RICHARDSON – Led by two special award winners, the Texas A&M University-Commerce football program had 29 total honors as the Lone Star Conference Football All-Conference, All-Academic, and special award winners were announced Friday.
 
Eight Lions were named first team all-LSC, nine Lions were named second team all-LSC, eight Lions earned all-LSC honorable mention, and two Lions earned LSC All-Academic honors.
 
Luis Perez won the J.W. Rollins Award as the LSC's Offensive Player of the Year, and was also named the first team all-LSC quarterback. Perez led the nation in passing, averaging 342.9 yards per game. He completed 277-of-385 passes for 36 touchdowns with only six interceptions. He set the school career passing yardage record with 6,755 entering Saturday's NCAA Division II playoff game at Winona State. His 521 career completions and 68 passing touchdowns are also school records – all while only playing in two seasons.
 
Perez earns first team all-LSC honors for the second time in his career. He is the first Lion quarterback to win first team all-LSC in consecutive seasons since Bobby Bounds in 1990 and 1991. He is the fourth Lion quarterback to win first team all-LSC honors more than once.
 
Jared Machorro was named the LSC Offensive Lineman of the Year, and was named first team all-LSC after leading the offensive line to a dominant season that saw the Lions qualify for the NCAA Division II playoffs for the third consecutive season. This is the second consective season he has earned first team all-LSC honors. Machorro is the sixth Lion to win Offensive Lineman of the Year honors since the award was instituted in 1985, and the first A&M-Commerce player to do in a single-division LSC.
 
Also earning first team all-conference honors were tight end Vincent Hobbs, kicker Kristov Martinez, kick returner Buck Wilson, defensive end Michael Onuoha, inside linebacker Brucks Saathoff, and cornerback Yusef Sterling-Lowe. Wilson was also named a second team all-LSC wide receiver.
 
Hobbs earns all-conference honors for the first time in his career. He had 36 receptions for 487 yards and three touchdowns this season, including a monster catch-and-run against Eastern New Mexico for one of the highlight plays of the season.
 
Martinez earns all-conference honors for the second time after being named second team all-LSC in 2016. He was the leading scorer amongst kickers in the league with 88 points on 49 PATs, and 13 field goals. He was twice named the LSC Special Teams Player of the Week as he also set the school's career records for scoring and PATs in his junior season. The management major earned LSC All-Academic honors for the second consecutive season.
 
Wilson averaged 31.7 yards per kickoff return, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown at West Texas A&M. He would lead the LSC in kickoff return average, but the defense has allowed so few scores, that he does not have the quantity of kickoff returns to qualify. He ranked fifth in the LSC in receiving average with 68.4 yards per game. He caught 46 passes for 684 yards and nine touchdowns. This is Wilson's second time earning first team all-LSC return specialist honors, as he also earned the distinction in 2015.
 
Onuoha was an honorable mention pick in 2016 and earned first team all-LSC honors this season. He had 35 tackles with six tackles for loss and two sacks, along with five quarterback hurries. He had a season-high seven tackles at Midwestern State.
 
Saathoff also vaulted to first team all-LSC after earning honorable mention in 2016. He led the Lions in tackles with 59 stops including three tackles for loss and two sacks. He forced a fumble, had a pass breakup, and five quarterback hurries. He had a season-high 12 tackles in the win at West Texas A&M, winning LSC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
 
Sterling-Lowe was previously an honorable mention pick and earned first team all-LSC honors this season. He was named the LSC Defensive Player of the Week with two interceptions at A&M-Kingsville. He had 27 tackles as a cornerback with a season-best eight stops against Eastern New Mexico.
 
Representing the Lions on the second team were guard Poet Thomas, center Jon Aguilar, wide receivers Darrion Landry and Buck Wilson, defensive tackle D.D. Fletcher, outside linebacker Kieston Carter, safeties Chris Smith and Alex Shillow, and long snapper Austin Jordan.
 
Both Thomas and Aguilar were key components in one of the nation's top offensive line units. Both were honorable mention in 2016 before elevating to second team all-LSC status in 2017.
 
