NEW ORLEANS — The Sun Belt Conference has awarded Louisiana softball outfielder Ciara Bryan and Georgia Southern baseball outfielder Mason McWhorter as the 2020-21 Sun Belt Athletes of the Year.

The Sun Belt Athlete of the Year award, which annually recognizes one female and one male student-athlete, is the highest individual honor bestowed by the Conference, based on athletic performance, academic success, outstanding leadership and character.

“The Sun Belt Conference is delighted to recognize Ciara and Mason for their amazing academic and athletic achievements. They epitomize what it means to excel,” said Sun Belt Conference Commissioner Keith Gill. “It’s such a pleasure to shine a spotlight on these two individuals as our Athletes of the Year.”

Bryan is the fourth Ragin’ Cajun female student-athlete to receive this honor, and she is the first softball honoree since fellow softball outfielder Aleah Creighton received the distinction in 2017. 

Following her transfer to Louisiana after four seasons at Georgia from 2017-20, Bryan powered the Ragin’ Cajuns to the 2021 Sun Belt Conference title during her lone season in Lafayette. No. 1-seeded Louisiana conceded just nine runs during the Sun Belt Conference Championship en route to the title, before posting a 3-2 mark at the NCAA Baton Rouge Regional. 

This super senior led the Sun Belt Conference in numerous categories, including batting average (.418), hits (87), runs scored (63), triples (4), total bases (126) and stolen bases (37). Her 87 hits ranked No. 3 nationally. Born in Covington, Georgia, she also brought home the Sun Belt’s Player and Newcomer of the Year awards, and was named an All-American by Softball America and a First Team NFCA All-Central Region selection.

McWhorter is the second Eagles student-athlete to earn this honor, following Georgia Southern golfer Steven Fisk in 2019. He is the first baseball player to earn the award since South Alabama’s Kevin Hill in 2016. 

Born in Cumming, Georgia, McWhorter completed his fifth season in Statesboro—and has started nearly every game during his five years. 

In 2021, he led the Eagles to the Sun Belt Conference Championship final and belted a home run to open the scoring in the title game. He paced the conference in batting average (.372), hits (84), home runs (18) and total bases (156).

McWhorter was named the 2021 Sun Belt Player of the Year, along with collecting multiple All-America nods.

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MONTGOMERY, Ala. – South Alabama and Georgia Southern will square off in the championship final at the 2021 Guardian Credit Union Sun Belt Baseball Championship presented by Troy University in Montgomery, Alabama. 

Each team required a late-inning or extra-innings rally to earn a one-run victory in Saturday’s semifinals to advance to the championship game. 

Semifinal 1 – No. 1 South Alabama def. No. 2 UTA, 5-4
South Alabama used an eighth-inning rally to overcome UTA, 5-4, and advance to Sunday’s championship game. 

Both teams manufactured three runs between the third and fourth innings to knot the game at 3-3. UTA gained a one-run edge on a sacrifice fly from redshirt senior shortstop Josh Minjarez with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth, before Jaguar junior reliever Tyler Perez struck out Mavericks senior outfielder Connor Aube to get out of the jam. 

The Jaguars responded with a rally of their own in the bottom of the eighth, with a hit by pitch, a single and a walk loading the bases. With two outs and a 3-2 count, junior third baseman Cameron Tissue singled to right center field to plate the tying and go-ahead runs for South Alabama in the 5-4 win. 

Senior left-handed pitcher Tyler Samaniego, who struck out two and allowed just one hit in the seventh and eighth innings, earned the win for the Jaguars. Senior right-handed pitcher Jase Dalton picked up the save following a three-up, three-down top of the ninth. 

South Alabama improves to 92-60 in Sun Belt Championship contests all-time and will have a shot at its 13th tournament championship on Sunday. 

Semifinal 2 – No. 2 Georgia Southern def. No. 1 Louisiana, 3-2 
Georgia Southern rallied to earn a 3-2 extra-innings victory over Louisiana and advance to Sunday’s championship game. 

Senior outfielder Parker Biederer had all three RBIs for the Eagles—including beating out a throw to first on a bunt in the top of the 11th inning to allow senior first baseman Jason Swan to score. 

Senior right-handed pitcher Jordan Jackson threw a gem for Georgia Southern, retiring 18-straight from the second through seven innings, to help the team maintain a 2-1 advantage. Louisiana manufactured the tying run in the bottom of the ninth—and had two men aboard with no outs—but could not plate the walk-off tally. 

