By Daniel Johnson, Sports Editor
When the all-LSC South Division Football awards were announced, the purple and white was all over it.
The 8-2 football team broke the school record after receiving four individual awards and 11 first-team selections when league officials announced the postseason awards on Wednesday.
Nineteen total players received all-LSC honors, but ACU had the most on the first offense and defense teams.
Head coach Chris Thomsen received Coach of the Year after leading his team to an eight-win season for the first time since 1981. Thomsen, who is in his second year with the Wildcats, also led his team to its first NCAA Division II playoff berth.
Thomsen is the fourth coach in ACU history to receive the Coach of the Year honor.
Three of Thomsen’s players received individual awards: junior Jerale Badon, Receiver of the Year, junior guard Nathan Young, Offensive Lineman of the Year and freshman Tony Harp, co-Freshman of the Year.
Badon has had five 100-yard receiving games this season and set career-best in yards (973), touchdowns (5) and catches (63). Badon is ranked seventh in the nation for receiving yards-per-game and 12th in receptions-per-game.
Harp has 25 tackles and one interception in 10 games, with one start, while Young helped the Wildcat offensive line only allow 11 sacks this season.
Four more Wildcats joined Badon and Young for a total of six Wildcats on the first-team offense. Sophomore quarterback Billy Malone, sophomore running back Taber Minner, sophomore fullback Chris Conklin and sophomore tight end Trey Simeone all received honors.
Malone is two completions away from setting a new single-season record with 227 completions this year. Malone threw for 25 touchdown passes and is ranked fifth in the nation in total offense, 12th in passing efficiency and was named a regional finalist for the Harlon Hill Award.
ACU is fourth in the nation in total offense, third in passing offense and seventh in scoring offense.
Junior defensive end Travis Carpenter, senior linebacker Marcus Brown, junior cornerback Corey Jordan, senior cornerback Mark Gaines and senior safety Landon Kinchen were all named to the first-team defense.
Junior running back Chancy Campbell, senior wide receiver John Brock, offensive guard Cody Savage and offensive tackles Devorias Jackson and Isaac Morales all made second-team offense. Junior linebackers Cody Stutts and senior linebacker Brandon Henry were named to second-team defense. Sophomore defensive tackle Willis Hogan was the only Wildcat to receive honorable mention.
ALL-LSC AWARDS
Individual awards
Chris Thomsen, Coach of the Year
Jerale Badon, Receiver of the Year
Nathan Young, Offensive Lineman of the Year
Tony Harp, co-Freshman of the Year
First team offense
Billy Malone, quarterback
Taber Minner, running back
Chris Conklin, fullback
Jerale Badon, wide receiver
Trey Simeone, tight end
Nathan Young, guard
First team defense
Travis Carpenter, defensive end
Marcus Brown, linebacker
Corey Jordan, cornerback
Mark Gaines, cornerback
Landon Kinchen, safety
Second team offense
Chancy Campbell, running back
John Brock, wide receiver
Cody Savage, guard
Devorias Jackson, tackle
Isaac Morales, tackle
Second team defense
Cody Stutts, linebacker
Brandon Henry, linebacker
Honorable mention
Willis Hogan, defensive tackle
