Big South Announces 2009 Football Award Winners
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (www.BigSouthSports.com) - Liberty wide receiver/quarterback Mike Brown (Charlottesville, Va.) and Stony Brook linebacker Tyler Santucci (New Kensington, Pa.) have been voted the 2009 Big South Football Offensive Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, respectively, by the Conference's head coaches and media panel, it was announced today by the League office. Gardner-Webb defensive lineman Matt Goods (East Orange, N.J.) was tabbed Freshman of the Year, while Stony Brook's Chuck Priore was voted Coach of the Year. In addition, the Big South's sports information directors voted Gardner-Webb's Mario Brown (Greenville, S.C.) as the Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
Brown was a three-time Big South Offensive Player of the Week selection in 2009, including honors at two positions. He started all 11 games with 10 at wide receiver and one at quarterback. Brown was second in the Big South with 11 touchdowns scored this season (nine rushing and two receiving), as well as second in the League with 60 receptions and third with 698 receiving yards. He also was third in the Conference in all-purpose yards per game (128.8) and second in all-purpose yards per game in Big South contests (119.7). He also rushed for 442 yards on 77 carries (5.7 average) and notched three multi-touchdown games in 2009. Brown was responsible for 15 total touchdowns as a running back, wide receiver and quarterback, and scored on an 80-yard pass play at Gardner-Webb and a 70-yard rush at Stony Brook. He posted the two highest single-game receiving totals in the Big South this year - 157 yards at West Virginia and 198 against Gardner-Webb, and ranked 37th nationally in receptions per game with 5.45. Brown led Liberty to a road victory in his only start at quarterback, passing for 242 yards on 29-of-36 attempts and a touchdown and rushing for 88 yards and a score at Lafayette, earning National Player of the Week accolades from The Sports Network and College Sporting News for his performance.
Brown received 16 first-place votes and 34 points, ahead of runner-up Stan Doolittle (Gardner-Webb), who received one first-place vote and 11 points. Charleston Southern's Gerald Stevenson was third in the voting with 10 points (two first-place votes).
Santucci tied for second in the Big South with a career-high 93 tackles (8.5 per game), including 57 solo stops. He also tied for first in the League with 14.0 TFL (-57 yards) and collected 3.0 sacks. He also forced two fumbles on the year, recovered one fumble, and had one interception from his linebacker position. Santucci made at least six tackles in every game and had a streak of six consecutive contests with a TFL. He reached 10-or-more tackles three times in 2009, including tying his career-high of 13 at then-No. 15 UMass. Santucci had four games with at least two tackles-for-loss and finished with 5.5 TFL in Big South games with 2.0 sacks. He helped Stony Brook lead the Big South in scoring defense and total defense in Conference games, and had two tackles-for-loss, one sack and seven total tackles in the Seawolves' season finale win over No. 16 Liberty. He finished his career with 146 solo tackles to tie the school record.
Santucci received eight first-place votes and 22 points, edging out runner-up Marty Patterson (Gardner-Webb), who received seven first-place votes and 20 points. Liberty's Trey Jacobs was third in the voting with 10 points (two first-place votes), followed by Charleston Southern's Andrew McKain (eight points, three first-place votes).
Goods was a three-time Big South Freshman of the Week honoree in 2009, and led all freshman defensive linemen in the League with 40 total tackles. A non-starter, he played all 11 games and ranked second overall in the Big South with 10.5 TFL, and was fifth in the Conference with four quarterback sacks. Goods was second on Gardner-Webb with seven quarterback pressures/hurries, and had a season-high six tackles, one tackle-for-loss and a forced fumble that set up the winning score at VMI on Oct. 3. In addition, Goods had four tackles and a half sack vs. Stony Brook on Oct. 31, blocked an extra point at Buffalo, and had one sack and two pressures in Gardner-Webb's road win at Western Carolina.
Goods received 11 first-place votes and 24 points, ahead of Presbyterian College running back Lance Byrd (eight first-place votes and 20 points) and Liberty rusher Aldreakis Allen (one first-place vote and 16 points).
Priore earns his first Big South Coach of the Year award after leading Stony Brook to a share of the Big South championship in the school's second year as a member of the Conference. He led the Seawolves to a 5-1 League record, including the first-ever win over a ranked opponent as a Division I program with their 36-33 season finale win over No. 16 Liberty -- which snapped the Flames' Big South-record 16-game Conference win streak. In two seasons, Stony Brook has defeated every Big South team and is 8-3 in League games in that span. Stony Brook played its first season with the full allotment of 63 scholarships in 2009 and received votes in The Sports Network Top 25 poll five times, including the final week of the regular-season for the first time as a Division I program. As a team, the Seawolves rank 16th nationally in turnover margin and 30th nationally in rushing offense, and ranked second in the Big South in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense in overall games. In League contests, SBU was tops in scoring defense, total defense and opponent third-down conversions. The Seawolves won six games for the first time since 2007 and five Conference games for the first time since winning five as members of the Northeast Conference in 2006. Stony Brook also went undefeated at home in 2009 and carries a five-game home win streak into the 2010 campaign.
