NEW ORLEANS - Linebacker
Cardia Jackson became ULM's first conference defensive player of the year in 27
years as he was named Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Year. The conference also announced Wednesday morning its annual
All-Sun Belt Team which featured eight ULM players.
Jackson, who shared the award
with Middle Tennessee's Chris McCoy, led the league with 117 tackles, 71 solo
tackles and a 9.8 tackles-per-game average. Jackson became the conference's
all-time leader in total tackles in week 10 against Western Kentucky.
The native of Monroe, La., became
the first ULM player since 1996-97 to record over 100 tackles in back-to-back
seasons. Not only is Jackson the top defensive player in the conference, but he
is also one of the best in the NCAA. He is tied for first among all active
players in the NCAA with 228 solo tackles and ranks third with 381 career
stops.
Bruce Daigle was ULM's last
defensive player of the year as he earned the Southland Conference's award in
1982. The last Warhawk to win any player of the year award was quarterback
Steven Jyles - he was named Sun Belt Player of the Year and Offensive Player of
the Year in 2005.
Jackson, wide receiver
LaGregory Sapp, defensive end Aaron Morgan and safety Greg James were all named
to the All-Sun Belt First Team. Running back Frank Goodin and safety James
Truxillo were tabbed to the second team, while wide receiver Luther Ambrose and
linebacker Josh Thomas were honorable mention selections.
Sapp finished second in the
Sun Belt with 784 receiving yards, despite playing in just 10 games. His 19.6
yards-per-catch average led the league and currently ranks 12th in
the NCAA. Before his season-ending injury, Sapp ranked third in the NCAA with
12 catches of 25 yards or more. The Monroe, La., native became the first ULM
player since 2002 to have 100 yards or more receiving in three consecutive
games.
Morgan established himself as
one of the top pass rushers in the country and finished the year first in the
Sun Belt and 23rd in the NCAA with 9.0 sacks. The Amite, La., native
also finished second in the Sun Belt and 16th in the NCAA with 17.0
tackles for loss. His single-season sack total ranks eighth best in ULM and Sun
Belt history and he finished his collegiate career ranked second all-time in
the Sun Belt with 22 career sacks.
James also became an all-time
record holder in the Sun Belt Conference. He finished second in the league with
four interceptions on the season to push his career total to a conference record
17 - his career mark also ranks first among all active players in the NCAA.
The Monroe native earned national, state and conference honors after
intercepting three Riley Dodge passes in ULM's game at North Texas. He
returned the final interception of his collegiate career 78 yards against
Middle Tennessee. It went down as the fifth longest interception return in ULM
history and the longest that didn't result in a touchdown.
Goodin finished the season
third in the Sun Belt after rushing for 1,126 yards on 219 carries - 5.1 yards
per carry. His yardage total was the fifth-best tally in school history and his
13 rushing touchdowns ranked second best. The West Monroe, La., native will
enter his senior season eight touchdowns and 873 yards shy of the all-time ULM
records.
Truxillo, a two-time team captain, finished fourth on the team with 64 tackles and was sixth in the Sun Belt with three interceptions. What made the Jefferson, La., natives numbers impressive that one one player who had more interceptions than him finished with more tackles -- his teammate James.
Ambrose, a native of St. James, La., averaged 137.2
all-purpose yards per game to rank fourth overall in the conference. The
sophomore speedster averaged 8.9 yards per rush, 13.4 yards per reception, 6.1
yards per punt return and 21.9 yards per kickoff return. He jump started his season
with a 75-yard touchdown reception at Texas in the season opener - it was the longest play against
the Longhorns since 2003 and the longest by the Warhawks since 2004.
Thomas, a three-year starter
for the Warhawks, finished second on the team with 78 tackles on the season.
The native of Port Barre, La., entered the season with 10.0 career tackles for
loss and nearly matched that total with 6.0 this season.
The Warhawks finished the
season 6-6 overall and 5-3 in the Sun Belt Conference. It marked the second
time in three seasons that ULM ended the year bowl eligible.