Landry tied for third in the conference with nine touchdown receptions in his first season as a Lion. He had 37 receptions for 547 yards to average 54.7 yards per game.
 
Fletcher earns all-conference accolades for the first time in his career. He was a constant disruption in the backfield and finished the season with 17 tackles, including four tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also had two quarterback hurries and a fumble recovery.
 
Carter was all-LSC honorable mention as a junior and earns second team all-conference honors as a senior. He was named the LSC Defensive Player of the Week against Tarleton State in the final week of the regular season. He had 29 tackles with 13 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks, and a forced fumble. He ranked fifth in the league in tackles for loss.
 
Smith earns his first career all-LSC honor. He was the LSC Defensive Player of the Week in the season's opening week thanks to a game-deciding safety in the 8-7 win at North Alabama. He made 27 tackles with two tackles for loss and had two pass breakups.
 
Shillow earns all-LSC honors in his first season on the field. The redshirt freshman made 41 tackles, had two interceptions and a fumble recovery, and broke up five passes. He made the most tackles of any player in the Lion secondary.
 
Jordan was an all-LSC honorable mention last year and elevated to second team all-conference this season. He was an integral part of the punt and kick units as the Lions had some of the top special teams units in the nation. He also caught his first career touchdown pass from the tight end position on his Senior Day.
 
Earning all-LSC honorable mention were wide receiver D'Arthur Cowan, running back Carandal Hale, return specialist Shawn Hooks, defensive tackle Peyton Searcy, inside linebacker Neema Behbahani, outside linebacker Travon Blanchard, cornerback Darent White, and punter Tristan Perry.
 
Cowan ranked 13^th in the conference, averaging 54.5 yards per game receiving. He had 42 receptions for 545 yards and eight touchdowns.
 
Hale was the Lions' top running back as a redshirt freshman. He had 533 yards rushing on the year, with 104 yards against Angelo State. He had 775 all-purpose yards when including his 242 receiving yards on 35 catches.
 
Hooks averaged 13.1 yards per punt return to lead the conference. He was first team all-LSC in 2016. He also had 25 receptions for 303 yards and three touchdowns.
 
Searcy had 27 tackles with six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. Behbahani was the Lions' second-leading tackler with 43 stops, 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a pass breakup, a fumble recovery, and three quarterback hurries.
 
Blanchard had 32 stops on the year with eight tackles for loss and three sacks. He blocked one kick, forced one fumble, intercepted one pass, and had four pass breakups. White had 17 tackles on the season with an interception and three pass breakups.
 
Perry ranked fourth in the LSC in punting as a true freshman. He averaged 40.5 yards per punt on 33 boots with 15 inside the opponents' 20-yardline and four punts of over 50 yards, including the conference's longest punt at 76 yards.
 
Linebacker Garrett Blubaugh also joined Martinez on the LSC All-Academic team. The starting linebacker also carries high marks as a pre-medical major.
 
2017 LSC FOOTBALL ALL-CONFERENCE AWARDS
SPECIAL AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year (J.W. Rollins award): Luis Perez, Texas A&M-Commerce
Offensive Back of the Year: Kamal Cass, Eastern New Mexico
Receiver of the Year: Jordan Thomas, Texas A&M-Kingsville
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Jared Machorro, Texas A&M-Commerce
Freshman of the Year: John O'Kelley, UT Permian Basin
Defensive Player of the Year (J.V. Sikes award): Markus Jones, Angelo State
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Markus Jones, Angelo State
Linebacker of the Year: Justin Jackson, Angelo State
Defensive Back of the Year: Fred Lawrence, Angelo State
Coach of the Year: Bill Maskill, Midwestern State
 

