LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Led by eight first-team selections, Southwestern University saw a total of 13 players earn All-Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference accolades when the league office announced its postseason football teams on Thursday.
Eight Pirates earned first-team honors.
Leading the way was SCAC Special Teams Co-Player of the Year, Nik Kelly, who also earned first-team honors at defensive back. The 2014 SCAC Newcomer of the Year had eight punt returns for 84 yards and a touchdown. His lone score on special teams came on a 52-yard punt return against Austin College on Oct. 3. The League City native also caught three passes for 138 yards and two touchdowns, and he tallied 19 tackles and intercepted three passes during the year.
Justin Broussard, a defensive end, earned first-team All-SCAC laurels for the third consecutive season. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound junior started all 10 games this past season and racked up 62 tackles, including 20.5 for loss. The Beaumont product posted 9.5 sacks and forced two fumbles.
Broussard's defensive end teammate, Brandon Fleischmann, also collected first-team accolades. Fleischmann, a sophomore from Roanoke, tallied 55 stops, including 14.5 behind the line of scrimmage. He ranked second on the team with seven sacks and also forced a pair of fumbles.
Mason Ford earned first-team honors at linebacker after registering 49 tackles, including 9.5 for loss. The Cypress native intercepted two passes and blocked a kick in Southwestern's win over McMurry on Sept. 12.
Joining Kelly in the defensive backfield is classmate DeeJay Johnson. The Humble product was a shutdown cornerback for the Pirates this past season. He posted 18 tackles and broke up seven passes, including an interception against Trinity on Oct. 24.
On the offensive side of the ball, wide receivers Matt Gillen and Micah Sherman received first-team laurels for the second straight campaign.
Gillen, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound junior, missed the final three games of the season due to injury. Prior to the injury, the Coppell native led the SCAC in receptions. Gillen finished the year with 43 catches for 581 yards and six touchdowns. His breakout game came on Sept. 26 against Wisconsin-River Falls, as he caught 14 balls for 167 yards and one touchdown.
Sherman, who hails from Justin, hauled in 43 receptions for 514 yards and two touchdowns in nine games. He caught a season-high eight passes for 63 yards against UW-River Falls.
Will Devine, a junior offensive tackle, rounded out the Pirates' first-team selections. Devine started all 10 games, while helping mentor a young offensive line. He helped pave the way for four 100-yard rushing games. He also protected Southwestern's quarterbacks during a 390-yard passing explosion against UW-River Falls.
Meanwhile, five Pirates – Bryan Hicks (Jr., QB), Taylor Fann (Jr., S), Tyler Frisby (Jr., LB), AJ McCort (Jr., WR/KR) and Kyle Perlowski (So., DT) – were honorable mention selections.
– SOUTHWESTERN –