SIAC announces 2007 Football All-Conference Team, All-Academic Team and Superlative Awards

November 15, 2007

Tucker, GA – The Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and the SIAC Football Coaches Association are proud to announce the All Conference Football Team, All Academic Team and Superlative Awards for the 2007 season. Headlining the list is Jacary Atkins of Tuskegee University, who was named Offensive Player of the Year and SIAC MVP, and Curtis Johnson of Clark Atlanta University, who was named Defensive Player of the Year. Both Atkins and Johnson also took home first team honors. Coach Willie Slater of Tuskegee University took home Coach of the Year after leading his team to an undefeated season.

The first team all conference included seven members from the 2007 pre-season team including Virgil Union, Nartavious Mitchell, Jonathan Didier, Curtis Johnson, Ivan Diggs, Brandon Parnell, and Brandon Larkin. Jacary Atkins, who was named the MVP and Offensive Player of the year along with his first team selection, led the conference and Division II Football in passing efficiency (188.0). Atkins also led the conference in passing average per game (241.4), passing yards (2,414), passing touchdowns (27) and total offense averaging 276.6 yards per game. Atkins was also named player of the week four times this season. Curtis Johnson won the Defensive Player of the Year award after finishing second in Division II and leading the conference in sacks (13.5).

Johnson also led the conference in tackles for a loss (27.0) and finished the season with 112 tackles. Freshman of the Year honors went to Andrew Ramsey of Kentucky State University. Ramsey finished third in the conference in rushing with 771 yards and second in the conference in rushing touchdowns with nine. Willie Slater, of Tuskegee University, led his team to a 14 game winning streak, an undefeated season thus far and a second consecutive conference title. Tuskegee is vying for their 600th victory as they stand on 599 with two games left in their season. Tuskegee led all schools with 10 representatives on the All Conference teams followed by Kentucky State University with eight. Albany State University and Clark Atlanta University both had seven representatives.

Offense highlighted the SIAC All Academic Team with six out of the eleven players playing an offensive position. Casper Kamau of Kentucky State and Linden Johnson of Albany State are the only returning All Academic team members with a 3.87 and 3.66 Grade Point Average respectively. Eric Palmer, a junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering at Tuskegee University, led all SIAC football players with a 3.90 GPA. Albany State led all schools with three (3) members named to the All Academic Team. In total seventy seven players in the SIAC were nominated for the All Academic Team all with an Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.

The SIAC All Conference, All Academic and Superlative Award winners will be formally recognized at the SIAC Football Awards Luncheon on Friday, November 30, 2007 in Columbia, SC, during the Pioneer Bowl Festivities at the Embassy Suites Columbia. The Luncheon will begin promptly at 12:30 pm. This event is closed to the public but all MEDIA are welcome to attend.

2007 ALL CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM

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