Big South Places 7 on STATS FCS All-American Teams
The Big South placed seven football student-athletes on the annual STATS FCS All-America Team, headlined by First-Team selection Darius Hammond of Charleston Southern. The Buccaneers led the conference with four honorees -- Hammond, Erik Austell, Anthony Ellis and Solomon Brown. Also named to the team were Gardner-Webb's Chad Geter, Monmouth's Mike Basile and Liberty's Hunter Winstead.
Hammond earned First Team honors at kick returner after leading the FCS in kickoff returns by a wide margin in the 2016 season. Hammond's All-America recognition was his second in as many days as the senior returner was named to the Walter Camp FCS All-America Team on Monday afternoon. The Johnston, S.C. native averaged a Big South single-season record 33.7 yards per return in the 2017 season. He ranked 17th nationally in combined kick returns and 23rd in all-purpose yards, cementing his place as one of the most dynamic threats in the country. Hammond earned Big South Special Teams Player of the Year honors after pacing the conference in kickoff returns and punt returns.
He broke an 83-yard kickoff return at Liberty on his way to accumulating 154 return yards and earning November 14 Big South Special Teams Player of the Week honors. Hammond's returns boosted the Bucs' field position all season highlighted by a 58-yard return in the win at Monmouth, a key 48-yard kickoff return in CSU's win at Coastal Carolina and a 65-yard return in a victory over Bucknell. He averaged 35.6 yards on eight kickoff returns in conference play.
Austell's Second Team recognition was his third award received this week after previously earning Second Team AP All-America honors and First Team AFCA All-America recognition. The Warner Robins, Ga. native Austell was voted a team captain prior to the season and bounced back from an injury to return to his normal dominant self in his season year. He started 10 games and graded out at 91.4 percent while recording 84 knockdown blocks. Austell earned a place on the All-Big South first-team after powering the nation's sixth best rushing attack. CSU scored 30+ points six times and tallied 500+ yards of offense four times. He finished his career with 39 starts and was an integral part of the winningest senior class in program history.
Ellis' All-America recognition was his second of the postseason after previously being named to the AP Second Team this past Thursday. Ellis was named the 2016 Big South Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in sacks (7.0) and tackles-for-loss (16.0). The junior is the second player in conference history to post two seven-sack seasons. The Apopka, Fla., native is also a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in the FCS. Ellis shined in league play as he totaled a league-best 9.5 TFL in five games (1.90 per game), and tied for the top spot with four sacks (one each against Monmouth, Presbyterian, Gardner-Webb and Liberty). He also had 24 of his 45 stops against Big South foes, 15 of which were solo.
Solomon Brown earned his spot on the FCS STATS Third Team as an integral player in CSU's 'Blue Swarm' defense. Brown followed up on his Big South Freshman of the Year campaign in 2015 by excelling the bandit position in the lineup. Brown finished the season third in the Big South in tackles for loss (13.0) and sixth in sacks (4.5). He also led CSU overall in tackles with 70 on the year. Brown saved his best game for when the spotlight shined brightest with nine tackles, three tackles for loss, a sack and a pass breakup that nearly resulted in an interception against No. 3 Florida State. He added a season-high 13 tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss in the 2016 FCS Quarterfinal at Wofford.
Geter earned a second-team spot following a stellar senior season. It is Geter's third All-America Team spot this postseason, putting him in an elite group of Gardner-Webb linebackers. Hall of Famers Bo Shannon (1998) and Tory Atkins (2001) are the only other linebackers in Gardner-Webb history to earn three All-America positions in the same season.
Geter earned his status with a career-best year in 2016, leading the Big South and ranking No. 13 nationally with a career-high 118 total tackles. That included a career-best 67 solo stops – which also led the Big South Conference and ranked No. 8 nationally. The 6-foot-2, 253-pound outside linebacker was runner up for the Big South Conference Defensive Player of the Year award in 2016, earning All-Big South Conference honors for the third time in his four seasons on the field. In addition to his total tackles, Geter added 8.0 tackles for loss and led Gardner-Webb's young defense with six quarterback pressures. He posted at least 10 stops in six consecutive games to close out the season, which helped the Runnin' Bulldogs finish above .500 in Big South play for the first time since 2003. In three games against ranked opponents, Geter averaged 12.3 tackles per game and supplied 11.4 hits per game in five Big South contests.
Basile was named to the Second Team, his third Second-Team All-American honor. He was previously recognized by the Associated Press and the AFCA for his play this past season. The Brick, NJ native wrapped up his junior campaign with his third straight First Team All-Big South selection after finishing second in the league with 110 tackles. He had five games of 10+ tackles, including 16 against FBS foe Kent State. Basile led the conference in forced fumbles and blocked kicks with three. Heading into his final year Basile ranks third all-time in tackles at Monmouth with 307.
Winstead collected third team honors at long snapper. He is a two-time Big South all-conference honoree. He earned second-team honors in 2015 and was named to the first team following the 2016 season. The three-year starter has finished the last two seasons with a 100.0 percent snap rating. He finished the 2016 season with two assisted tackles, giving him six for his Liberty career. Winstead, a native of Raleigh, N.C., has worked side by side with punter Trey Turner, helping Turner earn All-Big South honors the last two seasons. Turner finished second in the Big South in punting this year after leading the conference the last two seasons. He ranked No. 37 in the country in punting in 2016, averaging 41.0 yards per punt.