Nineteen members of the Angelo State football team along with the Rams' coach were honored Thursday as the Lone Star Conference announced its postseason awards.
The Rams had four players chosen second team All-LSC South and eight others earning honorable mention recognition. In addition. ASU picked up the LSC South Freshman of the Year and Co-Coach of the Year awards. Angelo State also had two players named to the Academic All-LSC Team and six student-athletes named to the LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll.
ASU's two break-out receivers and two defensive linemen were named to the league's second team. Junior wide receiver V'Keon Lacey and freshman deep threat Dakarai Pecikonis were the Rams' only representatives from the offense on the second team. Senior defensive end Calvin Fance and junior nose guard Cody Smith anchored one of the best defensive lines in the LSC and were the only two ASU defensive players honored on the second team.
Lacey finished his first year with the Rams with a school-record 74 catches for a team-leading 878 yards and 10 touchdowns. He recorded the most receiving yards and touchdown catches by an ASU receiver since 1997. Pecikonis added 35 catches for 757 yards, averaging a team-best 21.6 yards per reception as he was also named the LSC South's Freshman of the Year.
Fance led the LSC and NCAA Division II with 14.0 sacks this season. Fance led the ASU defensive linemen with 43 tackles (19 solo) and ended the season with 14.5 tackles for a loss, six quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick. Smith had 21 tackles this season for the Rams, including eight solo stops, plugging the hole in the middle of the defensive line. He had 7.5 tackles for a loss, including 4.0 sacks, six quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery.
The Rams had five other offensive players and three defensive players named honorable mention. Junior quarterback Josh Neiswander, junior fullback John Norcott, senior offensive guard Brian Dickey, junior center Zack Bradley and junior wide receiver/return specialist Garrett Tidwell were all recognized. On the defense, senior linebacker D'Angelo Waites, senior defensive tackle Dustin Arthur and junior cornerback Markeith Jones were each named honorable mention.
Neiswander and senior linebacker Ian Ritchey were named to the LSC South All-Academic Team. Neiswander boasted a 3.42 grade point average in business administration, earning his bachelor's degree this past May. He is currently working toward his MBA. Ritchey has a 3.52 grade point average with a major in mathematics and a minor in kinesiology.
Six Rams were named to the LSC Commissioner's Honor Roll. Senior linebacker Pete Parker, sophomore safety D.J. Clough, junior punter Dylan Wiggs, sophomore wide receiver Zach McCormick, sophomore offensive lineman Wade Goode and sophomore offensive lineman Stephen Boyles were all recognized.
ASU head coach Dale Carr was named the LSC South Coach of the Year for the first time in his career, sharing the honor with Midwestern State's Bill Maskill. Carr led the Rams to a 6-5 overall mark, including a 6-3 record in LSC play, after three straight losing seasons.
