ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Four Tusculum College student-athletes garnered recognition with the announcement of the 2014 South Atlantic Conference Football Awards on Wednesday by the league office. Three Pioneers were named to the All-SAC Team, while linebacker L'Keith Brown was tabbed the 2014 SAC Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Defensive end Caushaud Lyons and wide receiver Justin Houston were selected to the All-SAC first team, while offensive lineman Jake Bridwell garnered second team recognition on the All-Conference squad.

The SAC Awards are selected by a vote of the conference's eight head football coaches.

Lyons, a 6-5, 295-pound senior from Ellenwood, Georgia, recorded one of the finest seasons ever by a TC defensive lineman. He led the team with 89 tackles this year, which are a new school single-season record for a defensive lineman. Of those stops, 19 were for loss, which are the second most in TC history and most by a Pioneer lineman. He is averaging 8.1 tackles per game, which are most in the SAC and Region for defensive lineman and fourth most in the nation (NCAA II).

In 2014, he recorded 10 or more tackles on four occasions, including a career-high 15 stops against Carson-Newman University. A week later, he posted seven tackles, including four for loss and two sacks in Tusculum's 14-10 road win at Wingate University. Against the Bulldogs, he made five quarterback hurries and broke up a pass. He was named the SAC Defensive Player of the Week and the Tennessee Sportswriters Association College Player of the Week.

Lyons wraps up his collegiate career with 181 tackles, which are a new Tusculum record for a defensive lineman. His 28 career tackles for loss are 10th in school history and second most by a TC lineman. His 13 career sacks are tied for seventh in program history (3rd for defensive lineman). He also was credited for two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and four passes defended, including an interception.

Houston, a 5-8, 180-pound junior from Cleveland, Tennessee, led the Pioneers in receiving for a second straight year with 66 receptions (11th in TC history) for 643 yards (3rd in SAC) and four touchdowns. His 6.0 receptions per game average leads the SAC and is 38th in the country (NCAA II). The two-time All-SAC first team selection also led TC in all-purpose yardage in consecutive seasons with 1,130 yards (7th in SAC), including his 473 kickoff return yards on 17 attempts (27.8 ypr - 2nd in SAC/20th in NCAA II).

The 2013 All-American accounted for a career game against North Greenville University as he finished with a school record 17 catches for 199 yards (3rd in TC history). His 199-yard performance was the tenth 100-yard game of his career, which are third most in school history.

Earlier this fall, he became the program's all-time receptions leader and currently 216 career catches to his credit. He is third in school history with 2,383 receiving yards and sixth with 15 career touchdown receptions. After three seasons at TC, Houston is now fourth all-time with 3,563 all-purpose yards, fourth in kickoff return yards (1,164), fourth in kickoff returns (49) and fourth in kickoff return average (23.76 ypr). He has scored 18 total touchdowns in his career (T10th in TC history), including a school record three kickoff returns. He returned a 65-yarder for a score in this year's season-opener against the College of Faith and a 91-yarder against Carson-Newman. His two kickoff returns for touchdowns this year are tied for the most in NCAA Division II this season.

Bridwell, a 6-2, 290-pound senior from Duncan, South Carolina, started in all 11 games at left tackle for the Pioneers. He anchored a Tusculum offensive front that produced four 100-yard performers this season as well as the third leading passing offense in the league (200.2 ypg).
Brown, a 6-0, 210-pound native of Athens, Georgia, becomes the third Tusculum football student-athlete to earned SAC Freshman of the Year honors and the second to be named Defensive Freshman of the Year. Linebacker Craig Pritchett earned defensive honors in 2000, while quarterback Bo Cordell was tabbed the 2009 Offensive Freshman of the Year.

Brown finished fourth on the team with his 70 total tackles, including five for loss. He recorded two or more tackles in nine of his 10 outings, including 12 stops in Tusculum's 16-14 win over Newberry College. He posted two tackles for loss against the Wolves and forced a fumble on Newberry's final offensive play of the game to preserve the Tusculum victory.

Brown led all players with 14 tackles in the Pioneers' 14-10 win at Wingate University as he finished the contest with one tackle behind the line of scrimmage and two QB hurries. He also tallied 10 tackles at nationally-ranked Lenoir-Rhyne University and nine hits at Catawba College.

Tusculum finished the season with a 6-5 overall record, including a 4-3 league mark to finish in sole possession of third place in the conference. After starting the year 1-4, the Pioneers rebounded by winning five of their final six contests, including a four-game winning streak to conclude the 2014 campaign.

- SAC -

2014 All-South Atlantic Conference Football Team
First Team Offense
QB - De'Andre Thomas, Carson-Newman
QB - Miles Freeman, Lenoir-Rhhyne
RB - Andy Hibbett, Carson-Newman
RB - Chris Robinson, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB - Jarrod Spears, Lenoir-Rhyne
WR - Justin Houston, Tusculum
WR - Dimitri Holmes, Mars Hill
WR - Jordan Berry, Wingate
OL - Josh Turner, Brevard
OL - Robby Ignagni, Carson-Newman
OL - Taylor Fender, Catawba
OL - Joe Ray, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Jimmy Bayer, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Denzell Goode, Mars Hill
TE - Brandon Ellington, Wingate

First Team Defense
DL - Blake Baker, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL - Alsteveis Squirewell, Newberry
DL - Caushaud Lyons, Tusculum
DL - Nick Napolitano, Wingate
LB - Michael Gruber, Brevard
LB - Jason Taylor, Catawba
LB - Tanner Botts, Lenoir-Rhyne
LB - Edmond Robinson, Newberry
LB - Taylor McDonnell, Newberry
DB - Jerry Mclisse, Carson-Newman
DB - O'Neil Blake, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB - Sharon Irwin, Newberry
DB - Brandon Hathaway, Wingate

First Team Specialists
PK - Justin Powell, Lenoir-Rhyne
P - Kyle Clark, Newberry
RS - Lonnie Williams, Carson-Newman
LS - Dustin Nance, Carson-Newman

Second Team Offense
RB - Kelvin Jeter, Brevard
RB - Jordan Ollis, Brevard
RB - Jamel Harbison, Mars Hill
WR - TraShaun Ward, Carson-Newman
WR - Carlos Tarrats, Catawba
WR - Victro Brannan, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Nick Allison, Mars Hill
OL - Stephen Nance, Newberry
OL - Jake Bridwell, Tusculum
OL - Will Poteat, Wingate
TE - Marquez Williams, Mars Hill

Second Team Defense
DL - William Alderman, Carson-Newman
DL - Kegan Funderburk, Catawba
DL - Chris Green, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL - Christiaan Davis, Mars Hill
LB - Rodney Singleton, Lenoir-Rhyne
LB - Jasper Mason, Mars Hill
LB - Eric Mapoles, Wingate
DB - Mark McDaniel, Catawba
DB - Marcus Kincaid, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB - Arnez Gray, Newberry
DB - Jon Jimenez, Wingate

Second Team Specialists
PK - Alex Noboa, Brevard
P - Caleb Berry, Catawba
P - Mikey Destephens, Lenoir-Rhyne
RS - Dimitri Holmes, Mars Hill
LS - Andrew Smith, Newberry

SAC Offensive Player of the Year: Dimitri Holmes, Mars Hill
SAC Defensive Player of the Year: Tanner Botts, Lenoir-Rhyne
SAC Offensive Freshman of the Year: Keshaun Taylor, Mars Hill
SAC Defensive Freshman of the Year: L'Keith Brown, Tusculum
SAC Coach of the Year: Ian Shields, Lenoir-Rhyne