Rock Hill, S.C.----The Wingate University Bulldogs piled up the awards Tuesday morning when the South Atlantic Conference announced the 2019 football award winners. The Bulldogs had a school-record 13 players earn all-conference accolades, including a league-high nine first team selections.

Running backs Nijere Peoples and Domineke McNeill earn first team honors, joined by wide receiver Jalen Brooks and offensive linemen Connor Baroniunas and Andrew Strickland. Cornerback Davion Washington, linebacker Robbie Wallace and defensive lineman Jordon Anderson are first team All-SAC defensive selections, with placekicker McLean Robertson also earning first team recognition. Quarterback Shaw Crocker and wide receiver BJ Muckelvene are second team all-conference honorees, with defensive end Cal Hanford and linebacker Elijah Gilmore earning second team All-SAC defensive honors.

The group has helped lead Wingate to a 10-1 season, the first 10-win season in program history. The Bulldogs have earned a bid to the NCAA Division II play-offs for the third straight season and will host an opening-round game Saturday. Wingate has been in the AFCA top 25 every week this season, entering postseason play ranked 16th.

DOMINEKE MCNEILL

McNeill earns All-SAC honors for the first time in his career. The senior running back ranks second in the SAC with 944 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns while ranking third in the conference with 85.8 yards per game. McNeill is averaging 6.1 yards per carry this season. He has four 100-yard rushing performances this season, going for 176 yards in the Carson-Newman win while needing only 11 carries to pile up 130 yards and three scores in Saturday's win at Mars Hill.

REICH ON MCNEILL - "Dom has had a great year. He's stayed healthy all year. He brings the dynamic burst that all great backs have."

NIJERE PEOPLES

Peoples earns All-SAC honors for the second time in as many years. The 2018 SAC Offensive Freshman of the Year ranks fourth in the league with 84.8 rushing yards per game and nine touchdowns. The sophomore has 23 touchdowns in his first two seasons at Wingate. Peoples has four 100-yard showings this year, piling up 149 yards in the UVA-Wise victory. He has scored at least one touchdown in eight of his nine games this season.

REICH ON PEOPLES - "Nijere is a tough, physical player who practices with great effort. He will only continue to get better."

JALEN BROOKS

Brooks earns All-SAC honors for the first time in his career. The sophomore wide receiver ranks third in the conference with 703 receiving yards and fourth with 63.9 yards per game. His 21.3 yards per catch leads the league and ranks 18th nationally. Brooks has hauled in six TD catches this season while adding 36 rushing yards on two attempts. He has multiple catches in every game this year, going over 100 receiving yards three times while hitting the 90-yard mark on four occasions. Brooks had 121 yards and two scores in the UVA-Wise win, while adding six catches for 115 yards and a score against Newberry.

REICH ON BROOKS - "Jalen is another guy who has a great work ethic in practice. He is a great player because he maximizes the talent he has by working hard."

CONNOR BARONIUNAS

Baroniunas was a preseason All-SAC selection in 2019 and earns postseason all-conference accolades for the first time in his career. A two-year team captain on the offensive line, Baroniunas has helped anchor an offense that ranks second in the SAC in passing yards and third in rushing yards. He started eight games at right guard for the dominant WU offensive line before suffering an injury in the game at Lenoir-Rhyne.

REICH ON BARONIUNAS - "Connor has been the sage of our OL for a long time. He's another guy who has worked his tail off to earn everything he has gotten. He's been a great leader for us."

ANDREW STRICKLAND

Strickland earns all-conference honors for the first time in his career. Another huge force on the offensive line, Strickland has started every game at right tackle for the Bulldogs, helping Wingate pile up 35.1 points per game this season. Strickland and the offensive line have paved the way for a pair of first team All-SAC running backs and a second team all-conference QB.

REICH ON STRICKLAND - "After missing all of last year for Strick to come back and be such a dominant player is a testament to how hard he has worked to get back out there. Truly inspiring."

