NEW ORLEANS – Old Dominion University Football had six players featured on the Sun Belt All-Conference Team, the Sun Belt office announced on Thursday. Linebacker Jason Henderson earned first-team and linebacker Wayne Matthews III earned third-team, while safeties Terry Jones and Shawn Asbury, cornerback LaMareon James and defensive tackle Denzel Lowry received honorable mention honors.
A repeat first-team all-conference selection, Henderson leads the country with 170 tackles and is third in the country with 19.5 tackles for loss. He delivered double-digit tackles in 11 games and tied his own school record with 22 tackles earlier this season against Coastal Carolina.
Matthews started alongside Henderson at linebacker and is third in the Sun Belt with 121 tackles and second on the team with 8.5 tackles for loss. He recorded seven double-digit tackle games, including a career-high 16 stops in the bowl eligibility clinching win over Georgia State. This is his first all-conference honor.
Jones ranks fourth in the league with 107 tackles and added four tackles for loss, four pass breakups, forced a fumble and recovered one. He notched six double-digit tackle games and totaled a career-high 13 tackles against Marshall and Coastal Carolina.
Asbury is fourth on the squad with 85 tackles and third on the team with six tackles for loss. He broke up four passes and recorded an interception at James Madison.
James started all 12 games at corner this year, breaking up a team-best eight passes. He tied for third in the Sun Belt with three fumble recoveries. He became the eighth player in FBS history to score a defensive touchdown on a fumble and interception return in the same game when he did it against Wake Forest.
Lowry led all ODU defensive linemen with 42 tackles and tied for the d-linemen lead with four tackles for loss. He added a pair of sacks and recovered a fumble.
ODU finished the regular season 6-6 overall and 5-3 in the Sun Belt. The Monarchs await their bowl destination, which will be announced on Sunday, Dec. 3 during ESPN's Bowl Selection Special that begins at noon.
2023 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year
Jordan McCloud, James Madison
Offensive Player of the Year
Kimani Vidal, Troy
Defensive Player of the Year
Jalen Green, James Madison
Newcomer of the Year
Joey Aguilar, App State
Freshman of the Year
Jaylen Raynor, Arkansas State
Coach of the Year
Curt Cignetti, James Madison
All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Jordan McCloud, James Madison
RB – Kimani Vidal, Troy
RB – Marcus Carroll, Georgia State
OL – Isaiah Helms, App State
OL – Bucky Williams, App State
OL – Travis Glover, Georgia State
OL – Khalil Crowder, Georgia Southern
OL – Jacob Bayer, Arkansas State
TE – Zach Horton, James Madison
WR – Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
WR – Elijah Sarratt, James Madison
WR – Reggie Brown, James Madison
All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Jalen Green, James Madison
DL – Javon Solomon, Troy
DL – Richard Jibunor, Troy
DL – Jamree Kromah, James Madison
DL – Owen Porter, Marshall
LB – Jason Henderson, Old Dominion
LB – Andrew Parker Jr., App State
LB – Marques Watson-Trent, Georgia Southern
DB – Micah Abraham, Marshall
DB – Reddy Steward, Troy
DB – Jaden Voisin, South Alabama
DB – Tyrek Funderburk, App State
All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Mason Shipley, Texas State
P – William Przystup, Arkansas State
RS – Jayden Harrison, Marshall
AP – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Joey Aguilar, App State
RB – Rasheen Ali, Marshall
RB – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
OL – Daniel King, Troy
OL – Tyler Stephens, James Madison
OL – Makilian Thomas, Arkansas State
OL – Rasheed Miller, Georgia Southern
OL – Grant Betts, Troy
TE – Eli Wilson, App State
WR – Khaleb Hood, Georgia Southern
WR – Sam Pinckney, Coastal Carolina
WR – Joey Hobert, Texas State
All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – James Carpenter, James Madison
DL – Adin Huntington, ULM
DL – Ben Bell, Texas State
DL – Mikail Kamara, James Madison
DL – TJ Jackson, Troy
LB – Brian Holloway, Texas State
LB – Nate Johnson, App State
LB – Quentin Wilfawn, South Alabama
DB – Shemar Bartholomew, Georgia Southern
DB – Dell Pettus, Troy
DB – Ethan Johnson, App State
DB – D'Angelo Ponds, James Madison
All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Michael Hughes, App State
P – Ryan Hanson, James Madison
RS – Ismail Mahdi, Texas State
AP – Frank Gore Jr., Southern Miss
All-Sun Belt Third Team Offense
QB – Gunnar Watson, Troy
RB – La'Damian Webb, South Alabama
RB – Jalen White, Georgia Southern
OL – AJ Gillie, Louisiana
OL – Jack Murphy, App State
OL – Ethan Driskell, Marshall
OL – Will McDonald, Coastal Carolina
OL – Brey Walker, Texas State
TE – Neal Johnson, Louisiana
WR – Robert Lewis, Georgia State
WR – Jabre Barber, Troy
WR – Chris Lewis, Troy
All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense
DL – Thurman Geathers, Arkansas State
DL – Isaac Walker, Georgia Southern
DL – Elijah Alston, Marshall
DL – Wy'Kevious Thomas, South Alabama
LB – Eli Neal, Marshall
LB – Jontrey Hunter, Georgia State
LB – Aiden Fisher, James Madison
LB – Wayne Matthews, Old Dominion
DB – Yam Banks, South Alabama
DB – Clayton Isbell, Coastal Carolina
DB – Gavin Pringle, Georgia State
DB – Irshaad Davis, Troy
All-Sun Belt Third Team Special Teams
K – Camden Wise, James Madison
P – John McConnell, Marshall
RS – Ja'Quez Cross, Arkansas State
AP – Caullin Lacy, South Alabama
All-Sun Belt Honorable Mentions
Old Dominion
DL – Denzel Lowry (RS So., DL – Virginia Beach, Va.)
