson
DB Gerald Sensabaugh East Tennessee State 6-2 210 Jr. Kingsport, TN/Dobyns-Bennett
DB Matt Nelson Wofford 6-1 205 Sr. Grove City, OH/Grove City
DB Cam Newton Furman 6-2 195 Jr. Bennettsville, SC/Marlboro County
P Jimmy Miner Wofford 6-3 195 Sr. Kennesaw, GA/Harrison
MEDIA Second Team All-Southern Conference Offense
TE Willis Sudderth Furman 6-3 244 Jr. Lilburn, GA/Parkview
WR Scooter Johnson Citadel 6-1 190 Sr. Irmo, SC/Irmo
WR Brian Bratton Furman 5-10 178 Jr. Martinez, GA/Lakeside
OT Lew Dawson Citadel 6-6 265 Sr. Fayetteville, NC/Seventy-First
OT Ben Bainbridge Furman 6-6 285 Jr. Acworth, GA/Harrison
C Kevin Olecki Citadel 6-5 265 Sr. Marietta, GA/Harrison
OG Quinton Staton East Tennessee State 6-3 280 So. Chattanooga, TN/Tyner
OG Clayton Dyson Furman 6-1 276 So. North Augusta, SC/North Augusta
QB Brian Gaither Western Carolina 6-3 220 Sr. Winston-Salem, NC/Mt. Tabor
RB J.R. McNair Wofford 5-10 208 Sr. Jonesboro, GA/Mount Zion
RB Hindley Brigham Furman 5-9 196 Sr. Birmingham, AL/Mountain Brook
PK Sean Holland Georgia Southern 5-11 189 Jr. Franklin, TN/Montgomery Bell
RS Davon Fowlkes Appalachian State 5-7 165 Jr. Fort Wayne, IN/Snider
MEDIA Second Team All-Southern Conference Defense
DL Nick McNeil Western Carolina 6-3 245 Sr. Leland, NC/North Brunswick
DL Katon Bethay Wofford 6-2 270 So. Milton, WI/Milton
DL Eric Hadley Georgia Southern 6-2 257 Jr. Thomasville,GA/Thomasville
DL Brandon Calton East Tennessee State 6-4 295 Sr. Pennington Gap, VA/Fork Union
LB Derrick Butler Georgia Southern 6-0 210 Jr. Orangeburg, SC/Orangeburg-Wilkinson
LB Cedrick Ritter Furman 6-3 230 Jr. Fairfax, SC/Allendale-Fairfax
LB Rod Dunlap Western Carolina 6-2 235 Sr. Winston-Salem, NC/R.J. Reynolds
DB Derrick Black Appalachian State 5-8 180 Sr. Tarboro, NC/Hudson Valley C.C.
DB Jay Lyles Appalachian State 6-0 165 Jr. Camden, SC/Camden
DB Corey Lynch Appalachian State 6-1 190 Fr. Cape Coral, FL/Evangelical Christian
DB T.J. Wilson Furman 5-11 186 Jr. Rome, GA/Pepperell
P Nate McKinney Appalachian State 5-11 220 Sr. High Point, NC/Andrews