USA South announces All-Conference awards for football

Fayetteville, NC - The USA South Athletic Conference has released its 2008 All-Conference teams and Player of the Year awards for football.  The North Carolina Wesleyan Department of Athletics and head coach Mark Henninger are pleased to announce that 14 Bishops were honored, led by freshman Stedman Mathis' Offensive Rookie of the Year award. Of Wesleyan's 14 picks, eight were First-Team selections, which was the most of any other league opponent.  The Bishops also boasted two Second Teamers, three Honorable Mentions, and an All-Sportsmanship representative.

Stedman Mathis (pictured), a freshman running back from Warsaw, NC, was tabbed the league's Offensive Rookie of the Year after leading the Bishops with 734 rushing yards during the season. His 11 rushing scores ranked second in the league while his 91.8 yards per game was good for fourth in the USA South. Through the air, Mathis caught four passes for 21 yards, an average of 5.2 yards per catch. This season, he was an Honorable Mention All-Conference selection and earned USA South Offensive Rookie of the Week honors three times.

Junior quarterback Bo Jordan led Wesleyan's First Team selections and is a former USAC Offensive Player of the Week. In just his first season as a starter, the Gibsonville, NC native led the league with a 134.2 passer efficiency rating, which ranks second in NCWC program history. Jordan completed 177-of-297 passes this season (59.6%), both of which are new season records.  His 2,311 passing yards are also a program high-mark, while his 15 touchdowns rank third all-time.

Joining Jordan as First Team offensive selections were junior wide receiver Orlando Webb and junior tight end Alonzo Washington.  Webb continued his stellar career this season for the Bishops by recording a team-leading and program-record 50 receptions for 879 yards and eight touchdowns. Washington, who hails from Kenansville, NC, made a smooth transition to offense this season by hauling in 13 catches for 213 yards, an average of 16.5 yards per catch.

Even more special for Washington is that he was chosen alongside his brother, Asmun.  A sophomore offensive lineman, the younger Washington was also a First Team selection after helping anchor an offensive line that held for Jordan and made lanes for Mathis.  Sophomore Anthony Moore of Portsmouth, VA was also selected on the offensive line.

Senior defensive end Quinderra Spellman headed up Wesleyan's First Team defensive selections. Spellman, an Elizabeth City, NC native, led the team with 67 tackles this season, including 11.5 for a loss.  Most impressively, he set a new program record for sacks in the season with 7.5 and concluded his impressive career as the Bishops' all-time leader in the category with 14.0 total.  He was joined on the defensive line by junior LeeRon Boykin of Warsaw, NC. The preseason All-American fought double and triple-teams all season but still managed 34 tackles, including 10 for a loss.

Rounding out the Bishops' First Team picks was junior defensive back Quentin Pope, who was second on the squad with 62 tackles this season (39 solo, 23 assists). The Charlotte native also recorded two interceptions and five pass break-ups.

On the second team, seniors Reshard Patterson (Lancaster, SC) and Cliff Edmunson (Clayton, NC) received the first awards of their careers. Patterson tied the program record for interceptions this season with four, while Edmundson was fourth on the squad with 52 tackles.

Wesleyan's final selections were Honorable Mention picks Antonio Harris and Carlos Railey. Harris, a sophomore who hails from Portsmouth, VA, split time in the backfield with Mathis and amassed 586 rushing yards and five touchdowns this season, while also recording 15 tackles as member of special teams. A senior linebacker from Stafford, VA, Railey tallied 41 tackles, two sacks, and two interceptions for the Bishops.  In the classroom, he was an ESPN/CoSIDA Academic All-Region selection.

Senior offensive lineman, Travis Kivett of Liberty, NC was Wesleyan's representative on the All-Sportsmanship team. A former Academic All-Region performer, Kivett currently serves as NCWC's President of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.

Of Wesleyan's 14 selections, the Bishops will say farewell to only five. Bishop fans, therefore, can look forward to a promising 2009 campaign. Congratulations to all 14 young men on a job well done!

Click here to view the complete 2008 USA South All-Conference teams.