Southland Conference Announces Football All-Academic Team
FRISCO, Texas – McNeese defensive lineman Isaiah Chambers is the Southland Conference Football Student-Athlete of the Year and one of the Cowboys’ two selections to the all-academic team, announced by the league Tuesday. Student-Athlete of the Year awards are presented by
GEICO.
Ten programs were represented on the squad, led by five picks each for FCS national champion Sam Houston and Central Arkansas. Northwestern State, Southeastern Louisiana and Stephen F. Austin each placed three on the team, followed by Houston Baptist, UIW and McNeese each with two honorees. Abilene Christian and Lamar rounded out the list with one selection each.
A first-time all-academic honoree, Chambers boasts a 3.66 GPA as a graduate student majoring in criminal justice. Named first-team all-America by Stats Perform, AP, Athlon Sports and the AFCA, he was named the league’s Defensive Player of the Year and finished fourth in the Buck Buchanan Award voting after tallying league highs in tackles for loss (14) and sacks (7.5) this spring.
Five student-athletes are returning all-academic selections, led by three-time honoree Gavin Roland of Stephen F. Austin. SLU running back Taron Jones, UCA kicker Hayden Ray, SHSU punter Matt McRobert, and LU defensive back Andre Mulinax each picked up their second all-academic nod.
Three individuals posted perfect 4.00 grade point averages in UIW’s Reid Francis, UCA’s Will Siler and SLU’s Matthew Wright. Another seven student-athletes came in with GPAs of 3.60 or higher, and the average GPA of the squad is 3.48.
Southland Conference All-Academic Teams are voted upon by the head coach, sports information director and an academic/compliance staff member from each school. Student-Athletes of the Year are voted upon by an awards committee which consists of one administrator from each member school. Voting for one’s own athletes is not permitted.
To be eligible for all-academic distinction, an athlete must hold a minimum 3.00 cumulative GPA through the semester prior to the sport’s championship, completed at least one full academic year at the nominating school prior to the current season, and participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s competitions during the most recently completed season.
Student-Athlete of the Year nominees must have at least a 3.20 GPA and have completed at least two years of athletic competition at the nominating school, including the current season.
Southland Football Student-Athlete of the Year: Isaiah Chambers, McNeese
Southland Football All-Academic Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Hometown |
Cl. |
GPA |
Major |
| QB |
Bailey Zappe* |
Houston Baptist |
Victoria, Texas |
Sr. |
3.39 |
Marketing |
| RB |
Taron Jones2 |
Southeastern La. |
Mandeville, La. |
Jr. |
3.36 |
Finance |
| RB |
Cameron Myers |
Central Arkansas |
Plant City, Fla. |
So. |
3.34 |
Psychology |
| TE |
Chad Aune* |
Stephen F. Austin |
Denton, Texas |
R-Fr. |
3.10 |
Kinesiology |
| WR |
Ife Adeyi |
Sam Houston |
Mansfield, Texas |
So. |
3.09 |
Construction Mgmt. |
| WR |
Trevor Begue |
McNeese |
Lafayette, La. |
Gr. |
3.66 |
Business Admin. |
| WR |
Gavin Landry |
Northwestern St. |
White Castle, La. |
Gr. |
3.93 |
Business Admin. |
| OL |
Khalil Corbett-Canada |
Northwestern St. |
Harker Heights, Texas |
Gr. |
3.50 |
Health/Exercise Science |
| OL |
Reid Francis |
UIW |
College Station, Texas |
R-Fr. |
4.00 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| OL |
Christian Hood* |
Houston Baptist |
Marshall, Texas |
So. |
3.59 |
Kinesiology |
| OL |
Rendon Miles-Character |
Southeastern La. |
New Orleans, La. |
Sr. |
3.09 |
Sport Management |
| OL |
Will Siler |
Central Arkansas |
Searcy, Ark. |
Sr. |
4.00 |
Biology/Pre-Med |
| PK |
Hayden Ray*2 |
Central Arkansas |
Bryant, Ark. |
Jr. |
3.37 |
General Science |
| P |
Matt McRobert*2 |
Sam Houston |
Berorwa, Australia |
Gr. |
3.26 |
Kinesiology |
| DL |
Isaiah Chambers*^ |
McNeese |
Houston, Texas |
Gr. |
3.66 |
Criminal Justice |
| DL |
Logan Jessup* |
Central Arkansas |
Wynne, Ark. |
So. |
3.16 |
Physical/Teacher Education |
| DL |
JW Jones* |
Central Arkansas |
Rayville, La. |
Sr. |
3.33 |
Exercise Science |
| DL |
Jahari Kay* |
Sam Houston |
Berkeley, Calif. |
Sr. |
3.18 |
Communications |
| DL |
Quent Titre* |
Abilene Christian |
Missouri City, Texas |
Jr. |
3.51 |
Information Systems |
| LB |
Brevin Randle* |
Stephen F. Austin |
Marshall, Texas |
So. |
3.00 |
General Business |
| LB |
Blake Stephenson |
Northwestern St. |
Deer Park, Texas |
Gr. |
3.66 |
Business Admin. |
| LB |
Trevor Williams |
Sam Houston |
College Station, Texas |
Jr. |
3.32 |
Entrepreneurship |
| DB |
Shawn Holton |
UIW |
Fort Worth, Texas |
So. |
3.63 |
Criminal Justice |
| DB |
Tristin McCollum |
Sam Houston |
Galveston, Texas |
Sr. |
3.11 |
Kinesiology |
| DB |
Andre Mulinax2 |
Lamar |
Fort Worth, Texas |
Sr. |
3.81 |
Exercise Science |
| DB |
Gavin Roland3 |
Stephen F. Austin |
League City, Texas |
Sr. |
3.90 |
Biology |
| DB |
Matthew Wright |
Southeastern La. |
Austin, Texas |
Gr. |
4.00 |
Business Admin |
* Automatic selection; First Team All-Conference
^ Southland Football Student-Athlete of the Year
2 Two-time all-academic selection
3 Three-time all-academic selection