Five SAC Football Players Named To D2Football.com All-America Team

LIBERTY, Mo. - More All-American honors continue to come to some of the top football players in the South Atlantic Conference.

Three players from league champion Carson-Newman College, along with the SAC Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year were named to the D2Football.com All-America team.

Carson-Newman offensive lineman Michael Tribue and running back Buck Wakefield were named to the second team offense, while Newberry defensive back Ron Parker was named to the second team defense.

Mars Hill College running back Jonas Randolph and Carson-Newman running back Mario Russell were both named honorable mention.

Tribue, a 6-3, 235-pound senior, anchored the Carson-Newman offensive line that averaged 471.9 yards per game. He received the SAC's Jacobs Blocking Trophy award, presented to the league's top lineman each year.

Wakefield averaged 137.7 yards rushing per game and scored 21 touchdowns. After missing the first two games, the Eagles went 11-1 with Wakefield in the lineup.

Buck Wakefield

Michael Tribue

Ron Parker

Jonas Randolph

Mario Russell

This marks the second All-American honor earned by Parker this season.

Parker (St. Helena Island, S.C.) earned his first career All-American honor in December as he was named a 2009 DAKTRONICS second team All-American. Parker is the 2009 South Atlantic Conference Defensive Player of the Year as well as a first team all-SAC honoree and DAKTRONICS first team all-Super Region 2 selection. He was also named all-South Carolina by The State newspaper and the Orangeburg Touchdown Club, where he and teammate Matt Holmes will be honored next weekend at a banquet.

He was Newberry's leading tackler and had the second most tackles in the conference at 8.3 stops per game. He led the SAC in interceptions with six picks and added seven pass breakups for a total of 13 passes defended, which was second most in the SAC. He tied for 11th in Division II in interceptions and tied for 68th in Division II in tackles per game. He also forced two fumbles and made 5.5 tackles for loss and was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week after returning an interception for the game-winning touchdown at Wingate.

Randolph (Daleville, Ala.) was previously selected to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and the Daktronics All-American Teams. He is the only sophomore that was chosen to the AFCA All-American squad. Randolph is only the fourth AFCA All-American in the school's history.

Randolph was also named South Atlantic Conference Co-Offensive Player of the Year last season. He led the league in rushing yards (1,804), all-purpose yards (1,879) and touchdowns (19).

Randolph rewrote the Mars Hill record books in 2009. He broke seven school records and twice tied one record. He set the school records for most single-season rushing yards (1,804), single-season rushing touchdowns (19), single-season all-purpose touchdowns (19), rushing attempts in a single season (312), rushing attempts in a single game (44 rushes vs. Catawba), most points scored in a single game (24 twice: vs. Newberry and Tusculum), and most points scored in a single season (114).

He also twice tied the school record for most rushing touchdowns in a single game (four vs. Newberry and Tusculum).

Wayne State (MI) running back Joique Bell and North Alabama linebacker Mike Johnson highlight the 100 players named to the 2008 D2Football.com All-America Team.

A total of 53 schools had players selected to the team, with National Champion Northwest Missouri and National Runner-up Grand Valley leading with seven overall selections each. North Alabama led the way with four first-team selections.

Bell, the 2009 Harlon Hill winner, was named the Offensive Player of the Year. Johnson was named the Defensive Player of the Year. Mel Tjeerdsma, coach of National Champion Northwest Missouri, is the Coach of the Year.

The D2Football.com All-America Team was selected by the website's staff with input from coaches and sports information directors from around the country. D2Football.com has named an All-America Team since its inception in 2000.

Click here to view the entire 2009 season D2Football.com All-American listing