Cal's Garry Brown Named PSAC Football West Division Offensive Player of the Year
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. --- California senior wide receiver Garry Brown has been named the 2016 PSAC Western Division Football Offensive Player of the Year while Slippery Rock’s Marcus Martin repeated as Western Division Defensive Player of the Year by a vote of the league’s head coaches, the conference office announced Wednesday afternoon in conjunction with the release of the all-conference football teams.
Brown is the fifth Vulcan to garner the award while former teammate James Harris won it in 2015. Brown led the PSAC in receiving TD with 18 while boasting 121.9 yards per contest. Cal cruised through the regular season with a spotless 10-0 record, are No. 1 in Super Region One and No. 6 in nation. Brown’s 70 receptions marked the second-most in the conference. He lands on the All-PSAC West First-Team for the third time in his career while earning recognition as a wide receiver and return specialist this season.
Martin is the third SRU player to win the award and is a repeat winner. He was named PSAC Freshman of the Year in 2014. Martin finished second in the league in tackles for loss with 18.5 and amassed nine sacks; which was four-best in the PSAC. He is a three-time first-team representative.
Edinboro’s Ta’Nauz Gregory earned Western Division Freshman of the Year recognition after leading the league in kick return average at a 32.5 clip and a pair of touchdowns. The freshman was in the top-10 of most receiving categories across the PSAC while amassing 63 catches for 808 yards and eight touchdowns. He is the ninth Fighting Scot to receive the award and first since Darren Massey (2013).
Edinboro’s Justin Lustig grabbed Western Division Coach of the Year. Lustig led the Fighting Scots to a 9-2 mark in his first season after Edinboro finished 0-11 in 2015. The Fighting Scots’ offense was one of three PSAC teams to average more than 40 points per contest (41.5). Edinboro was ranked as high as No. 24 in the AFCA poll. He is the fourth Edinboro coach to win the award and first since 2005.
IUP linebacker Kevin Clarke lands the first-team all-conference defensive team for the third time in his career.
California led all West teams with 18 representatives while IUP claimed 13 spots.
Slippery Rock, Clarion, Edinboro and Mercyhurst occupy four slots while Seton Hill has three.
PSAC Football Western Division All-Conference Offensive First Team
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
Michael Keir |
California |
Jr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Roman Catholic |
| RB |
Samir Bullock |
IUP |
Fr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Archbishop Ryan |
| RB |
Richard Sanders^ |
Mercyhurst |
R-Sr. |
Painesville, Ohio / Lake Catholic |
| RB |
Nick Grissom |
California |
R-Jr. |
Cincinnati, Ohio / Winton Woods |
| OT |
Ethan Cooper^* |
IUP |
Sr. |
Steelton, Pa. / Central Dauphin East |
| OT |
Zack Hooks |
California |
Sr. |
Aliquippa, Pa. / Aliquippa |
| OG |
Tyler Peerson* |
California |
Sr. |
Bethlehem, Pa. / Freedom |
| OG |
Zach Morris |
Clarion |
So. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Upper St. Clair |
| C |
Taylor Nikithser^ |
California |
Jr. |
Wexford, Pa. / North Allegheny |
| TE |
Paul Butler |
California |
Sr. |
Reynoldsville, Pa. / Dubois |
| WR |
Garry Brown** |
California |
Sr. |
Columbus, Ohio / Westerville South |
| WR |
Ardell Brown^ |
Seton Hill |
So. |
Rochester, N.Y. / Bishop Kearney |
| WR |
Kevin Genevro |
Clarion |
Sr. |
St. Mary’s, Pa. / Elk Country Catholic |
| PK |
Will Brazill |
California |
Jr. |
Kansas City, Mo. / Park Hill |
PSAC Football Western Division All-Conference Defensive First Team
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Marcus Martin** |
Slippery Rock |
R-Jr. |
West Mifflin, Pa. West Mifflin |
| DL |
Victor Hudson |
