Nov. 10, 2010
FAYETTEVILLE, NC - One led the CIAA in tackles. The other led the league in interceptions.
And both were named to the First Team All-CIAA team on Wednesday.
Fayetteville State linebacker Jeremy Cunningham (Sr., Casa Grande, AZ) and strong safety Andre Lyles (Jr., Ahoskie, NC) were two of five Broncos players recognized by the CIAA for their season-long accomplishments.
Cunningham led the league in tackles from wire-to-wire, racking up 13 tackles in the season-opener against N.C. Pembroke before an 18-tackle performance against Elizabeth City State on Sept. 18. He finished the season as the only CIAA defender with more than 100 tackles, with 107, and added 11 tackles for loss, two sacks and four fumble recoveries.
"He just had a great year," Fayetteville State head coach Kenny Phillips said of Cunningham. "I felt coming into this season he would be one of the better linebackers in the league, and he proved it by leading the league in tackles. This is a deserving position for him."
Lyles was the Broncos' second leading tackler, with 70. That included 6.0 tackles for loss and 24 pass breakups. But the big number was for his league-leading six interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns of 31 and 78 yards in the season finale against Virginia Union on Nov. 6.
"That's a big thing for Andre," said Phillips. "For him to go from where nobody really knew anything about him to work himself onto the First Team, that just shows you how hard Andre has worked and how impressive he was this season. We always say to make First Team, you have to make plays, and he made plays."
The Broncos had three players on the Second Team, including center Dillon Kestner (Sr., Durham, NC), who was a preseason All-CIAA selection along with teammate, guard Larry McDonald (Jr., Mebane, NC), who was also named to the 2010 Second Team All-CIAA on Wednesday.
"I thought Dillon had the chance to be a First-Teamer, but will the number of running backs that had 1,000-yard seasons this year, that was going to be tough," Phillips said. "But he did a great job and worked very hard. To be recognized as an all-conference player in your senior year is always big."
Phillips said he is looking forward to having McDonald back next season. McDonald has started since he was a freshman.
"I think his best football is still ahead of him," Phillips said. "I figure he'll be a First Team All-CIAA guy going into next year. He is one of the best offensive linemen in the league."
Kicker Austin Turner (Jr., San Diego, CA), the 2009 CIAA Special Teams Player of the Year, was named Second Team All-CIAA in 2010 after connecting on 8 of 16 field goals, four of which were attempted at 50 yards or more, and 38 of 40 point-after tries. Turner also recorded six touchbacks.
Turner's field goal numbers may have been affected by Fayetteville State's success in the red zone. The Broncos led the CIAA in red zone offense, and scored touchdowns in 64 percent of their trips inside the opponents' 20-yard line.
"This season, he just didn't have as many field goal opportunities," said Phillips. "It's really hard to repeat as a special teams player of the year, and he was able to come back and still show what kind of player he is. He's one of the best kickers in the league, and this says a lot for him."
St. Augustine's running back Walter Sanders was named as the CIAA Offensive Player of the Year. Sanders led the conference in rushing with 1,377 yards on 277 carries and 15 touchdowns. Sanders is also tied for second in CIAA scoring (90 points), is second in all-purpose yards (1,461) and ranks ninth in the conference in total offense.
Elizabeth City State's Malcolm Jenkins is the league's Defensive Player of the Year after leading the CIAA with 13 sacks (12 solo) while ranking first for tackles for loss (14 solo/9 assisted). Jenkins is also responsible for four fumble recoveries this season.
Virginia State University's Justin Parker is the CIAA Special Teams Player of the Year. He tops the CIAA's field goal category, finishing 8-for-8 with a long of 40 yards. Parker also ranks second in PAT kicking after hitting 32 of 34 for a 94 percent success rate.