Junior left-handed pitcher Jay Thompson, who worked the 10th and the 11th, earned the win for Georiga Southern. The Eagles move to 12-7 in Sun Belt Championship games all-time and will have a chance to earn their first tournament title on Sunday. 

The 2021 Guardian Credit Union Sun Belt Baseball Championship presented by Troy University concludes Sunday, with the championship game slated for 1 p.m. CT. Tickets remain available, with prices ranging from $10 to $25. For more information on tickets and seating options, contact the Montgomery Biscuits ticket office by calling 334.819.7483. Each game of the Sun Belt Baseball Championship will also be broadcast live on ESPN+.

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NEW ORLEANS – The 2020 regular-season Sun Belt Conference football postseason awards were unveiled on Monday morning.

Coastal Carolina led in All-Sun Belt selections with 16, including 10 on the first team (five on offense; four on defense, one on special teams), followed by App State and Louisiana having 14 each.  Georgia State finished with 10, the most ever selected from the program among the three teams, while Shamarious Gilmore is the program’s first four-time honoree.

SBC Co-champions and East Division champion Coastal Carolina claimed five of the top six honors, led by the Chanticleers’ redshirt freshman quarterback, Grayson McCall, being named Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year. McCall was joined by teammates’ redshirt senior defensive end Tarron Jackson, who was named Defensive Player of the Year, and junior cornerback D’Jordan Strong was named the Sun Belt’s Newcomer of the Year. Coastal’s head coach Jamey Chadwell earned Coach of the Year honors for the team’s performance. Arkansas State senior wide receiver Jonathan Adams Jr. was named Offensive Player of the Year. McCall, Jackson, Strong, and Adams Jr., also received All-Sun Belt First Team recognition.

Coastal’s McCall ranks eighth in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision in points responsible for (176) and passing efficiency (185.9) and is 10th in passing touchdowns (23) and yards per pass attempt (9.95). The redshirt freshman is a semifinalist for both the Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award the Maxwell Award and is a finalist for the Manning Award. He is also one of four freshmen this year named to the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA) “Fresh Four” and was tabbed as the Manning “Star of the Week” for the third time.

The Red Wolves’ Adams Jr. has made his name known in the nation’s statistical rankings among wide receivers this season. The senior ranks third in receiving touchdowns (12), fifth in receiving yards (1,111), ninth in receptions per game (7.9), and tenth in receiving yards per game (111.1). The Jonesboro, Arkansas native currently ranks second All-Time at Arkansas State for receiving touchdowns (21), third for receptions (166), and fifth for receiving yards (2,306).  His 21 career touchdown grabs are also tied for the fifth-most in Sun Belt Conference history. Plus, Adams is one of 11 semifinalists for this season’s Biletnikoff Award.

Jackson played in all 11 games this year for the Chanticleers and racked up 13.5 tackles for a loss and 8.5 sacks for 50 yards during the regular season. The redshirt senior registered 10 tackles (4 solo, 6 assisted), 2.5 tackles for a loss, 2.5 sacks, and a forced fumble against South Alabama back on November 7.  His performance this year makes him one of the keys to the Coastal Carolina defense as one of four pass-rushers for Coastal this season that rank in the Sun Belt Top 10. Jackson is also a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award.

Strong, who transferred in this year, closed out his first year with Coastal tallying 26 tackles, 21 of them being solos, and is first on the team in passes defended with 11. His five interceptions this season rank him first with one returned for a pick-six against App State. The junior registered a team-high two interceptions twice this season against Georgia Southern (October 24) and App State (November 21).

Player of the Year
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

Offensive Player of the Year
Jonathan Adams, Arkansas State

Defensive Player of the Year
Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina

Freshman of the Year
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina

Newcomer of the Year
D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina

Coach of the Year
Jamey Chadwell, Coastal Carolina

All-Sun Belt First Team

Offense
Grayson McCall, Coastal Carolina, QB
CJ Marable, Coastal Carolina, RB
Elijah Mitchell, Louisiana, RB
Isaiah Likely, Coastal Carolina, TE
Jonathan Adams, Arkansas State, WR
Jaivon Heiligh, Coastal Carolina, WR
Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama, WR
Noah Hannon, App State, OL
Trey Carter, Coastal Carolina, OL
Shamarious Gilmore, Georgia State, OL
Austin Stidham, Troy, OL
Baer Hunter, App State, OL