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Islam Sbeih	Midwestern State	OG	Sr.	East Oakland, Calif.
Josh Bongiovanni	Eastern New Mexico	OG	Sr.	Tracy, Calif.
Jared Machorro	Texas A&M-Commerce	OT	Sr.	Coldspring, Texas
Isaiah Talbert	Eastern New Mexico	OT	Sr.	Denver, Colo.
A.J. Roland	Midwestern State	C	Jr.	Saches, Texas
Stehly Reden	Texas A&M-Kingsville	TE	Sr.	Valley Center, Calif.
Vincent Hobbs	Texas A&M-Commerce	TE	Jr.	Mesquite, Texas
Jordan Thomas	Texas A&M-Kingsville	WR	Sr.	San Antonio, Texas
D'Angelo Bowie	Western New Mexico	WR	Sr.	Virginia Beach, Va.
Donovan Thompson	Angelo State	WR	Sr.	Houston, Texas
Jeff Thomas	Tarleton State	WR	Sr.	Duncanville, Texas
Luis Perez	Texas A&M-Commerce	QB	Sr.	Chula Vista, Calif.
Kamal Cass	Eastern New Mexico	RB	Sr.	Clovis, NM
Adrian Seales	Midwestern State	RB	Jr.	Port Arthur, Texas
Jordan Johnson	West Texas A&M	FB	So.	Eagle Lake, Texas
Kristov Martinez	Texas A&M-Commerce	PK	Jr.	Edinburg, Texas
Buck Wilson	Texas A&M-Commerce	RS	Sr.	Commerce, Texas

 

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
Tyrell Thompson	Tarleton State	DT	Jr.	Copperas Cove, Texas
Bright Ihegworo	Angelo State	DT	So.	Sugar Land, Texas
Markus Jones	Angelo State	DE	Jr.	Crowley, Texas
Michael Onuoha	Texas A&M-Commerce	DE	Jr.	Edmond, Okla.
Brad Hardin	Eastern New Mexico	ILB	Jr.	Aztec, NM
Brucks Saathoff	Texas A&M-Commerce	ILB	Jr.	San Antonio, Texas
Justin Jackson	Angelo State	OLB	Jr.	Missouri City, Texas
Desmond Blue	Eastern New Mexico	OLB	Sr.	Sarasota, Fla.
Yusef Sterling-Lowe	Texas A&M-Commerce	CB	Sr.	Oakland, Calif.
Fred Lawrence	Angelo State	CB	Sr.	Abilene, Texas
Josh Wydermyer	Midwestern State	S	Jr.	Austin, Texas
Ian Davis	Western New Mexico	S	Sr.	Grass Valley, Calif.
Toby Amadi	Eastern New Mexico	S	Sr.	Wylie, Texas
John Cummings	West Texas A&M	P	Sr.	Plano, Texas
Bobby Joe Nielsen	Midwestern State	DS	Sr.	Lampasas, Texas

 
 

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
Poet Thomas	Texas A&M-Commerce	OG	Sr.	Beverly Hills, Mich.
Kevin Fisher, Jr	Midwestern State	OG	Jr.	Lakeland, Fla.
Stuart Sanchez	Texas A&M-Kingsville	OG	Sr.	Corpus Christi, Texas
John Rowell	Midwestern State	OT	Jr.	Houston, Texas
Andre Gillette	Angelo State	OT	Jr.	Odessa, Texas
Jon Aguilar	Texas A&M-Commerce	C	Sr.	Lubbock, Texas
Lane Cummings	Eastern New Mexico	C	Sr.	Las Cruces, NM
Dorian Johnson	Midwestern State	TE	Sr.	Pasadena, Texas
Del'Michael High	Tarleton State	WR	Sr.	Mesquite, Texas
Darrion Landry	Texas A&M-Commerce	WR	Jr.	Baytown, Texas
Buck Wilson	Texas A&M-Commerce	WR	Sr.	Commerce, Texas
DeAndre Black	Midwestern State	WR	Sr.	Pittsburgh, Pa.
Layton Rabb	Midwestern State	QB	Jr.	Llano, Texas
Vincent Johnson	Midwestern State	RB	Jr.	Lubbock, Texas
Josh Stevens	Angelo State	RB	Sr.	Ormand Beach, Fla.
Xavier Turner	Tarleton State	RB	Jr.	North Richland Hills, Texas
Tayshaun Gary	Eastern New Mexico	FB	Jr.	El Paso, Texas
Alex Schrag	West Texas A&M	PK	Fr.	The Colony, Texas
Daniel McCants	Tarleton State	RS	So.	Killeen, Texas

 