2010 All-CIAA Football First Team
OFFENSIVE TEAM NAME SCHOOL CLASS HT WT MAJOR HOMETOWN TIGHT END Jone' Harris SAC SR 6'3 280 Mathematics Fairfield, CA
FSU's Austin Turner 
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LINEMEN Justin Wells SAC SR 6'5 290 Political Science Baltimore, MD Edwan Coughman SU SR 6'6 300 Recreation Atlanta, GA Markus Copeland VSU SR 6'4 280 Health & Physical Education Lynchburg, VA David Mimms VUU SR 6'9 330 Entrepreneur Management Charlotte, NC Travis Taylor WSSU SR 6'2 320 Justice Studies Newberry, SC WIDE RECEIVERS Robert Holland CU SO 6'2 185 SSPE Newport News, VA Joseph John-Pierre VUU JR 6'2 220 Marketing-Management Richmond, VA QUARTERBACK Kevin Atkins SU SR 6'2 203 Business Durham, NC RUNNING BACKS Walter Sanders SAC JR 5'11 215 Business Baltimore, MD Nicholas Cooper WSSU JR 6'0 240 Interdisciplinary Studies Clinton, NC KICK RETURNER Tyron Laughinghouse SAC SO 6'3 200 Human Performance Greenville, NC PLACE KICKER Justin Parker VSU SR 5'10 180 Health & Physical Education Petersburg, VA DEFENSIVE TEAM LINEMEN Malcolm Jenkins ECSU SR 6'5 235 Sports Management Florence, NJ Jarvis Stokes SPC SR 6'3 215 Criminal Justice Ft. Lauderdale, FL Charles Deas SU JR 6'6 305 Recreation Ft. Lauderdale, FL Juan Corders WSSU SR 6'2 265 Business Management Durham, NC LINE BACKERS Jeremy Cunningham FSU SR 6'1 235 Criminal Justice Casa Grande, AZ Steven Stanback SAC SR 6'1 220 Criminal Justice Temple Hills, MD Fred Sparkman SU SR 6'2 225 Recreation Columbia, TN DEFENSIVE BACKS Andre Lyles FSU JR 6'0 185 Business Ahoskie, NC Dominic Tolson SPC JR 6'0 213 Sociology Greenbelt, MD Darnell Evans SU FR 5'8 181 Education Madison, NJ Ian White VSU SR 6'0 180 Business Management Washington, D.C. PUNTER William Rudd VSU JR 6'0 180 Health & Physical Education Richmond, VA PUNT RETURNER Alberto Johnson SU SR 5'11 185 Criminal Justice Richmond, CA OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Walter Sanders SAC JR 5'11 215 Business Baltimore, MD
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR Malcolm Jenkins ECSU SR 6'5 235 Sports Management Florence, NJ
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR Justin Parker VSU SR 5'10 180 Health & Physical Education Petersburg, VA
2010 All-CIAA 2nd Team OFFENSIVE NAME SCHOOL CLASS HT WT MAJOR HOMETOWN TIGHT END Karvin Gwaltney ECSU SR 6'4 220 Physical Education Ivor, VA LINEMEN T.J. Jones ECSU SR 6'1 265 Business Charlotte, NC Larry McDonald FSU JR 6'2 300 Physical Education Durham, NC Dillon Kestner FSU SR 6'1 300 Business Administration Durham, NC Marcus McElveen SU SR 6'4 315 Therapeutic Recreation Norwalk, CT WIDE RECIEVERS Dexter Manley ECSU SR 6'3 190 Physical Education Chesapeake, VA Jeremy Franklin JCSU SR 6'4 210 Sports Management Casselberry, FL QUARTERBACK Creven Powell ECSU JR 6'2 180 Criminal Justice Elizabeth City, NC RUNNING BACKS Daronte McNeill ECSU SO 6'2 215 Sports Management Elizabeth City, NC Ray Williams SU SR 6'0 190 Recreation Cleveland, OH KICK RETURNER Billy Wiggins ECSU JR 5'10 180 Physical Education Charlotte, NC PLACE KICKER Austin Turner FSU JR 6'2 200 History San Diego, CA DEFENSIVE LINEMEN Terry Griffin ECSU SR 6'3 340 Business Administration Hobgood, NC Anthony Harris SAC JR 6'3 250 Human Performance Raleigh, NC Stanley Porter SU SO 6'4 250 Recreation Rosedale, MS Isaiah Townsend VSU SR 6'2 280 Criminal Justice San Francisco, CA LINE BACKERS Brucelee Sterile LU JR 5'10 190 Business Miami, FL Chaz Robinson SAC FR 5'11 220 Undecided Hampton, VA Adidas Arrington VUU SR 6'1 215 Criminal Justice Norfolk, VA DEFENSIVE BACKS Terence Peete, Jr. BSU SR 6'4 225 Pedology Memphis, TN Sterling Grant-Jones BSU SR 5'11 190 Communications Baltimore, MD Alfred Nguaja VSU SR 5'11 185 Business Management Bladensburg, MD Alton Keaton WSSU JR 5'11 190 Accounting Fayetteville, NC PUNTER Tyler Rabb JCSU JR 6'4 250 Chemistry Shelby, NC PUNT RETURNER Tony Goodman CU SO 6'0 195 Religion Jacksonville, FL
