NEWBERRY, S.C. --- Three Tusculum College student-athletes have been named to the Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Super Region 2 Football First Team announced officials Wednesday.

Senior Deonte Gist garnered All-Region First Team honors at both receiver and return specialist, while senior wideout Rashaad Carter and senior defensive end Terrence Smith also garnered first team accolades at their respective positions.

Gist, a 5-9, 175-pound senior from Wellford, S.C., returns to the Daktronics All-Region First Team, after leading the league in receptions for a second straight year, averaging 8.1 catches per contest, which are second in the nation (NCAA II). The 2010 consensus All-American capped his outstanding career with 81 receptions for 900 yards and four touchdowns this season. His 81 catches are tied for the fourth most in school history, while his 900 yards are eighth-best in TC history and 31st in the country. His 90 receiving yards per game average is also 24th in DII.

Gist shined on Tusculum's special teams, where he led the SAC in kickoff return average at 29.43 yards per return, which is seventh in the country. Of his 21 returns, two were for touchdowns, including a 94-yarder against Brevard earlier this season. He also returned a 92-yarder at Newberry, for his school-record fourth career kickoff return for touchdown.

Gist becomes only the third player in Tusculum history to earn All-Region recognition at two different positions in the same year. Paul Czerniak earned honors at both punter and placekicker in 2000 and again in 2001. Ricardo Colclough achieved the double-double at defensive back and return specialist during the 2003 season.

Gist ends his Tusculum career as the program's all-time leader in all-purpose yards (4,374) and kickoff returns yards (1,593). His 2,540 career receiving yards are second in TC history, while his 12 career games with 100 receiving yards are a Tusculum-best. He also posted 20 outings with 100 all-purpose yards, including eight straight games in 2011. His 1,642 all-purpose yards in 2011 are the third-most in school history, while his 164.2 yards per game average is second in the league and 12th in the country.

Carter, the program's all-time leader in receiving yards, earns All-Region recognition for the first time in his stellar career. The 6-3, 205-pound senior from Stone Mountain, Ga. led the Pioneers with 1,056 receiving yards, the third-best single-season tally in school history. Carter becomes the first player in Tusculum history to record over 1,000 receiving yards in multiple seasons, following last year's 1,004-yard effort.

This fall, Carter made 70 receptions (T6th in TC history), while averaging 96 receiving yards per game, which were second in the conference 14th in the nation. His eight touchdown catches this year are tied for sixth in Tusculum history, while his 23 career touchdown catches are second in school history.

Carter's 2,928 receiving yards are a school record and the seventh-most in SAC history, while his 210 career receptions are second-most at Tusculum and fourth in the league record books. He is tied with Gist for the most career games with 100 receiving yards (12), including six times in 2011.

Carter and Gist established a NCAA II record this year for the most career receptions by two players from the same team. Carter (210) and Gist (207) combined for 417 catches between them from 2008-2011. The TC duo were the top two receivers for a Tusculum offense that averages 311 passing yards per game (7th in NCAA II).

Smith is named to the All-Region defensive line for a second consecutive year. The 6-6, 240-pound defensive end from College Park, Ga., led the conference with 10 sacks, which are the second-most in school history and currently 23rd most in the nation. The two-time All-SAC honoree has been named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week for his performances in the last two games of the regular season. He recorded a school single-game record four sacks in Tusculum's 38-20 win over Wingate. He preceded that with a career-best 17 tackles against Carson-Newman for the seventh-best defensive performance in TC history. His 19 career sacks are tied for the second-most ever by a Pioneer, while his 42 tackles for loss are fifth in the Tusculum record books.

Smith led a defense that finished second in the nation in pass defense, allowing just 140.64 yards per contest.

The Daktronics NCAA DII All-Region teams are selected by the NCAA Division II members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (D2SIDA). The online nomination and voting process is powered by ATHLETICSITE.COM. The team is sponsored by Daktronics, Inc., an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition.

- TC -

2011 Daktronics NCAA Division II All-Super Region 2 Football Team
First Team Offense
TE - Josh Crumpton, Mars Hill
WR - Deonte Gist, Tusculum
WR - Rashaad Carter, Tusculum
OL - Chandler Rearden, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Kyle Thornton, North Alabama
OL - Tyler Hodgson, Mars Hill
OL - Jamie Dixon, North Alabama
OL - Darrell Leopold, Delta State
QB - Micah Davis, Delta State
RB - Jonas Randolph, Mars Hill
RB - Travis Daniels, UNC Pembroke
RS - Deonte Gist, Tusculum
K - Colin Corpe, Lenoir-Rhyne

First Team Defense
DL - Zeke Andrews, Carson-Newman
DL - Robbie Mayers, Delta State
DL - Terrence Smith, Tusculum
LB - Apollo Stretch, Newberry
LB - Jamarkus Gaskins, Albany State
LB - Marcus Dowtin, North Alabama
LB - Ixavier Triplett, Delta State
CB - Janoris Jenkins, North Alabama
CB - Dominique Davenport, Delta State
S - Harrison Dreiling, Valdosta State
S - Michael Green, Lenoir-Rhyne
P - Andrew Jones, Delta State

Second Team Offense
TE - Dex Hopkins, Delta State
WR - Mo Milliam, North Alabama
WR - Chris Bowden, Wingate
OL - Mike Arndt, Wingate
OL - Lamar Young, Delta State
OL - Marlon Jones, Morehouse
OL - Ryan Schraeder, Valdosta State
OL - Kendall Hunter, Delta State
OL - Jessie Mitchell, Kentucky State
OL - Chase Gamble, Newberry
QB - Willy Korn, North Greenville
RB - David Carter, Morehouse
RB - Nate Inman, Carson-Newman
RB - Nathan Hoyte, Albany State
RS - Keith Massey, Kentucky State
K - Taylor Baskett, UNC Pembroke

Second Team Defense
DL - Mark Hoskins, Delta State
DL - Darel Strong, Clark Atlanta
DL - Kevin Johnson, Mars Hill
LB - Fred Williams, UNC Pembroke
LB - Cory Jones, Lane
LB - Demetrius Green, Lenoir-Rhyne
LB - JacQuan Persley, Kentucky State
CB - Marvin James, Mars Hill
CB - Dwight Tillman, Delta State
S - Rashad McCrae, Albany State
S - Tyren Futch, Lane
P - Michael Schuster, North Alabama

Region Offensive Player of the Year: Jonas Randolph, Mars Hill
Region Defensive Player of the Year: Jamarkus Gaskins, Albany State