ROCK HILL, SC – UVA Wise football punter
Jake Marcantel and running back
Daniel Thomas have been named to All-South Atlantic Conference Football teams, with Marcantel earning First Team Defense honors while Thomas was named to the Offense Second Team.
Conference officials announced the teams earlier today.
Marcantel has emerged this season as one of the top punters in the conference as he punted 49 times this season for 2,089 yards. He had nine punts go for over fifty yards with the longest punt going for 64 yards. The former Halls High School player had seven punts go for touchbacks, nine were fair caught, and nine were downed inside the 20. This is his first appearance on the All-SAC squad.
Thomas led the team in rushing with 815 yards on 172 carries and scored eight touchdowns. The former Mr. Kentucky Football was in the top four in the SAC in rushing for most of the season, and his 815 yards are the most rushing yards in a season by a Highland Cavalier running back in the program's NCAA Division II era (2013-present). The sophomore also had ten receptions for 133 yards. His 107.9 all-purpose yards per game average was second on the team. This is his first appearance on an All-SAC team.
2025 ALL-SAC FOOTBALL
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Reed Charpia, Newberry
RB – Jordan Jackson, Emory & Henry
RB – Xavier Pugh, Wingate
RB – Jon Gullette, Mars Hill
WR – Jaylen Himes, Wingate
WR – Keith Desaussure, Newberry
WR – Charlie Guinade, Mars Hill
OL – Avery Swinton, Catawba
OL – Will Hart, Wingate
OL – Davion Pyles, Newberry
OL – Deshaun Sharp, Emory & Henry
OL – Porfirio Acosta, Wingate
TE – Caleb Lominac, Mars Hill
PK – Trace Butcher, Emory & Henry
LS – Everett McLaughlin, Wingate
RS – Tye Roberson, Lenoir-Rhyne
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Ean Rhea, Emory & Henry
DL – Mandjou Berte, Wingate
DL – Elihu Lipscomb, Wingate
DL – Sakarri Morrison, Mars Hill
LB – Cruz Temple, Carson-Newman
LB – Ryan Green, Wingate
LB – Jamar Blandin, Newberry
OLB – Evan Simons, Catawba
DB – Shawn Collins, Emory & Henry
DB – Champ Baker, Carson-Newman
DB – Desmond Greene, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB – Brandon Perry, Wingate
P – Jake Marcantel, UVA Wise
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB – Preston Brown, Catawba
RB – Kevin Lalin, Catawba
RB – Daniel Thomas, UVA Wise
RB – Bennett Galloway, Catawba
WR – Cam Peoples, Emory & Henry
WR – Songa Yates, Lenoir-Rhyne
WR – Bo Pryor, Catawba
OL – Dallas Foard, Catawba
OL – Jalen Brooks, Catawba
OL – Kamron Burris, Anderson
OL – Ryan Whetzel, Lenoir-Rhyne
OL – Rubens Joseph, Lenoir-Rhyne
TE – Jalen Brown, Catawba
PK – Caleb Bonesteel, Wingate
LS – Brendan Shoaf, Carson-Newman
RS – Cam Peoples, Emory & Henry
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL – Jonathen Cross, Wingate
DL – Jaydon Eason, Newberry
DL – Martavis Mason, Carson-Newman
DL – Joshua Gooding, Emory & Henry
LB – Josiah Jeffery, Anderson
LB – Steven Reid, Mars Hill
LB – Jaquan Edwards, Wingate
OLB – Mekhi Brown, Carson-Newman
DB – Chendrick Cann, Emory & Henry
DB – Nigel Gay, Catawba
DB – James Ussery, Lenoir-Rhyne
DB – Avery McFadden, Newberry
P – Grayson Campbell, Carson-Newman
Offensive Freshman of the Year - Jaylen Himes, Wingate
Offensive Player of the Year - Reed Charpia, Newberry
Defensive Freshman of the Year - Elihu Lipscomb, Wingate
Defensive Player of the Year - Ean Rhea, Emory & Henry
Jacobs Blocking Trophy - Avery Swinton, Catawba
Ken Sparks Coach of the Year - Todd Knight, Newberry