Defense
Tarron Jackson, Coastal Carolina, DL
Demetrius Taylor, App State, DL
Raymond Johnson, Georgia Southern, DL
Jeffrey Gunter, Coastal Carolina, DL
C.J. Brewer, Coastal Carolina, DL
Carlton Martial, Troy, LB
Justin Rice, Arkansas State, LB
Riley Cole, South Alabama, LB
D’Jordan Strong, Coastal Carolina, DB
Shemar Jean-Charles, App State, DB
Shaun Jolly, App State, DB
Derrick Canteen, Georgia Southern, DB

Specialists
Noel Ruiz, Georgia State, Kicker
Jack Martin, Troy, Punter
CJ Marable, Coastal Carolina, All Purpose
Chris Smith, Louisiana, Return Specialist

All-Sun Belt Second Team

Offense
Levi Lewis, Louisiana, QB
Trey Ragas, Louisiana, RB
Camerun Peoples, App State, RB
Josh Pederson, ULM, TE
Kawaan Baker, South Alabama, WR
Kaylon Geiger, Troy, WR
Sam Pinckney, Georgia State, WR
O’Cyrus Torrence, Louisiana, OL
Cooper Hodges, App State, OL
Dylan Bradshaw, Troy, OL
Willie Lampkin, Coastal Carolina, OL
Max Mitchell, Louisiana, OL

Defense
Will Choloh, Troy, DL
Zi’Yon Hill, Louisiana, DL
Forrest Merrill, Arkansas State, DL
Hardrick Willis, Georgia State, DL
Silas Kelly, Coastal Carolina, LB
Rashad Byrd, Georgia Southern, LB
D’Marco Jackson, App State, LB
Bralen Trahan, Louisiana, DB
Quavian White, Georgia State, DB
Terence Dunlap, Troy, DB
Jarron Morris, Texas State, DB
Antavious Lane, Georgia State, DB

Specialists
Massimo Biscardi, Coastal Carolina, Kicker
Rhys Byrns, Louisiana, Punter
Jeremiah Haydel, Texas State, All Purpose
Jeremiah Haydel, Texas State, Return Specialist

All-Sun Belt Third Team

Offense
Zac Thomas, App State, QB
Destin Coates, Georgia State, RB
Daetrich Harrington, App State, RB
Thomas Hennigan, App State, WR
Marcell Barbee, Texas State, WR
Malik Williams, App State, WR
Roger Carter, Georgia State, TE
Ken Marks, Louisiana, OL
Ryan Neuzil, App State, OL
Aaron Dowdell, Georgia Southern, OL
Sam Thompson, Coastal Carolina, OL
Shane Vallot, Louisiana, OL

Defense
Nico Ezidore, Texas State, DL
Richard Jibunor, Troy, DL
Dontae Wilson, Georgia State, DL
Jeremiah Littles, South Alabama, DL
Jordan Strachan, Georgia State, LB
Lorenzo McCaskill, Louisiana, LB
Teddy Gallagher, Coastal Carolina, LB
Keith Gallmon, South Alabama, DB
Eric Garror, Louisiana, DB
Alex Spillum, Coastal Carolina, DB
Kaiden Smith, App State, DB
Dell Pettus, Troy, DB

Specialists
Diego Guajardo, South Alabama, Kicker
Anthony Beck, Georgia Southern, Punter
Chris Smith, Louisiana, All Purpose
Jalen Virgil, App State, Return Specialist

Honorable Mentions

App State
Brendan Harrington, OLB
Ryan Huff, DB
Caleb Spurlin, DE
Henry Pearson, TE

Arkansas State
TW Ayers, DE/TE
Logan Bonner, QB
Brandon Bowling, WR
Layne Hatcher, QB

Coastal Carolina
Enock Makonzo, SPUR
Antwine Loper, OL
Reese White, RB
Steven Bedosky, OL

Georgia Southern
JD King, RB
Ryan Langan, LS
Shai Werts, QB
Anthony Wilson, S

Georgia State
Blake Carroll, LB
Cornelius McCoy, WR
Trajan Stephens-McQueen, LB
Malik Sumter, OL

Louisiana
Ferrod Gardner, LB
Tayland Humphrey, DL
Mekhi Garner, CB
Percy Butler, S

ULM
Austin Hawley, DB
Evan Henry, OL
Ty Shelby, DL
Traveion Webster, LB

South Alabama
Brandon Crum, TE
Carlos Davis, RB
Gi’Narious Johnson, DL
Nick Mobley, LB

Texas State
Russell Baker, OL
Dalton Cooper, OL
Seamus O’Kelly, Punter
Brock Sturges, RB

Troy
Javon Solomon, DL
Kimani Vidal, RB
Reggie Todd, WR
K.J. Robertson, LB

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