2009 Sun Belt Postseason
Awards
Player of the Year
Levi Brown (Troy, Sr., QB)
Offensive Player of the
Year
Levi Brown (Troy, Sr., QB)
Co-Defensive Players of the
Year
Cardia Jackson (ULM, Sr., LB)
Chris McCoy (Middle Tennessee,
Sr., DL)
Freshman of the Year
Shawn Southward (Troy, Fr.,
RB)
Co-Coaches of the Year
Rick Stockstill, Middle
Tennessee
Larry Blakeney, Troy
First Team All-Sun Belt
Conference Offense
Levi Brown (Troy,
Sr., QB)
Alfred Morris (Florida
Atlantic, R-So., RB)
Lance Dunbar (North Texas, So.,
RB)
LaGregory Sapp (ULM, Sr., WR)
Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Jr.,
WR)
Jason Harmon (Florida
Atlantic, R-Sr., TE)
Brad Bustle
(Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., G)
Chris Fisher
(Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., OL)
Mark Thompson (Middle
Tennessee, Sr., OL)
Danny Franks (Troy, Sr., OL)
Tyler Clark (Troy, Jr., OL)
First Team All-Sun Belt
Conference Defense
Alex Carrington (Arkansas
State, Sr. DL)
Aaron Morgan (ULM, Sr., DL)
Chris McCoy (Middle Tennessee,
Sr., DL)
Brandon Lang (Troy, Sr., DL)
Cardia Jackson (ULM, Sr., LB)
Boris Lee (Troy, Sr., LB)
Bear Woods (Troy, Sr., LB)
Greg James (ULM, Sr., DB)
Jeremy Kellem (Middle
Tennessee, Jr., DB)
Alex Suber (Middle Tennessee,
Sr., DB)
Marcus Udell (Middle
Tennessee, Sr., DB)
First Team All-Sun Belt
Conference Specialists
Alan Gendreau (Middle
Tennessee, So., PK)
Spencer Ortego
(Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., P)
T.Y. Hilton (Florida
International, So., Return Specialist)
Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Jr.,
All Purpose)
Second Team All-Sun Belt
Conference Offense
Dwight Dasher (Middle
Tennessee, Jr., QB)
Frank Goodin (ULM, Jr., RB)
Bobby Rainey (Western Kentucky,
So., RB)
T.Y. Hilton (Florida
International, So., WR/KR)
Jamaal Jackson (North Texas,
Jr. WR)
Ladarius Green
(Louisiana-Lafayette, So., TE)
Derek Newton (Arkansas State,
Jr., OL)
David Matlock (Florida
Atlantic, R-Sr., OL)
Brad Serirni (Florida
International, Jr., OL)
Esteban Santiago (North Texas,
Jr., OL)
Mark Fisher (Middle Tennessee,
Jr., OL)
Second Team All-Sun Belt
Conference Defense
Bryan Hall (Arkansas State,
Jr., DL)
Jamari Lattimore (Middle
Tennessee, Jr., DL)
Cameron Sheffield (Troy, Sr.,
DL)
Kevin Dixon (Troy, Sr., DL)
Antwyne Zanders
(Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., LB)
Danny Carmichael (Middle
Tennessee, Sr., LB)
Cam Robinson (Middle
Tennessee, Sr., LB)
Anthony Gaitor (Florida
International, Jr., DB)
James Truxillo (ULM, Sr., DB)
Courtland Fuller (Troy, Sr.,
DB)
Bryan Willis (Troy, Fr., DB)
Second Team All-Sun Belt
Conference Specialists
Josh Arauco (Arkansas State,
Sr., PK)
Carlos Munera (Florida
International, Sr., P)
Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Jr.,
Return Specialist)
Bobby Rainey (Western Kentucky,
So., All Purpose)
Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt
Conference
Corey Leonard (Arkansas State,
Sr., QB); Daylan Walker (Arkansas State, Sr., DB); Kevin Cyrille (Florida
Atlantic, R-So., DL); Marcus Bartels (Florida Atlantic, R-So., DB); Scott
Bryant (Florida International, Sr., LB); Jonathan Cyprien (Florida
International, Fr., DB); Dwight Bentley (Louisiana-Lafayette, So., DB); Grant
Fleming (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., LB); Luther
Ambrose (ULM, So., WR); Josh Thomas
(ULM, Sr., LB); Brandon Perry (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DL); Desmond Gee
(Middle Tennessee, Sr., RS); Kelvin Drake (North Texas, Jr., OL); Craig
Robertson (North Texas, Jr., LB); Tebiarus Gill (Troy, Jr., WR); Will Goggans
(Troy, So., P); Jake Gaebler (Western Kentucky, Sr., WR); Jeremy Moore (Western
Kentucky, Sr., P)