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DD Fletcher	Texas A&M-Commerce	DT	So.	Arlington, Texas
Frank Seiuli	UT Permian Basin	DT	Sr.	Pago Pago, America Samoa
Alec DiValerio	Midwestern State	DE	Jr.	Saches, Texas
Chase Varnado	Tarleton State	DE	Sr.	Stephenville, Texas
Leo Marin	Western New Mexico	DE	Sr.	Carlsbad, Calif.
Basil Jackson	Tarleton State	ILB	Sr.	Arlington, Texas
Dominic Barry	Western New Mexico	ILB	Sr.	Moreno Valley, Calif.
Daelin Young	West Texas A&M	OLB	Sr.	Mesquite, Texas
Kieston Carter	Texas A&M-Commerce	OLB	Sr.	Mexia, Texas
Devin Hafford	Tarleton State	CB	So.	Atascocita, Texas
DaMarcus Wilson	Midwestern State	CB	So.	Forth Worth, Texas
Sir'Vell Ford	Midwestern State	S	Jr.	Richmond, Texas
Chris Smith	Texas A&M-Commerce	S	Jr.	Mansfield, Texas
Alex Shillow	Texas A&M-Commerce	S	R-Fr.	Pflugerville, Texas
Ron Reid	Tarleton State	P	Jr.	Burleson, Texas
Austin Jordan	Texas A&M-Commerce	DS	Sr.	Rowlett, Texas

 

