2101 Providence Park Circle / Suite 200 / Hoover, AL 35242 Phone (205) 991-9880 / Fax (205) 437-0505 www.gulfsouthconference.org Nathan N. Salant, Esq.—Commissioner

For immediate release November 16, 2006 Contact: Michael Anderson

GSC CHAMPION UNA LEADS ALL-CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM

Birmingham, AL—Gulf South Conference Football Champion North Alabama leads the way on the 2006 All- GSC team, landing ten First Team players. UNA added two Second Team members, tying Delta State with 12 overall members. GSC runner-up DSU placed five First Team honorees and seven Second Teamers. West Alabama totaled nine members, followed by Valdosta State and West Georgia (7) and Arkansas Tech and Henderson State (6). Harding and Southern Arkansas added five apiece, while Arkansas-Monticello and Ouachita Baptist (1) rounded out the list.

DSU HEADLINES GSC INDIVIDUAL AWARDS For the second consecutive season, Delta State Scott Eyster was selected the GSC Offensive Player of the Year. Eyster is the seventh player to claim back-to-back Offensive awards, first since UAM signal caller Cory Allred won in 2003 and 2004. The Hammond, LA native became the GSC’s all-time leading passer this season, entering the NCAA Playoffs with 12,782 yards in his four-year career. The Harlon Hill Regional Finalist ranks first in the league in pass efficiency (156.9) and passing touchdowns (28) and second in passing (256.5) and total offense (258.2). DSU linebacker Michael Eubanks is just the second Statesmen defender to be named GSC Defensive Player of the Year, following 2003 winner, defensive tackle Anthony Maddox. Eubanks is the second consecutive linebacker honoree. The Cleveland, MS native is tops in the GSC in tackle for loss (1.59 per game—17.5 for 89 yards) and second in sacks (0.59—6.5 for 47 yards). The junior also ranks second on the squad with 57 total tackles, led by 37 solo stops. Cedric Jones is only the second Valdosta State player to earn GSC Freshman of the Year accolades (fellow VSU wide out Randy Fisher won in 1986). Jones took the Conference by storm, finishing the year as the leader in receiving yards (91.1) and receptions (6.60) and placing second with eight TD catches (tied). North Alabama Head Coach Mark Hudspeth was named GSC Coach of the Year for the second time after also winning the award in his second year at UNA in 2003. Hudspeth led the Lions to a 10-0 overall record and their eighth GSC Title. North Alabama also earned the No. 2 seed in the Southeast Region of NCAA Championship Playoffs.

ALL-GSC SQUAD Leading the list of All-Conference honorees are five players who return to the First Team. North Alabama’s Anthony Merritt leads the list of returnees as the lone three-time member as a return specialist, while also returning from last year’s First Team as a wide receiver. Also returning from last year’s First Team is Delta State signal caller Scott Eyster, West Georgia defensive lineman Odell Willis, DSU linebacker Michael Eubanks and Southern Arkansas Demarea Caldwell. UNA linebacker Donald Tharpe and UWG linebacker John Perkins make the jump from last year’s Second Team.

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2006 ALL-GSC FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE POS NAME SCHOOL HT WT YEAR HOMETOWN QB !Scott Eyster Delta State 6-3 190 SR Hammond, LA RB R.J. Vanhook Arkansas Tech 5-10 205 JR Prescott, AR RB Kyle Wess Harding 5-9 205 SR Dallas, TX RB Jerin Wright West Alabama 5-9 207 SR Baton Rouge, LA RB James Kennebrew West Georgia 5-10 182 FR Columbus, GA WR !Anthony Merritt North Alabama 6-0 205 SR Columbus, GA WR Cedric Jones Valdosta State 6-0 180 FR Waycross, GA WR Chris Coach West Alabama 6-2 185 SR Birmingham, AL TE Covington Wright North Alabama 6-6 260 SO Columbus, GA C JoJo Bates North Alabama 6-1 250 SR Birmingham, AL G Ross Conn Harding 6-2 250 SO Ann Arbor, MI G Kurt Kutscher Henderson State 6-6 325 JR Navarro, TX T Blake Hoskinson Arkansas Tech 6-2 285 SR Osceola, AR T Dustin Barrick Delta State 6-3 275 JR Albertville, AL T Andrew Reid North Alabama 6-3 278 SR Birmingham, AL