DB – Shawn Asbury II (Jr., DB – Stafford, Va.)
DB – LaMareon James (Jr., DB – Norfolk, Va.)
DB – Terry Jones (RS Jr., DB – Baltimore, Md.)
App State
RB – Kanye Roberts (RS Fr., RB – Teachey, N.C.)
WR – Kaedin Robinson (RS Jr., WR – Asheville, N.C.)
DL – Santana Hopper (RS Fr., DL – Shelby, N.C.)
DB – Jordan Favors (RS So., DB – Griffin, Ga.)
Arkansas State
OL – Jalen Cunningham (RS Sr., OL – Odenville, Ala.)
WR – Courtney Jackson (RS Jr., WR – Monroeville, Pa.)
LB – Charles Willekes (RS Jr., LB – Rockford, Mich.)
DB – Samy Johnson (Sr., DB – Little Rock, Ark.)
Coastal Carolina
OL – Nick Del Grande (RS Fr., OL – Lancaster, Pa.)
WR – Jared Brown (RS So., WR – Lilburn, Ga.)
DL – Micheal Mason (Super Sr., DL – Florence, S.C.)
DB – Matthew McDoom (So., DB – Winter Garden, Fla.)
Georgia Southern
QB – Davis Brin (6th Yr., QB – Boerne, Texas)
TE – Jjay Mcafee (6th Yr., TE – Charleston, S.C.)
WR – Derwin Burgess Jr. (Jr., WR – Riverdale, Ga.)
DB – TJ Smith (RS Jr., DB – Atlanta, Ga.)
Georgia State
QB – Darren Grainger (RS Sr., QB – Conway, S.C.)
WR – Tailique Williams (RS Jr., WR – Pine Mountain, Ga.)
LB – Kevin Swint (Sr., LB – Carrollton, Ga.)
DB – Jeremiah Johnson (Sr., DB – Anguilla, Miss.)
James Madison
WR – Phoenix Sproles (RS Sr., WR – New Hope, Minn.)
LB – Jailin Walker (Jr., LB – Richmond, Va.)
DB – Chauncey Logan (So., DB – Salem, Va.)
DB – Francis Meehan (RS Sr., DB – Wilmington, N.C.)
Louisiana
OL – Nathan Thomas (RS Jr., OL – New Orleans, La.)
WR – Peter LeBlanc (Sr., WR – New Iberia, La.)
LB – Kendre' Gant (Jr., LB – Port St. Joe, Fla.)
LB – K.C. Ossai (Jr., LB – Conroe, Texas)
ULM
OL – Elijah Fisher (So., OL – Allen, Texas)
OL – Zarian McGill (Jr., OL – Taylorsville, Miss.)
WR – Tyrone Howell (6th Yr., WR – Idabel, Okla.)
DL – Kenard Snyder (So., DL – Vero Beach, Fla.)
Marshall
OL – Logan Osburn (RS Jr., OL – Ona, W.Va.)
OL – Dalton Tucker (RS Sr., OL – Paris, Ky.)
DL – Sam Burton (RS Sr., DL – Boca Raton, Fla.)
DB – J.J. Roberts (RS Jr., DB – Ona, W.Va.)
South Alabama
QB – Carter Bradley (Sr., QB – Jacksonville, Fla.)
OL – Reggie Smith (Sr., OL – Pensacola, Fla.)
WR – Jamaal Pritchett (So., WR – Jackson, Ala.)
LB – Trey Kiser (Sr., LB – Sulphur, Okla.)
Southern Miss
WR – Jakarius Caston (Sr., WR – Natchez, Miss.)
DL – Quentin Bivens (Sr., DL – Waynesboro, Miss.)
LB – Swayze Bozeman (RS Sr., LB – Flora, Miss.)
DB – Jay Stanley (Sr., DB – Greenwood, Miss.)
Texas State
QB – TJ Finley (RS So., QB – Ponchatoula, La.)
WR – Ashtyn Hawkins (Jr., WR – DeSoto, Texas)
WR – Kole Wilson (So., WR – Katy, Texas)
DB – Shawn Holton (Sr., DB – Fort Worth, Texas)
Troy
DL – Buddha Jones (Sr., DL – Tallahassee, Fla.)
DB – O'shai Fletcher (Sr., DB – Huntsville, Ala.)
DB – Caleb Ransaw (Jr., DB – Harvest, Ala.)
LS – Quentin Skinner (Sr., LS – Buford, Ga.)
Henderson, Matthews Lead Six Monarchs on All-Sun Belt Team
