ROCK HILL, S.C. --- Eight Tusculum University student-athletes have been named to the 2019 Preseason All-South Atlantic Conference football team announced league officials Thursday.
Five Pioneers earned spots on the All-SAC first team including linebacker Ivan Hogans, defensive lineman Colton Strickland, defensive back Malik Goodman, running back Jordon Shippy and offensive lineman Keveon Broadwater. Three TU standouts also garnered second team recognition including defensive back Dee Alford, wide receiver Ajay Belanger and tight end Carter Mangel.
The Preseason All-SAC Team is selected by a vote of the conference's media relations directors.
Hogans led Tusculum with 92 total tackles last season (31 solos, 61 assists) and finished third in the league averaging 9.2 tackles per game. The 2018 All-SAC and All-Region standout finished second on the squad with 12 tackles for loss including four sacks, two interceptions, three pass break-ups and forced a fumble. The 6-2, 219-pound rising junior from Stockbridge, Georgia recorded 10 or more tackles five times including a season-high 14 at Lenoir-Rhyne last season. During his 20-game collegiate career, Hogans has accounted for 145 tackles and has posted at least two stops each game.
Goodman, a 5-11, 190-pound senior from Jacksonville, Florida, earned All-Region and All-SAC accolades last year as he finished fifth on the team with 48 tackles including five for loss, one sack, one interception, forced a fumble and broke-up two bases. He enters his final TU campaign with 146 career tackles and 15 career passes defended including two interceptions.
Strickland, a 6-0, 290-pound senior from Naples, Florida, started in all 10 games last season and earned All-SAC second team honors. He finished with 36 total tackles including eight for loss, four sacks, blocked a kick and tallied seven quarterback hurries, which were second-most on the team.
Shippy led the TU rushing attack last year as he ran for 694 yards on 116 carries with five touchdowns. The 5-9, 160-pound senior from Gaffney, South Carolina, averaged 6.0 yards per rush and 77.1 rushing yards per game which was the third-best average in the conference. He ran for a school single-game record 258 yards versus Limestone in last year's SAC opener. He also scampered for 104 in a home win over arch-rival Carson-Newman. Shippy enters the season with 1,186 career rushing yards to his credit, the 11th most by a Pioneer.
Broadwater, a 6-4, 315-pound senior from Gaffney, South Carolina, has started in all 31 games as a Pioneer, including all 10 last season while earning All-Region and All-Conference recognition.
Alford is a two-time All-SAC selection earning league second team accolades in 2017 and 2018. Last year, the 6-0, 170-pound senior from Griffin, Georgia led TU with 13 passes defended (43rd in NCAA II) including 11 pass break-ups (4th in SAC) and two interceptions (T14th in SAC). His 49 total tackles were fourth on the team including 31 solo stops. In 2018, Alford also served as the team's punt returner, where he averaged 7.4 yards on his 22 punt return attempts. His 20 career passes defended are ninth in school history while his three career fumble recoveries are tied for eighth-most in the TU record book.
Belanger, a 6-3, 190-pound sophomore from Green Cove Springs, Florida, led Tusculum with 33 receptions for 386 yards, playing as a true freshman in 2018. He averaged 11.7 yards per receptions including three touchdowns.
Mangel, a 6-4, 280-pound senior from Bogart, Georgia, posted four catches for 72 yards at tight end for the Pioneers. He played in all 10 games with three starts for Tusculum after transferring from Hocking College.
Lenoir-Rhyne led the league with 13 representatives on the All-SAC team while Carson-Newman and Wingate were tied for second with 10 honorees each. Tusculum was fourth with eight selections, followed by Catawba (6), Newberry (6), Mars Hill (3), Limestone (2) and SAC newcomer Virginia-Wise (1).
Tusculum was selected fourth in the 2019 Preseason Coaches' Poll as the Pioneers are following back-to-back 5-5 campaigns which included last year where TU finished third in the SAC standings.
Tusculum will open the season on Thursday, Sept. 5 with a 7 p.m. road game at Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi.
2019 Preseason All-SAC Football Team
First Team Offense
QB - Derrick Evans, Carson-Newman
RB - Antonio Wimbush, Carson-Newman
RB - Jordon Shippy, Tusculum
RB - Nijere Peoples, Wingate
WR - BJ Mckelvene, Wingate
WR - Will Sweeper, Catawba
WR - Craig Rucker, Mars Hill
OL - Phil McDowell, Carson-Newman
OL - Jordan Seal, Carson-Newman
OL - Travis James, Mars Hill
OL - Keveon Broadwater, Tusculum
OL - Jason Poe, Lenoir-Rhyne
TE - Drake Starks, Lenoir-Rhyne
PK - McLean Robertson, Wingate
LS - Dawson Campbell, Carson-Newman
RS - Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
First Team Defense
DL - Montel Presley, Carson-Newman
DL - Brian Bemby, Carson-Newman
DL - Dan Louba, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL - Colton Strickland, Tusculum
LB - Jeremiah Ferguson, Catawba
LB - Ivan Hogans, Tusculum
LB - Sherrod Williams, Lenoir-Rhyne
LB - Robbie Wallace, Wingate
DB - Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB - Desmond Fairell, Carson-Newman
DB - Davion Washington, Wingate
DB - Malik Goodman, Tusculum
P - Shea Rodgers, Newberry
Second Team Offense
QB - Shaw Crocker, Wingate
RB - Ameen Stevens, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB - Xzavion Huff, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB - Austin Barnes, Newberry
WR - Ajay Belanger, Tusculum
WR - Tyler Ferguson, Mars Hill
WR - Bobby Irby, Newberry
OL - Connor Baroniunas, Wingate
OL - Demetrius Blackwell, Catawba
OL - Ronnie Cliffton, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL - Reese Fain, Carson-Newman
OL - Tyler Anderson, Newberry
TE - Carter Mangel, Tusculum
PK - Chase Allbaugh, Lenoir-Rhyne
LS - AJ Covan, Limestone
RS - BJ Mckelvene, Wingate
Second Team Defense
DL - Jaquan Artis, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL - Cameron Davis, Catawba
DL - Cal Hanford, Wingate
DL - Keito Jordon, Newberry
LB - Elijah Gilmore, Wingate
LB - Antonio Henderson, Carson-Newman
LB - Clayton Horn, Lenoir-Rhyne
LB - LJ Melvin, Catawba
DB - David Vereen, Newberry
DB - Dee Alford, Tusculum
DB - Cris Page, Catawba
DB - Eric Jackson, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB - Marcus Tarrer, Virginia-Wise
P - Thomas Cook, Limestone