Bucs Well Represented on All-Big South Teams With Nine Selections

CHARLESTON, S.C. – Charleston Southern University had nine players named to the All-Big South teams, it was announced by the League office Tuesday. Four players earned first team honors after the Buccaneers won their final four games in 2009 to secure their fourth winning season in the past five years. Coach Jay Mills finished second in the Coach of the Year voting with three first place votes. 

Gerald Stevenson earned first team honors on offense, and was the lone Buccaneer on the offensive team. Stevenson finished the year 22nd in the nation in all-purpose yards with 132.0 yards per game. He was second in the Big South averaging seven yards per play and was also second in receiving yards (724), receiving yards per game (65.8), and yards per rush (7.0). He had more than 100 receiving yards in two games this season, and twice had more than 200 all-purpose yard mark. He was the leading receiver and second-leading rusher for CSU. Stevenson finished third in the Offensive Player of the Year voting with two first place votes.

Joel Walton, Andrew McKain and Chris Kuzdale each earned first team defensive honors for Charleston Southern. Walton led the team with six sacks, putting him second on the team in tackles-for-loss. He was second in the Big South in sacks and led the League in forced fumbles with three. He had a season-high five tackles against Presbyterian College and tallied at least a sack assist in seven of the final eight games of the season.

McKain finished the year as the leader on the team in total tackles, despite missing one game for an injury. McKain averaged 7.9 tackles per game and was third in the Big South in tackles among linebackers and fourth overall. He had at least two stops in every game, including three games with at least 10 tackles. He had a career high 14 tackles and two tackles-for-loss against Stony Brook and broke up three passes in the final two games of the season. McKain also earned first team honors on special teams, where he served as the team’s long-snapper, and was third in the Defensive Player of the Year voting.

Kuzdale was second in the Big South in passes defended and led the team with three interceptions. He tied the school record with two interceptions in the game against Stony Brook, including one in overtime, earning Big South Defensive Player of the Week honors for her performance. He was fourth in the Big South in tackles among defensive backs and third in the league in interceptions. In Big South games, he ranked fifth overall in the Big South with 41 of his 64 tackles coming against Big South opponents.

Kwame Krakue and J.W. Myers each earned a spot on the second team offense, while John Paglia and Antwan Ivey made the second team on special teams.

Krakue finished the year second on the team in receiving and third in all-purpose yards averaging 13.6 yards per catch with three touchdowns. He had a season-best six receptions against Florida in the first game of the season, and duplicated the effort two more times. He caught at least one pass in every game of the season, including a touchdown reception in the season finale against Coastal Carolina.

Myers started every game on the offensive line, serving as the right tackle. He was a key component to a line that finished tied for sixth nationally in sacks allowed, giving up just nine sacks all season. In six games, CSU did not allow a sack, including games against Florida, South Florida, and Big South co-champions Liberty and Stony Brook. The line also helped CSU rush to its second-highest total in school history, falling just 10 yards short of the school record.

Just about every record fell at the foot of Paglia this year. He broke the school record for longest field goal that he shared with Nick Ellis, kicking a 51-yarder against Stony Brook. He also had the game winner in that game, and earned Big South Special Teams Player of the Week honors back-to-back weeks to end the season. He broke the school record for field goals made in a season with 16 (previously 11), and also broke his own mark by making 72.7 percent of his field goal attempts. His 51 yard field goal was the longest in the Big South this season.

The Big South also honored Ivey as Big South Special Teams Player of the Week after he took a punt back 50 yards for a touchdown against VMI. He finished the year second in the Big South averaging 9.5 yards per return. His return for six points was the first for CSU since C.J. Hirschman returned one 63 yards against Liberty on Nov. 11, 2006. In the final game of the season, Ivey also rushed for 145 yards, breaking a 27-game streak for CSU without a 100-yard rusher.

McKain rounded out his honors by earning a spot on the all-academic team, holding a 3.74 GPA. He will graduate in December with a degree in business administration with an emphasis in management. He was named to the 2008 and 2009 Big South Presidential Honor Roll and has been on the Dean’s list four semesters.