DEFENSE POS NAME SCHOOL HT WT YEAR HOMETOWN DL Chris Eccels Delta State 6-1 285 JR Pensacola, FL DL Donovan Greyson Delta State 6-4 265 JR Gretna, LA DL Justin Currie Harding 5-10 295 SR Memphis, TN DL Ryan Brick North Alabama 6-4 219 SR Deatsville, AL DL Kentrel Tanner North Alabama 6-3 285 SR Brandon, MS DL Travis Harrison Valdosta State 5-8 215 JR Jesup, GA DL !Odell Willis West Georgia 6-3 242 SR Yantley, AL LB !Michael Eubanks Delta State 6-2 215 JR Cleveland, MS LB #Donald Tharpe North Alabama 5-11 210 SR Pensacola, FL LB Kidane McBride West Alabama 5-11 220 SR Lakeland, FL LB #John Perkins West Georgia 6-0 247 SR Rome, GA DB Robert Towns Harding 5-11 195 SR Memphis, TN DB Derrell Ashford North Alabama 5-11 200 SR Louisville, MS DB !Demarea Caldwell Southern Arkansas 6-2 185 SR Bastrop, LA DB Sherard Reynolds Valdosta State 5-11 184 SO Moultrie, GA

SPECIAL TEAMS POS NAME SCHOOL HT WT YEAR HOMETOWN K Mitch Warfield West Alabama 5-8 157 SO Bay Minette, AL P Garret Manning Henderson State 6-3 195 SO Hallettsville, TX P Lyle Atkinson North Alabama 6-2 160 JR Guin, AL RS !$Anthony Merritt North Alabama 6-0 205 SR Columbus, GA BT Shawn Harris Valdosta State 5-8 157 JR Blakely, GA

!—2005 First Team All-GSC #—2005 Second Team All-GSC $—2004 First Team All-GSC

GSC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR QB, Scott Eyster, Delta State GSC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR LB, Michael Eubanks, Delta State GSC FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR WR, Cedric Jones, Valdosta State GSC COACH OF THE YEAR Mark Hudspeth, North Alabama

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2006 ALL-GSC FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE POS NAME SCHOOL HT WT YEAR HOMETOWN QB Willie Copeland Valdosta State 6-3 190 JR Rex, GA RB Bernard Palmer Henderson State 5-9 188 SO College Station, TX RB Tony McDonald Southern Arkansas 5-8 223 JR Magnolia, AR WR Robert Davis Delta State 5-9 172 SR New Orleans, LA WR Jeremy Ricks Delta State 5-9 165 JR Hollandale, MS WR Bruce Steele Ouachita Baptist 6-1 211 SR Twin City, GA C Travis Mikel-Allen Delta State 6-1 312 JR Ft. Walton Beach, FL G Georgeio Milami Southern Arkansas 5-9 312 SR Olive Branch, MS T Barron Hamlin West Georgia SR

DEFENSE POS NAME SCHOOL HT WT YEAR HOMETOWN DL Sam Carter Henderson State 6-3 250 JR College Station, TX DL Tim Kelly West Alabama 5-10 234 SR Gordo, AL DL Johnny Jackson West Alabama 5-11 298 SR Panama City, FL DL Jason Riles West Alabama 6-0 328 JR Bessemer, AL LB Jamal Johnson Arkansas Tech 6-1 200 SO New Orleans, LA LB Lardester Hicks Delta State 5-11 200 SO Chicago, IL LB Sevohn Greer Harding 5-9 175 JR Vallejo, CA LB Michael Johnson North Alabama 6-4 230 FR Panama City, FL LB Keon Phillips Southern Arkansas 6-0 214 SR Byhalia, MS LB Terrence Smith Southern Arkansas 6-3 239 SR Missouri City, TX LB William Montford Valdosta State 5-11 215 JR Cordele, GA LB Lewis Thompson West Alabama 5-1 206 SR Fayette, MS DB Quincy Skinner Arkansas Tech 5-10 170 JR Coral Springs, FL DB Monterio James Delta State 6-1 185 SO Starkville, MS DB Jamarcus Wiggins Delta State 6-3 205 JR Cantonment, FL DB Divon Hughes Henderson State 5-10 175 SO Malin, TX DB Larico Stevenson West Georgia 5-9 176 SR Olive Branch, MS DB Adam Carter West Georgia 5-8 182 SR Dallas, GA

SPECIAL TEAMS POS NAME SCHOOL HT WT YEAR HOMETOWN K Yuta Fukuda North Alabama 5-7 170 SR Gumma-Machi, Japan P Anthony Rodriguez Arkansas-Monticello 6-0 180 SR Franklin, LA RS Tracy Stiger Arkansas Tech 5-9 180 SO Russellville, AR RS Sherard Reynolds Valdosta State 5-11 184 SO Moultrie, GA BT Jamal Johnson Arkansas Tech 6-1 200 SO New Orleans, LA BT Jerry Evans Delta State 5-10 180 SR Rosedale, MS BT Kale Gober Henderson State 6-2 240 JR El Dorado, AR BT Paul Girton West Alabama 6-3 271 SR Pensacola, FL BT Andre Culpepper West Georgia 5-6 228 SR Thomson, GA

NOTE: The 2006 All-GSC Football Team was selected by the Head Coaches. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players. Balloting that ended in a tie was not broken.

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