Gardner-Webb Football Places Six On 2015 All-Conference Teams
November 24, 2015 | Football
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C.- The Gardner-Webb football team secured six spots on the 2015 Big South All-Conference football team, announced by league officials on Tuesday afternoon.
Gardner-Webb placed three players on the first team, with tight end Mike Estes getting the nod on offense and Chad Geter and OJ Mau earned selections on defense.
Estes played in all 11 games in 2015, and led the Runnin' Bulldogs with 29 receptions for 353 yards. The redshirt junior also hauled in a career-high five touchdowns, which ranked third in the conference for TD catches.
A native of Raleigh, N.C., Estes led a young core of offensive weapons, setting single-season bests in yards per catch (12.2) and also hauled in a career-long 48 yard pass in GWU's season opener at South Alabama.
Mau earned a first-team selection for a third consecutive year, while Geter garnered first-team honors for the first team in his career.
Mau finishes his career as one of the most decorated defensive players in Gardner-Webb history. A two-time FCS All-American nominee, Mau was selected prior to the start of the season, as the Big South Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
The standout nose guard finished his senior season ranked second in the Big South with 14.0 tackles for loss and was second among all defensive ends/lineman with 60 tackles.
Mau anchored a defensive unit that was second in the conference and 13th nationally in yards allowed per game (300.5) and also ranked top ten in the country in first downs allowed (165), passing yards allowed (151.5), and third down conversion defense (.259).
A native of Masefau, American Samoa, Mau is scheduled to graduate in December with a degree in sociology.
After missing all but three games in 2014, Geter returned for his junior season and played a major part of a defensive unit that was ranked among the best in the Big South as well as nationally. The outside linebacker played in all 11 games and racked up 92 tackles, including recording 13 tackles for loss. Geter was top five in the conference in total tackles, sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles.
The two-time Big South Defensive Player of the Week this season, had six games in which he recorded nine or more tackles and helped propel the Runnin' Bulldogs to their first road victory since 2013, a 20-13 victory at Presbyterian, posting nine tackles, two sacks, three tackles for loss and forced a fumble.
Regan ends his playing career for the red and blue, garnering the first all-conference selection of his career. The senior defensive end transformed into one of GWU's most dangerous pass rushers, constantly pressuring opposing quarterbacks. Regan set a career-high with three sacks during his senior season and recorded 13.5 tackles for loss.
A native of Woodstock, Ga., Regan put together his best season for the Runnin' Bulldogs in 2015, posting single-season bests in tackles (assist and total), tackles per game and sacks.
Cook earned all-conference honors for a second straight season, garnering first-team accolades in 2014. The junior linebacker had 77 tackles, 3.5 sacks and posted 9.5 tackles for loss. Cook played in all 11 games for the Runnin' Bulldogs this season and caught his first career interception to help propel the Dogs to a 13-9 victory over Virginia Union.
Needham was honored for his work both on and off the field, earning a spot on the All-Academic team. A mathematics major, Needham posts a 3.54 GPA and finished his second season as the team's starting long-snapper. The junior went the entire 2015 campaign without a bad snap in any of the three phases he participates in.
The Runnin' Bulldogs finished the 2015 campaign with a 4-7 overall record, which was highlighted by defeating #15 Liberty 34-20 on homecoming.
2015 BIG SOUTH FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS AND ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS
FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB Alex Ross, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina
RB De'Angelo Henderson, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
RB Darrell Bridges, R-Soph., Presbyterian
WR Darrin Peterson, Sr., Liberty
WR Bruce Mapp, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
WR Darren Ambush, Jr., Monmouth
TE Mike Estes, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
OL Jonathan Burgess, Sr., Liberty
OL Erik Austell, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
OL Max Sommer, R-Sr., Liberty
OL Sam Ekwonike, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
OL Voghens Larrieux, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
DEFENSE
DL Chima Uzowihe, Sr., Liberty
DL O.J. Mau, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL Anthony Ellis, Soph., Charleston Southern
DL Jabarai Bothwell, Jr., Coastal Carolina
LB Chad Geter, R-Jr., Gardner-Webb
LB Aaron Brown, Sr., Charleston Southern
LB Donelle Williams, R-Sr., Presbyterian
LB Solomon Brown, R-Fr., Charleston Southern
DB Mike Basile, Soph., Monmouth
DB Ed Britt, Sr., Presbyterian
DB Malcolm Jackson, Sr., Charleston Southern
DB Taylor Henkle, R-Fr., Kennesaw State
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK Ryan Granger, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
P Stephen Doar, R-Sr., Presbyterian
LS Joseph Smith, R-Jr., Charleston Southern
KR Devin Brown, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
PR Darius Hammond, Jr., Charleston Southern
SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE
QB Josh Woodrum, R-Sr., Liberty (tie)
QB Austin Brown, Sr., Charleston Southern (tie)
RB Lavon Chaney, Jr., Monmouth
RB Darius Hammond, Jr., Charleston Southern
WR Nathan Perera, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
WR Chris Jones, R-Soph., Coastal Carolina
WR Zac Parker, Jr., Liberty
TE Hakeem Valles, R-Sr., Monmouth
OL Jackson Williamson, Jr., Charleston Southern
OL Benny Timmons, R-Sr., Charleston Southern
OL Alex Thompson, Soph., Monmouth
OL Chase Tidwell, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
OL Malik Letatau, Jr., Kennesaw State
DEFENSE
DL Roderick Holder, Sr., Coastal Carolina
DL Ugonna Akoh, R-Jr., Presbyterian
DL Jebrai Regan, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL Calvin Hollenhorst, R-Sr., Coastal Carolina
LB Alex Scearce, Jr., Coastal Carolina
LB Nick Newman, Jr., Liberty
LB Payton Minnich, Jr., Monmouth
LB Aaron Cook, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB Troy McGowens, Jr., Charleston Southern
DB Derrick Farrow, Jr., Kennesaw State
DB Chris Turner, R-Fr., Liberty
DB Joe Johnson, Sr., Monmouth
SPECIAL TEAMS
PK John Lunsford, Sr., Liberty
P Trey Turner, R-Soph., Liberty
LS Hunter Winstead, R-Soph., Liberty
PR Chris Jones, R-Soph., Coastal Carolina
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Aaron Brown, Sr., LB, Charleston Southern
Alex Ross, Gr., QB, Coastal Carolina
James Needham, Jr., LS, Gardner-Webb
Prentice Stone, R-Sr., WR, Kennesaw State
Trey Turner, Soph., P, Liberty
Joe Johnson, Sr., DB, Monmouth
Ugonna Akoh, R-Jr., DE, Presbyterian College
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
De'Angelo Henderson, RB, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Chima Uzowihe, DE, Sr., Liberty
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Devin Brown, KR, R-Jr., Coastal Carolina
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Solomon Brown, LB, R-Fr., Charleston Southern
COACH OF THE YEAR
Jamey Chadwell, Charleston Southern
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Alex Ross, R-Sr., QB, Coastal Carolina
