Five Earn All-Southland Conference Honors

By Lion Athletics

FRISCO – Five members of the Texas A&M University-Commerce football team earned all-Southland Conference recognition in their first season in the conference as announced by the conference office on Wednesday morning.

The Lions had four on the first team and one on the second team. A&M-Commerce went 5-6 in 2022 overall and 3-3 in its first Southland Conference season, finishing tied for fourth, after being picked to finish sixth out of eight teams in the preseason poll.

Andrew Armstrong (Dallas – Bishop Dunne), the conference’s receiving yards leader, is named to first team all-conference and is joined on the first team by defensive lineman Celestin Haba (Columbia, S.C.), defensive back D’Ante Smith (Richardson – Berkner), and punt returner B.J. Busbee (Long Beach, Calif.), while linebacker Dee Walker (Moultrie, Ga.) is named to the second team.

Armstrong tied for the conference lead in touchdowns and is the conference leader as well as 14th in the country in receiving yards. He had 100 yards or more in six games, recording multiple touchdown catches in four games. In six conference games, he racked up 531 receiving yards, which was more than any other player and was named the Southland Offensive Player of the Week on October 17.

Busbee is the leader in punt return yards during conference games, had the longest return (51 yards) of any player, and averaged 14.1 yards per punt return in conference games, which is second in the conference. In 11 games overall, he averaged 12.1 per punt return overall, which leads the conference.

The Lion defensive unit had three players earn all-conference honors this season. The Lions finished first in the Southland for total yards and passing defense as well as second in scoring defense and rushing defense.

Haba finished tenth in the conference with 3.5 sacks, had one interception, which he returned for a touchdown at Sam Houston. He also recovered one fumble, which is tied for sixth in the conference.

Smith is the conference leader in interceptions, fourth in passes defended, fifth in forced fumbles, and defended 11 passes (seven breakups, four interceptions), which leads the conference. He had seven tackles and two interceptions against UIW, totaling 2.5 tackles for loss as well.

Walker is 24th in tackles during Southland play, had six or more tackles in seven games, recorded three quarterback hurries, totaled two tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks. He had nine tackles each against UIW and Nicholls.

2022 Southland Conference Football Individual Superlative Winners
Player of the Year: Lindsey Scott, Jr., UIW
Offensive Player of the Year: Deonta McMahon, McNeese
Defensive Player of the Year: Kelechi Anyalebechi, UIW
Newcomer of the Year: Zach Patterson, Northwestern State
Freshman of the Year: Eli Ennis, Nicholls
Offensive Lineman of the Year: John Allen, Southeastern
Coach of the Year: Frank Scelfo, Southeastern

2022 Southland Conference Football First Team All-Conference Offense

Pos.NameSchoolClassHometown
QBLindsey Scott, Jr.UIWGr.Zachary, La.
RBDeonta McMahonMcNeeseSr.Frostproof, Fla.
RBJulien GumsNichollsSr.New Orleans, La.
TE/HBTravon JonesNorthwestern StateFr.Miami, Fla.
WRAndrew ArmstrongA&M-CommerceSo.Dallas, Texas
WRTaylor GrimesUIWSr.Godley, Texas
WRDarion ChafinUIWGr.Wichita Falls, Texas
OLJohn AllenSoutheasternJr.Jackson, Miss.
OLCaleb JohnsonUIWGr.Mount Pleasant, Texas
OLEvan RousselNichollsSo.Lutcher, La.
OLReid FrancisUIWSr.College Station, Texas
OLCalvin BarkatMcNeeseSr.Sachse, Texas
PKGarrison SmithMcNeeseFr.Norwalk, Ohio
PAustin DunlapSoutheasternJr.Slidell, La.

2022 Southland Conference Football First Team All-Conference Defense

Pos.NameSchoolClassHometown
DLChris WhittakerUIWGr.Lauderdale Lakes, Fla.
DLSteven ParkerUIWSr.Dallas, Texas
DLCelestin HabaA&M-CommerceSr.Columbia, S.C.
DLMasry MapieuMcNeeseSr.York, Neb.
LBKelechi AnyalebechiUIWGr.Pearland, Texas
LBKordell WilliamsMcNeeseR-Sr.Carencro, La.
LBRodney DansbyHCUSo.Houston, Texas
DBJack HendersonSoutheasternSo.Mandeville, La.
DBDonte ThompsonUIWJr.Pensacola, Fla.
DBZy AlexanderSoutheasternSo.Loreauville, La.
DBFerlando JordanSoutheasternR-Sr.Atlanta, Ga,
DBD’Ante SmithA&M-CommerceSr.Richardson, Texas
KRGage LarvadainSoutheasternSo.Donaldsonville, La.
PRBJ BusbeeA&M-CommerceSr.Long Beach, Calif.

2022 Southland Conference Football Second Team All-Conference Offense

Pos.NameSchoolClassHometown
QBZachary ClementNorthwestern StateSo.Broussard, La.
RBMarcus CooperUIWGr.Altair, Texas
RBCarlos Washington, Jr.SoutheasternSr.Clinton, Md.
TE/HBIvan DrobockySoutheasternSo.Bowling Green, Ky.
WRJavon AntonioNorthwestern StateR-Jr.LaPlace, La.
WRGage LarvadainSoutheasternSo.Donaldsonville, La.
WRZach PattersonNorthwestern StateJr.Corinth, Miss.
OLJimeto ObigboUIWSo.Arlington, Texas
OLNash JonesUIWJr.Nacogdoches, Texas
OLDom Serapiglia IIISoutheasternR-So.Jefferson Hills, Pa.
OLCaron ColemanMcNeeseSr.St. Louis, Mo.
OLJhy OrgeronSoutheasternSo.Galliano, La.
PKRiley CallaghanSoutheasternFr.Ashburn, Va.
PBrady BuellHCUSr.Traverse City, Mich.

2022 Southland Conference Football Second Team All-Conference Defense

Pos.NameSchoolClassHometown
DLPerry GanciNichollsJr.New Orleans, La.
DLJalyx HuntHCUJr.DeBary, Fla.
DLJomard Valsin, Jr.Northwestern StateSr.Port Arthur, Texas
DLArlen WilliamsSoutheasternR-Jr.Boothville, La.
LBDonte’ DanielsSoutheasternSo.Slidell, La.
LBTyler JacksonLamarJr.DeSoto, Texas
LBDee WalkerA&M-CommerceSr.Moultrie, Ga.
DBJordan JacksonNichollsJr.Prairieville, La.
DBPJ HerringtonNorthwestern StateSr.Natchez, Miss.
DBWilliam HooperNorthwestern StateSr.Montgomery, Ala.
DBKaleb CulpUIWJr.Dallas, Texas
DBTyler BarnesMcNeeseSr.D’Iberville, Miss.
KRDeonta McMahonMcNeeseSr.Frostproof, Fla.
PRPJ HerringtonNorthwestern StateSr.Natchez, Miss.