MCLEAN ROBERTSON

Robertson earns All-SAC recognition for the second straight season. The junior leads the conference with 15 made field goals on 20 attempts, adding 45 extra points. Robertson has connected on seven field goals of at least 40 yards this season, going seven-for-eight on field goals between 40 and 49 yards. Three of his five misses on the year have come from over 40 including two fifty-plus yard attempts. The two-time SAC Special Teams Player of the Week connected on field goals of 40 and 47 yards in the seven-point win over Newberry.

REICH ON ROBERTSON - "McLean has had a great year. He's really been clutch. We have total faith in him because he puts in the work necessary to be successful."

ROBBIE WALLACE

Wallace earns all-conference honors for the third straight year, while earning first team accolades for the first time in his career. A team captain, Wallace is second on the team with 72 tackles, collecting 8.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He also has three pass break-ups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery on the season. The senior linebacker has 302 career tackles, ranking fourth in school history. Wallace piled up 15 tackles in the UNCP victory, adding 13 tackles and a sack in the Newberry win.

REICH ON WALLACE - "Robbie is such a savvy football player because he works hard in his preparation. He's also been a great leader for us."

DAVION WASHINGTON

Washington earns first team All-SAC honors for the second straight year. An All-Region honoree in 2018, Washington has registered 24 tackles on the season while registering 10 pass break-ups. The senior has a pair of interceptions on the season. He had a huge interception in the end zone in Wingate's victory over Carson-Newman. He had another key pick in the road win at Tusculum. Washington notched three pass break-ups in the UVA-Wise victory.

REICH ON WASHINGTON - "Davion is a great young man, smart, great character, hard working. It's great to see all that work paying off for him."

JORDON ANDERSON

Anderson earns All-SAC honors for the first time in his career. The redshirt junior defensive lieman has piled up seven tackles for loss this season, registering four sacks on the year. Anderson has 35 tackles, while adding 12 QB hurries and a forced fumble. He had two TFLs and a sack at Tusculum, while collecting 1.5 sacks against UVA-Wise. Anderson had two TFLs against Newberry, while collecting three QB hurries at Mars Hill.

REICH ON ANDERSON - "Jordon has a great motor both in practice and games. He's got one gear and that is all out. Love to watch him play."

SHAW CROCKER

Crocker earns all-conference honors for the first time in his career. The sophomore quarterback was a preseason All-SAC selection this year. A team captain, Crocker ranks second in the SAC with 182.5 passing yards per game and third with 18 touchdowns. He has 44 touchdowns in his first two seasons at Wingate. Crocker is averaging 15.3 yards per completion, ranking 12th nationally, while ranking 20th in the nation in pass efficiency. He opened the year with 296 yards and three TDs at JC Smith on 18-of-20 passing. Crocker had three TD passes against UVA-Wise. He threw for 271 yards and four touchdowns in the win at Mars Hill.

REICH ON CROCKER - "Shaw has really come on this year as a quarterback and a leader. He has great football intelligence. He prepares well and it shows on game day."

BJ MUCKELVENE

Muckelvene earns All-SAC honors for the second time in his career and the first time as a wide receiver. The senior was an All-American return specialist in the 2017 season. Muckelvene ranks sixth in the SAC with 60.3 receiving yards per game, while ranking second with eight touchdowns. He is averaging 18.7 yards per catch on the year. Muckelvene had 89 receiving yards each of the first two games this season, while going for 104 yards and two scores against UNCP. Muckelvene piled up seven catches for 106 yards and a TD at Lenoir-Rhyne. He had seven grabs for 115 yards and a score at Mars Hill. Muckelvene also has 101 rushing yards and 98 punt return yards on the year.

REICH ON MUCKELVENE - "BJ is an outstanding playmaker. He's all out all the time. He brings energy and life to the team as well."

CAL HANFORD

Hanford earns All-SAC honors for the first time in his career. The senior defensive end has registered 40 tackles on the year, collecting 7.5 tackles for loss and five sacks, ranking second on the team. Hanford has 11 QB hurries, two forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a blocked kick. He piled up nine tackles and two sacks in the Carson-Newman win, while registering two TFLs, a sack, a forced fumble and three QB hurries at Mars Hill.

REICH ON HANFORD - "Cal is one of the hardest workers I know. He's another guy with great football intelligence who maximizes every ounce of his ability."

