Football Southern Conference

Wofford Announces 2002 Award Winners

The Wofford football program announced its 2002 team award winners at
last night's banquet in the Verandah Room of the Richardson Building on
campus:

Highest Grade-Point Average: Josh Smith (ILB, So., 3.82 GPA, Greer,
S.C.)

Most Valuable Offensive Lineman: Jesse Blackburn (Sr., Marysville,
Ohio)
Blackburn anchored a Wofford offensive line that paved the way for the
nation's second-ranked rushing offense (342.2 yards per game). The
Terriers' 4,106 yards rushing was just five yards shy of a single-season
school record (4,111, 1989).

Most Valuable Running Back: Jesse McCoy (Sr., Acworth, Ga.)
McCoy rushed for 1,001 yards and 10 touchdowns on a 7.8 per carry
average as he became the first non-quarterback at Wofford since 1979 to
reach the 1,000-yard mark. The Acworth, Ga., native closed his career
as the Terriers' fifth all-time leading rusher with 2,684 yards. He
also holds the Wofford mark for career per carry average at 7.3 yards.
McCoy had four 100-yard rushing performances this season and was a
three-time SoCon Player of the Week. He had a personal-best 184 yards,
also the high game for a SoCon player this year, in the 27-14 win over
The Citadel. It came one week after a then career-high 145-yard effort
and two touchdowns in the 26-19 victory at Appalachian State. He also
rushed for 114 yards and two scores, including the game-winner on a
4th-and-goal play late in the fourth quarter, in the 14-7 victory at
Georgia Southern. McCoy placed third in the SoCon in rushing (91.0
yards per game) and second in all-purpose yards (119.9 per game).

Most Valuable Wide Receiver: Shiel Wood (So., Spartanburg, S.C.)
Wood had six catches for 87 yards (14.5 avg.) and was the Terriers' top
blocker at the receiver position.

Most Valuable Defensive Lineman: Anthony Jones (Sr. Lexington, Ky.)
Jones set single-season school records with his SoCon-leading totals of
15.5 sacks and 28 tackles for loss. The senior from Lexington, Ky., is
also the Terriers' career leader in both categories with 30.5 sacks and
66 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Twice in the last three games,
Jones equaled a single-game Wofford record with five tackles for a loss.
He had three-sack performances in wins over Appalachian State,
Chattanooga, and East Tennessee State.

Most Valuable Linebacker: Hondre McNeil (Sr., Lake View, S.C.)
One of three fifth-year seniors on the 2002 squad, McNeil had 63 stops
with 12 for a loss. He provided a big-play element to the Terrier
defense.

Co-Most Valuable Defensive Backs: Roland Harris (Sr., Hope Mills, N.C.)
and Matt Nelson (Jr., Grove City, Ohio)
Harris topped the Terriers and placed among the SoCon leaders with four
interceptions, including two spectacular picks in the final five minutes
of the 26-19 win at Appalachian State. His efforts in that game earned
him SoCon Defensive Player of the Week honors. The senior from Hope
Mills, N.C., also had seven pass breakups.

Nelson placed second in the SoCon with a team-high 131 tackles. After
making 114 stops last year, he now owns the Terriers' top two
single-season tackle totals dating back to 1987. He was also among the
league leaders with 11 pass breakups. The junior from Grove City, Ohio,
is already third on the Terriers' career tackles list with 285. His 83
solo stops this fall rank as the third-best single-season total in
school history.

Most Valuable Special Teams Performer: Jimmy Miner (P, Jr., Kennesaw,
Ga.)
Miner ranked 13th nationally with a 42.2 average. The junior from
Kennesaw, Ga., had 13 of his 47 punts downed inside the 20-yard line,
with seven inside the 10-yard line and three inside the five.

Freshman of the Year: Jim Thurman (ILB, Hixson, Tenn.)
Thurman earned SoCon Freshman of the Week honors following victories
over Georgia Southern and Chattanooga. He placed fourth on the team
with 75 tackles.

Unsung Heroes: Lee Basinger (Kannapolis, N.C.), Chad Bentley (Pickens,
S.C.), Prosser Carnegie (Davidson, N.C.), Nathan Fuqua (Danville, Ky.),
D.J. Gaillard (Gahanna, Ohio), Steve Hoover (Austin, Texas), Melvin
Jones (West Columbia, S.C.), Brandon Ladd (Athens, Tenn.), Ben Mungin
(Lithonia, Ga.), Jonathan Starks (Columbia, S.C.), and Fred Washington
(Cross, S.C.).