HONORABLE MENTION
Blake Harrison	Angelo State	OG	So.	Ft Worth, Texas
AJ Wozniak	Angelo State	OG	Fr.	Flower Mound, Texas
Dillon Vaughn	West Texas A&M	OT	Sr.	Corpus Christi, Texas
Emmanuel Henry	Angelo State	OT	Jr.	Gurnee, Ill.
Caleb Brown	Midwestern State	OT	R-Fr.	Rowlett, Texas
Travis Vornkahl	West Texas A&M	OT	Jr.	Sealy, Texas
Hunter Bowers	UT Permian Basin	OT	So.	Corpus Christi, Texas
Ashmeed Ahamad	Angelo State	C	Sr.	Deer Park, Texas
Iverson Moana	Western New Mexico	C	R-Fr.	Pago Pago, American Samoa
Noah Perez	Tarleton State	C	So.	Stephenville, Texas
D'Arthur Cowan	Texas A&M-Commerce	WR	Sr.	Olive Branch, Miss.
D.J. Myers	Midwestern State	WR	Sr.	Woodbridge, Va.
Evan Beebe	Western New Mexico	WR	Jr.	San Diego, Calif.
Johnny Smith	Eastern New Mexico	WR	So.	El Paso, Texas
Javia Hall	Western New Mexico	QB	Sr.	Dallas, Texas
Zed Woerner	Tarleton State	QB	Sr.	Marble Falls, Texas
Wyatt Strand	Eastern New Mexico	QB	So.	Logan, NM
Nick Pelrean	Texas A&M-Kingsville	RB	Jr.	Houston, Texas
Carandal Hale	Texas A&M-Commerce	RB	R-Fr.	Greenville, Texas
Torrey Thomas	Texas A&M-Kingsville	FB	Jr.	Katy, Texas
Brant Bailey	Tarleton State	FB	So.	Eastland, Texas
Marquee Allison	UT Permian Basin	FB	So.	Cibolo, Texas
Connor Flanigan	Angelo State	PK	So.	Austin, Texas
Julio DeLaGarza	Texas A&M-Kingsville	PK	Jr.	Brownsville, Texas
Bailey Hale	Eastern New Mexico	PK	So.	Iowa Park, Texas
Shawn Hooks	Texas A&M-Commerce	RS	Sr.	Dangerfield, Texas
Sean North	Western New Mexico	RS	Fr.	Corona, Calif.
Dakota Montoya	Eastern New Mexico	DT	Sr.	Clayton, NM
Peyton Searcy	Texas A&M-Commerce	DT	Jr.	Killeen, Texas
Solomon Perdue	West Texas A&M	DT	Sr.	Austin, Texas
Leti Manu	UT Permian Basin	DT	Sr.	Pago Pago, America Samoa
Connor Mowat	Western New Mexico	DT	Jr.	Lahaina, HI
Brandon Jones	Texas A&M-Kingsville	DE	Jr.	Houston, Texas
Lance Hyder	West Texas A&M	DE	Jr.	Austin, Texas
Grant Coonce	Angelo State	DE	Sr.	Phelan, Calif.
Keandre Hall	Eastern New Mexico	DE	Jr.	Lubbock, Texas
Caleb Valentine	Texas A&M-Kingsville	DE	So.	Fulshear, Texas
Chris Hoad	UT Permian Basin	ILB	So.	Leander, Texas
Grant Aschenbeck	Angelo State	ILB	Jr.	East Bernard, Texas
Trevor Moses	Texas A&M-Kingsville	ILB	Sr.	Calallen, Texas
Fe'ao Vunipola	Eastern New Mexico	ILB	Sr.	Concord, Calif.
Keegan Gray	UT Permian Basin	ILB	So.	Andrews, Texas
Neema Behbahani	Texas A&M-Commerce	ILB	So.	Plano, Texas
Hunter Kyle	Angelo State	ILB	R-Fr.	Wichita Falls, Texas
Jacob Sherrill	Midwestern State	ILB	Sr.	Burleson, Texas
Travon Blanchard	Texas A&M-Commerce	OLB	Sr.	Orange, Texas
Zach Johnson	Eastern New Mexico	OLB	Sr.	Littlefield, Texas
Braedon Robinson	Texas A&M-Kingsville	OLB	Sr.	San Antonio, Texas
Joe Tito	Western New Mexico	OLB	Jr.	Las Vegas, Nev.
DeMarcus Spurlock	Texas A&M-Kingsville	OLB	Sr.	Houston, Texas
Darent White	Texas A&M-Commerce	CB	Jr.	Houston, Texas
Charles Countee	Eastern New Mexico	CB	So.	Albuquerque, NM
Jackson Burrell	Tarleton State	CB	Sr.	Denver, Colo.
Devonte Williams	Texas A&M-Kingsville	S	Jr.	Houston, Texas
Andrew Blackshire	Tarleton State	S	R-Fr.	Lufkin, Texas
Kaimon Ontiveros	Angelo State	S	Sr.	Brownwood, Texas
Leddy French	Angelo State	S	R-Fr.	Brock, Texas
Casey Eyman	Angelo State	P	Sr.	Long Beach, Calif.
Mitchell Henton	Midwestern State	P	Sr.	Dallas, Texas
Tristan Perry	Texas A&M-Commerce	P	Fr.	Mineral Wells, Texas
George Rios	Texas A&M-Kingsville	DS	Fr.	Corpus Christi, Texas
Jon Letter	Angelo State	DS	R-Fr.	Katy, Texas

 

2017 LSC FOOTBALL ALL-ACADEMIC AWARDS
Player	Team	Pos.	Yr.	Major	Hometown
Dillon Vaughan	West Texas A&M	OL	Grad	Marketing / Finance	Corpus Christi, Texas
Zed Woerner	Tarleton State	QB	Sr.	Pre-Dental	Marble Falls, Texas
Josh Jacks	Angelo State	OL	Jr.	Biology	Round Rock, Texas
Jacob Sherrill	Midwestern State	LB	Sr.	Respiratory Care	Burleson, Texas
Layton Rabb	Midwestern State	QB	Jr.	Accounting	Llano, Texas
Garrett Blubaugh	Texas A&M-Commerce	LB	So.	Construction Engineering	Keller, Texas
Kristov Martinez	Texas A&M-Commerce	K	Jr.	Management	Edinburg, Texas
Michael Whitfield	West Texas A&M	OL	So.	Criminal Justice	Odessa, Texas
Bailey Hale	Eastern New Mexico	K	So.	Sports Management	Iowa Park, Texas
Grant Aschenbeck	Angelo State	LB	Jr.	Integrated Business	East Bernard, Texas
Russell Montoya	Eastern New Mexico	WR	So.	Accounting	Albuquerque, NM

 
Special Recognition
Academic Player of the Year: Dillon Vaughan, West Texas A&M