Tennessee
State's Anthony named OVC Male Athlete of the Year
May 24, 2005
NASHVILLE --- Tennessee State University football player Charles Anthony has
been selected as the Ohio Valley Conference
2004-05 Male Athlete of the Year.
Anthony becomes the first Tiger football player and the second student-athlete
from TSU to earn the honor. The running back joins former basketball player
Carlos Rogers who received the honor in 1994.
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Charles Anthony |
“This is a great honor to receive,” said Anthony, who is currently
in the Tennessee Titans mini-camp, after signing a free-agent contract with
the NFL club. “I am very appreciative to all those who have helped me
in my career at TSU.”
Anthony was a two-time consensus I-AA All-American and fifth-place finisher
in Walter Payton Award balloting for each of the last two seasons. He was named
the 2004 OVC Offensive Player of the Year after leading the nation in rushing
average (158.1 ypg) while topping the 1,700-yard mark for the second consecutive
season and recording the third-highest rushing yardage total in OVC history,
re-setting his own school record with 1,739 yards on 306 carries.
A native of Orlando, Fla., he also had 318 receiving yards, ranking first
in the league and second nationally in all-purpose average (187.0 ypg). He
scored 14 rushing and two receiving touchdowns to rank second in the OVC in
scoring (8.7 ppg). A team captain and two-time All-OVC first team selection,
Anthony finished his career as the league’s second all-time leading rusher
with a TSU-record 5,057 yards.
In addition to being named OVC Offensive Player of the Year, he was named
the Sheridan Broadcasting Network Offensive Player of the Year, presented annually
to student-athletes from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Anthony signed a free-agent contract with the Titans shortly following the
NFL draft in April.
Anthony is joined by Eastern Illinois volleyball player Erica Gerth, who was
selected as the 2004-05 OVC Female Athlete of the Year. The two winners will
receive their awards at the annual OVC Honors Luncheon on June 3 in Nashville.
The OVC Athletes of the Year were chosen by a vote of the league’s athletic
directors and sports information directors.
The OVC began presenting the OVC Male Athlete of the Year in 1977. Anthony
is the eighth football player to receive the award and just the third since
1993.
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