Ten earn All-SAC honors, Dennis named Scholar Athlete

ROCK HILL, SC -- Catawba placed ten players on the 2010 South Atlantic Conference All-SAC Football Teams, while quarterback Patrick Dennis (Durham, NC/Cedar Ridge, NC) was named the league’s Scholar Athlete for football. The awards were announced on Tuesday by the league office. Tusculum quarterback Bo Cordell was named the SAC Offensive Player of the Year, while Lenoir-Rhyne defensive back Marcus Shuford was named the Defensive Player of the Year.

A therapeutic recreation major, Dennis achieved a 3.807 GPA. The senior was a three-year starter for the Indians, and holds school records for career passing efficiency, career completion percentage and single-season passing efficiency. He threw for a career-high 384 yards against Newberry this season, the fourth-best performance in school history, and finished his career with 45 touchdown passes.

Dennis was named to the Presidential Honor Roll twice and to the Dean’s List four times. He was a Presidential Scholar and a member of Alpha Chi honor society. He was named to the ESPN Academic All-District team in 2008 and 2010. Dennis has volunteered as a mentor and tutor at local elementary and middle schools. He also worked as a classroom volunteer for children with autism and other special needs. He also has helped at a local soup kitchen.

Three Indians earned first team All-SAC honors; senior defensive lineman Julian Hartsell (Columbia, SC/Ridgeview HS), sophomore return specialist LJ McCray (Charlotte, NC/Harding HS) and sophomore cornerback Jumal Rolle (Wilson, NC/Beddingfield HS). Hartsell produced six sacks and seven stops for losses from his tackle position. McCray leads NCAA II in kickoff returns (32.5) and set a national record with 304 returns yards and two for scores vs. Tusculum. Rolle shares the league lead with five interceptions.

Second team honors went to senior wide receiver Brandon Bunn (Virginia Beach, VA/Fork Union/VMI), junior running back Josh Wright (Raeford, NC/Hoke Co. HS/W. Carolina), senior offensive linemen Zane Gibson (Wake Forest, NC/Wakefield HS) and Lavar Marsh (Burlington, NC/E. Alamance HS), red-shirt freshman defensive end Damein Lee (Reidsville, NC/Reidsville HS), junior linebacker Lakeem Perry (Louisburg, NC/Louisburg HS) and sophomore long snapper DJ Davis (Charleston, SC/Wando HS).

Bunn set a school record with 247 receiving yards in a win at Wingate and caught 30 career touchdown passes. He led the squad in 2010 with 46 receptions. Wright posted a team-leading 687 yards rushing and went over 100 yards three times. Gibson was a three-year started at center before switching to guard this year, while Marsh moved exclusively to the line and started at tackle.

Lee garnered SAC Freshman Defensive Player of the Year honors as well as being All-SAC. He led the team with both seven sacks and a dozen stops for losses. Perry finished third on the team with 60 tackles which included a sack and four tackles for loss. He forced two fumbles and recorded an interception. Davis handled all long snapping duties and made a pair of tackles on punt coverage.

Wingate’s Joe Reich was named Coach of the Year. The Bulldogs joined Catawba with 10 All-SAC picks. Brevard running back Kelvin Jeter was named the Offensive Freshman of the Year. The Jacobs Blocking Trophy went to Lenoir-Rhyne offensive lineman Chandler Rearden.