FRISCO, Texas – Southeastern punter Austin Dunlap is the 2023 Southland Conference Football Student-Athlete of the Year, highlighting this season’s selections to the All-Academic Team.
Dunlap was a stalwardt on the special teams unit as he was mamed first team All-Southland for the second straight season. He led the SLC and ranked seventh in FCS with a 43.9 punting average and was named Southland Special Teams Player of the Week three times. Dunlap finished the season ranked fifth in FCS among active players in career punting average and was a FCS Punter of the Year finalist. He carried a 3.50 GPA while earning his MBA and was named to the CSC Academic All-District.
Four student-athletes have earned all-academic distinction multiple times, while McNeese long snapper Trey Vondenstein had a perfect GPA, leading a team with an average of a 3.50 GPA.
The team was voted upon by the head coach, sports information director, and an academic/compliance staff member from each school. To be eligible for all-academic distinction, an athlete must hold a minimum 3.25 cumulative GPA through the semester prior to the sport’s championship, completed at least one full academic year at the school prior to the current season, and participated in at least 50 percent of the team’s competitions during the most recently completed season.
First team all-conference selections who meet the qualifications are automatically selected to the team.
2023 Southland Football Student-Athlete of the Year: Austin Dunlap, Southeastern
Southland Football All-Academic Team
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Hometown |
Cl. |
GPA |
Major |
| QB |
Zachary Clement 2 |
Southeastern |
Broussard, La. |
Sr. |
3.60 |
Biological Sciences |
| RB |
D'Angelo Durham |
McNeese |
Augusta, Ga. |
Jr. |
3.63 |
H&HP - Health Promotion |
| RB |
Collin Guggenheim*2 |
Nicholls |
Kenner, La. |
Jr. |
3.45 |
Human Performance Education |
| TE |
Lee Negrotto |
Nicholls |
Pass Christian, Miss. |
Jr. |
3.45 |
Health Sciences |
| WR |
Karl Reynolds* |
HCU |
Humble, Texas |
Sr. |
3.25 |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
| WR |
Brandon Porter* |
UIW |
Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. |
Gr. |
3.26 |
Sports Management |
| WR |
Sevonne Rhea |
Lamar |
Houston, Texas |
Jr. |
3.25 |
Criminal Justice |
| OL |
Jacob Dicharry |
Lamar |
Dallas, Texas |
Jr. |
3.47 |
Mechnical Engineering |
| OL |
Christian Hood |
HCU |
Marshall, Texas |
Gr. |
3.81 |
Kinesiology |
| OL |
Robbie Pizzolato |
Nicholls |
Metairie, La. |
R-Fr. |
3.52 |
Interdisciplinary Studies |
| OL |
Nolan Hay |
HCU |
Katy, Texas |
So. |
3.60 |
Finance |
| OL |
Hayes Creel |
McNeese |
Mt. Hermon, La. |
R-Fr. |
3.60 |
H&HP-Health Promotions |
| LS |
Trey Vondenstein 2 |
McNeese |
Katy, Texas |
R-Sr. |
4.00 |
H&HP-Health Promotions |
| PK |
Emmanuel Adagbon |
A&M-Commerce |
Mesquite, Texas |
Sr. |
3.25 |
Public Health |
| P |
Austin Dunlap*2 |
Southeastern |
Slidell, La. |
Sr. |
3.50 |
Business Administration (MBA) |
| DL |
Zack Bernard |
Nicholls |
Mandeville, La. |
Jr. |
3.65 |
Health Sciences |
| DL |
Zae Smith |
HCU |
La Marque, Texas |
Jr. |
3.37 |
Kinesiology |
| DL |
Earnest Grayson |
McNeese |
Tulsa, Okla. |
Jr. |
3.33 |
Psychology |
| DL |
Donovan Green |
Northwestern State |
Palmetto, La. |
Jr. |
3.53 |
Electrical Engineering Technology |
| LB |
Xavier McIntyre |
HCU |
Missouri City, Texas |
Sr. |
3.50 |
Kinesiology |
| LB |
Brayden Faulkner |
Lamar |
Waco, Texas |
So. |
3.58 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| LB |
Brayden Adams |
McNeese |
Lake Charles, La. |
Sr. |
3.37 |
Business Administration (MBA) |
| LB |
Ricky Rich |
UIW |
Richmond, Texas |
Jr. |
3.31 |
Business Management |
| DB |
Tre Richardson |
UIW |
Houston, Texas |
Sr. |
3.39 |
Kinesiology |
| DB |
Sean-Krystoff King |
A&M-Commerce |
Humble, Texas |
Sr. |
3.81 |
Computer Science |
| DB |
Justin Dumas |
Southeastern |
LaPlace, La. |
So. |
3.53 |
Kinesiology |
* = First Team All-Conference
# = Multi-time selection