Priore received 16 first-place votes and 34 points, finishing ahead of Charleston Southern's Jay Mills (three first-place votes and 14 points). Liberty head coach Danny Rocco was third in the voting with 10 points (one first-place vote).
The Big South also announced its All-Conference first and second teams. The squads are comprised of 12 offensive and defensive players and five special teams players, plus any ties. Liberty led the way with 17 selections. Gardner-Webb was second with 11 All-Conference members, including a League-high seven First-Team honorees, followed by Charleston Southern (9), Stony Brook (7), VMI (7), Coastal Carolina (6) and Presbyterian College (3).
Brown, Santucci and Goods all earned a spot on the All-Conference First-Team. Charleston Southern's Andrew McKain picked up All-Big South First-Team honors as a linebacker and long snapper. VMI's Tim Maypray picks up All-Conference honors at his fourth position, having been selected as a kickoff return specialist and wide receiver in 2007, quarterback in 2008 and now at punt returner in 2009.
Four players also have now been bestowed All-Conference honors for the third time in their careers: Maypray, teammate Howard Abegesah, Coastal Carolina's Phillip Oboh and Gardner-Webb's Mario Brown. The list of 2009 award winners and All-Conference members appears below.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mike Brown, R-Soph., WR/QB, Liberty
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tyler Santucci, Sr., LB, Stony Brook
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Matt Goods, DL, Gardner-Webb
COACH OF THE YEAR
Chuck Priore, Stony Brook
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Mario Brown, R-Sr., LB, Gardner-Webb
2009 BIG SOUTH FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS
FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB - Stan Doolittle, Sr., Gardner-Webb
RB - Edwin Gowins, Soph., Stony Brook
RB - Conte Cuttino, Sr., Stony Brook
WR - Mike Brown, R-Soph., Liberty
WR - Gerald Stevenson, Jr., Charleston Southern
WR - James Perry III, R-Soph., Gardner-Webb
TE - David Duran, R-So., Coastal Carolina
OL - Bryan Mosier, R-Sr., Liberty
OL - Paul Fenaroli, Jr., Stony Brook
OL - Corey O'Daniel, Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL - George Handler, R-Sr., VMI
OL - Josh Weaver, R-Sr., Liberty
DEFENSE
DL - Trey Jacobs, Sr., Liberty
DL - Phillip Oboh, Sr., Coastal Carolina
DL - Matt Goods, Fr., Gardner-Webb
DL - Joel Walton, Jr., Charleston Southern
LB - Tyler Santucci, Sr., Stony Brook
LB - Marty Patterson, Jr., Gardner-Webb
LB - Mario Brown, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
LB - Andrew McKain, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
DB - Josh Norman, Soph., Coastal Carolina
DB - Arin West, Jr., Stony Brook
DB - KaJuan Lee, R-Soph., Liberty
DB - Chris Kuzdale, Soph., Charleston Southern
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - Matt Bevins, Soph., Liberty
P - Marc Ray, R-Fr., VMI
LS - Andrew McKain, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
KR - David Montgomery, Sr., Gardner-Webb
PR - Tim Maypray, Sr., VMI
SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB - Tommy Beecher, R-Sr., Liberty
RB - Howard Abegesah, Sr., VMI
RB - Patrick Hall, Jr., Gardner-Webb
WR - Chris Summers, R-Soph., Liberty
WR - Patrick McKoy, Soph., Presbyterian College
WR - Kwame Krakue, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
TE - Will Quarles, R-Sr., Liberty
OL - Ryan Boehm, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina
OL - Kyle Webber, Sr., Gardner-Webb
OL - J.W. Myers, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
OL - Mario Cosby, R-Sr., Liberty
OL - Alex Stadler, R-Jr., Liberty
DEFENSE
DL - Josh Wine, Jr., VMI
DL - Quinnon Isom, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL - Asa Chapman, Soph, Liberty
DL - Chris Perri, Sr., Stony Brook
LB - Doncel Bolt, Jr., Liberty
LB - Wes Cheek, Sr., Liberty
LB - Emilio Calvin, R-Soph., VMI
LB - Desmond Steward, R-Soph., Coastal Carolina
DB - Byron Allen, R-Soph., VMI
DB - Chris Rocco, Sr., Liberty
DB - Justin Bethel, Soph., Presbyterian College
DB - Chris Richards, Sr., Stony Brook
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK - John Paglia, Jr., Charleston Southern (tie)
PK - Ryan Gates, Soph., Gardner-Webb (tie)
P - Mike Larsson, Soph., Liberty
LS - Matt Quinn, Sr., Presbyterian College
KR - Aaron Hewlett, R-Sr., Liberty
PR - Antwan Ivey, Soph., Charleston Southern
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Andrew McKain, R-Sr., LB, Charleston Southern
Justin Durham, R-Jr., K, Coastal Carolina
Mario Brown, R-Sr., LB, Gardner-Webb
Chris Rocco, Sr., DB, Liberty
Matt Freeman, Sr., DL, Presbyterian College
Jeff Santos, Sr., OL, Stony Brook
George Handler, R-Sr., OL, VMI