CSU finished the year tied for third in the Big South, holding a 4-2 Big South record, the most Conference wins in school history.

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mike Brown, R-Soph., WR/QB, Liberty

DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tyler Santucci, Sr., LB, Stony Brook

FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Matt Goods, DL, Gardner-Webb

COACH OF THE YEAR
Chuck Priore, Stony Brook

SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Mario Brown, R-Sr., LB, Gardner-Webb
 
FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE 
QB Stan Doolittle, Sr., Gardner-Webb
RB Edwin Gowins, Soph., Stony Brook
RB Conte Cuttino, Sr., Stony Brook
WR Mike Brown, R-Soph., Liberty
WR Gerald Stevenson, Jr., Charleston Southern
WR James Perry III, R-Soph., Gardner-Webb
TE David Duran, R-So., Coastal Carolina
OL Brian Mosier, R-Sr., Liberty
OL Paul Fenaroli, Jr., Stony Brook
OL Corey O’Daniel, Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL George Handler, R-Sr., VMI
OL Josh Weaver, R-Sr., Liberty

DEFENSE
DL Trey Jacobs, Sr., Liberty
DL Phillip Oboh, Sr., Coastal Carolina
DL Matt Goods, Fr., Gardner-Webb
DL Joel Walton, Jr., Charleston Southern
LB Tyler Santucci, Sr., Stony Brook
LB Marty Patterson, Jr., Gardner-Webb
LB Mario Brown, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
LB Andrew McKain, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
DB Josh Norman, Soph., Coastal Carolina
DB Arin West, Jr., Stony Brook
DB Kajuan Lee, R-Soph., Liberty
DB Chris Kuzdale, Soph., Charleston Southern

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Matt Bevins, Soph., Liberty
P Marc Ray, R-Fr., VMI
LS Andrew McKain, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
KR David Montgomery, Sr., Gardner-Webb
PR Tim Maypray, Sr., VMI

SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE 
QB Tommy Beecher, R-Sr., Liberty
RB Howard Abegesah, Sr., VMI
RB Patrick Hall, Jr., Gardner-Webb
WR Chris Summers, R-Soph., Liberty
WR Patrick McKoy, Soph., Presbyterian College
WR Kwame Krakue, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
TE Will Quarles, R-Sr., Liberty
OL Ryan Boehm, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina
OL Kyle Webber, Sr., Gardner-Webb
OL J.W. Myers, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
OL Mario Cosby, R-Sr., Liberty
OL Alex Stadler, R-Jr., Liberty

DEFENSE
DL Josh Wine, Jr., VMI
DL Quinnon Isom, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL Asa Chapman, Soph, Liberty
DL Chris Perri, Sr., Stony Brook
LB Doncel Bolt, Jr., Liberty
LB Wes Cheek, Sr., Liberty
LB Emilio Calvin, R-Soph., VMI
LB Desmond Steward, R-Soph., Coastal Carolina
DB Byron Allen, R-Soph., VMI
DB Chris Rocco, Sr., Liberty
DB Justin Bethel, Soph., Presbyterian College
DB Chris Richards, Sr., Stony Brook

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK John Paglia, Jr., Charleston Southern (tie)
PK Ryan Gates, Soph., Gardner-Webb (tie)
P Mike Larsson, Soph., Liberty
LS Matt Quinn, Sr., Presbyterian College
KR Aaron Hewlett, R-Sr., Liberty
PR Antwan Ivey, Soph., Charleston Southern

ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Andrew McKain, R-Sr., LB, Charleston Southern
Justin Durham, R-Jr., K, Coastal Carolina
Mario Brown, R-Sr., LB, Gardner-Webb
Chris Rocco, Sr., DB, Liberty
Matt Freeman, Sr., DL, Presbyterian College
Jeff Santos, Sr., OL, Stony Brook
George Handler, R-Sr., OL, VMI