Edinboro |
Sr. |
Northfield, Ohio / Nordonia |
| DL |
Jawan Turner*^ |
California |
Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Woodland Hills |
| DL |
Deandre Easterling |
IUP |
So. |
Washington, D.C. / Gonzaga |
| DL |
Joe Phillips^* |
Slippery Rock |
Sr. |
Washington, Pa. / Washington |
| LB |
Kevin Clarke** |
IUP |
R-Sr. |
West Mifflin, Pa. / West Mifflin |
| LB |
Bob Vernick* |
Slippery Rock |
Sr. |
Butler, Pa. / Butler |
| LB |
Mike Shansky^^ |
Edinboro |
R-Sr. |
Beaver Falls, Pa. / Blackhawk |
| LB |
Luke Hrapchak |
California |
Jr. |
Fairmont, W.Va. / Fairmont Senior |
| DB |
Aaron Terry^* |
California |
Sr. |
Pasadena, Md. / Chesapeake |
| DB |
Christian Carpenter |
Gannon |
R-Sr. |
Aberdeen, Md. / Aberdeen |
| DB |
Steve Franco^ |
IUP |
R-Sr. |
Tyrone, Pa. / Tyrone |
| DB |
Titus Howard |
Slippery Rock |
Jr. |
Clairton, Pa. / Clairton |
| RS |
Garry Brown** |
California |
Sr. |
Columbus, Ohio / Westerville South |
| P |
Scott Ayers |
Clarion |
Sr. |
Bethesda, Md. / Thomas Wooten |
PSAC Football Western Division All-Conference Offensive Second Team
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| QB |
Lenny Williams Jr.^ |
IUP |
R-So. |
Mckees Rocks, Pa. / Sto-Rox |
| RB |
Khalil Howard |
Seton Hill |
Sr. |
Hi-Nella, N.J. / Sterling |
| RB |
Walter Fletcher |
Edinboro |
R-Fr. |
Columbia, Md. / Centennial |
| RB |
Isaiah Neely |
Slippery Rock |
R-Jr. |
Coraopolis, Pa. / Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart |
| OT |
Craig Mccorkle |
California |
R-Fr. |
Cincinnati, Ohio / Winton Woods |
| OT |
Steve Gaviglia |
Slippery Rock |
R-So. |
Cranberry Township, Pa. / Seneca Valley |
| OG |
Tony Morgante |
IUP |
R-Sr. |
Mountain Top, Pa. / Crestwood |
| OG |
Ed Bier |
IUP |
Sr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Archbishop Ryan |
| C |
Jeff Arnold |
IUP |
R-Fr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Brashear |
| TE |
Kevin Edwards |
IUP |
Sr. |
Allison Park, Pa. / North Allegheny |
| WR |
Marcus Johnson |
Slippery Rock |
Jr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / University Prep |
| WR |
Matt Lehman |
Clarion |
Sr. |
Naples, Fla. / Burrell (Pa.) |
| WR |
Walt Pegues* |
IUP |
Jr. |
Philadelphia, Pa. / Central |
| PK |
Austin Reese |
Edinboro |
R-Jr. |
Orchard Park, N.Y. / Orchard Park |
PSAC Football Western Division All-Conference Defensive Second Team
| Pos. |
Player |
School |
Cl. |
Hometown / Previous School |
| DL |
Jemal Averette* |
IUP |
Jr. |
Upper Marlboro, Md. / Our Lady Of Good |
| DL |
Cameron Tarver |
California |
Jr. |
Columbus, Ohio / Central Crossing |
| DL |
Jordan Lardani |
California |
Sr. |
Kennett Square, Pa. / Kennett |
| DL |
Justin Baker |
California |
Jr. |
Ashburn, Va. / Briar Woods |
| DL |
Ryan Carroll |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
Pittsburgh, Pa. / Keystone Oaks |
| LB |
Anthony Howard |
Gannon |
Jr. |
Temple Hills, Md. / Bishop O'Connell |
| LB |
DeVonte Suber^ |
California |
Jr. |
Coatesville, Pa. / Coatesville |
| LB |
Anthony Zappone |
Slippery Rock |
R-Sr. |
Westlake, Ohio / Westlake |
| LB |
Nick Boynton^ |
Seton Hill |
Sr. |
Ocala, Fla. / West Port |
| DB |
Jordan Bowman** |
California |
Sr. |
Harrisburg, Pa. / Central Dauphin |
| DB |
Vondel Bell |
California |
Jr. |
Wheeling, W.Va. / Wheeling Park |
| DB |
Mike Zanders** |
Gannon |
Sr. |
Charlotte, N.C. / Hopewell |
| DB |
Jay Watkins^ |
IUP |
R-Jr. |
Chester, Pa. / Hyde School |
| RS |
Richard Sanders^ |
Mercyhurst |
R-Sr. |
Painesville, Ohio / Lake Catholic |
| P |
Dylan Kondis^ |
Mercyhurst |
Sr. |
New Kensington, Pa. / Plum Area |
Offensive Player of the Year: Garry Brown, California
Defensive Player of the Year: Marcus Martin, Slippery Rock
Freshman of the Year: Ta’Nauz Gregory, Edinboro
Coach of the Year: Justin Lustig, Edinboro
* Indicates previous All-PSAC First Team selection
^ Indicates previous All-PSAC Second Team selection