ELIJAH GILMORE

Gilmore earns All-SAC honors for the second straight season. The senior linebacker leads the Bulldogs with 74 tackles this season, collecting 7.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. He also has a pass break-up and QB hurry on the year. Gilmore had 11 tackles and 1.5 sacks in the Carson-Newman win, while notching 10 tackles including a TFL against UVA-Wise. He piled up 13 tackles at Lenoir-Rhyne, followed by an 11-tackle effort against Newberry.

REICH ON GILMORE - "Elijah is one of the hardest hitting players we have ever coached. That said he is also one of the smartest guys we've ever coached. But like the other guys he works hard to make the most of his abilities."

The Bulldogs are back in action Saturday, hosting West Florida in the opening round of the NCAA Division II play-offs. It will be the third home play-off game in Wingate football history. The winner advances to take on top-ranked and defending national champion Valdosta State Saturday, Nov. 30 in Georgia.

2019 All-SAC Football

First Team Offense
QB – Grayson Willingham, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB – Antonio Wimbush, Carson-Newman
RB – Nijere Peoples, Wingate
RB – Domineke McNeill, Wingate
WR – Craig Rucker, Mars Hill
WR – Braxton Westfield, Carson-Newman
WR – Jalen Brooks, Wingate
OL – Andrew Strickland, Wingate
OL – Jason Poe, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL – Keveon Broadwater, Tusculum
OL – Connor Baroniunas, Wingate
OL – Phillip McDowell, Carson-Newman
TE – Drake Starks, Lenoir-Rhyne
PK – McLean Robertson, Wingate
LS – Dawson Campbell, Carson-Newman
RS – Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne

First Team Defense
DL – Jaquan Artis, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL – Dan Louba, Lenoir-Rhyne
DL – Keito Jordan, Newberry
DL – Jordon Anderson, Wingate
LB – Robbie Wallace, Wingate
LB –  Ivan Hogans, Tusculum
LB – Clayton Horn, Lenoir-Rhyne
LB – Rondrow Peebles, Carson-Newman
DB – Kyle Dugger, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB – Dee Alford, Tusculum
DB – Desmond Fairell, Carson-Newman
DB – Davion Washington, Wingate
P – Thomas Cook, Limestone

Second team Offense
QB – Shaw Crocker, Wingate
QB - Derrick Evans, Carson-Newman
RB – Jaquay Mitchell, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB – Ameen Stevens, Lenoir-Rhyne
RB – Jerko'ya Patton, Limestone
WR – Deshun Kitchings, Newberry
WR – BJ Muckelvene, Wingate
WR – Tory Ponder, Tusculum
OL – Jordan Seal, Carson-Newman
OL – Travis James, Mars Hill
OL – Tyler Anderson, Newberry
OL –  Ronnie Clifton, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL – Cameron Thomason, Limestone
TE – Trevor Makarov, Carson-Newman
PK – Chase Allbaugh, Lenoir-Rhyne
LS – Travis Morgan, Newberry
RS – Demetrius Mann, UVA-Wise

Second Team Defense
DL – Amari Houston, Lenoir-Rhyne          
DL – Cal Hanford, Wingate
DL – Montel Presely, Carson-Newman   
DL – Kelvin Atkins, Limestone    
LB – Austin Hicks, UVA-Wise
LB – Elijah Gilmore, Wingate     
LB – Jeremiah Ferguson, Catawba            
LB – Jackson Cauthen, Tusculum
DB – Eric Jackson, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB – Marcus Tarrer, UVA-Wise
DB – Chris Page, Catawba            
DB – Malik Goodman, Tusculum
DB - Mannie Ogletree, Limestone
P - Nate Craft, Carson-Newman
P - Michael Owen-Lenoir-Rhyne

Offensive Freshman of the Year: Troy Dendy, Carson-Newman
Defensive Freshman of the Year: Dexter Fitzpatrick, Mars Hill
Offensive Player of the Year: Craig Rucker, Mars Hill 
Defensive Player of the Year: Jaquan Artis, Lenoir-Rhyne
Jacobs Blocking Trophy: Jason Poe, Lenoir-Rhyne
Coach of the Year: Drew Cronic, Lenoir-Rhyne