Four VMI football players were named to the Preseason All-Southern Conference teams announced by the league Monday afternoon at the 2019 SoCon Football Media Day in Spartanburg, S.C.
Senior wide receiver Javeon Lara was named to the first team offense while junior quarterback Reece Udinski was named to the second team offense. On the defensive side, junior AJ Smith was named to the first team defense and on special teams senior Rohan Martin was named a second team return specialist.
Lara is a three-year letterman and returning starter coming off an excellent 2018 season in which he accumulated the second most catches and yards among receivers with 53 catches for 825 yards. He led the team in touchdown receptions with seven and earned the team’s longest reception of the year with a 72-yard touchdown catch against Samford. He produced four 100+ yard receiving games as a junior.
AJ Smith is a two-year letterman and returning starter that earned 2018 All-SoCon second team defense honors a year ago. The Academic All-American started all 11 games at safety a year ago extending his start streak to 18. He co-led the team in tackles with 90 for sixth in the league standing with 8.2 tackles per game. He led the Keydet defense with 55 solo stops last season and broke up three passes during the season.
Udinski rewrote the season passing record book in 2018 by throwing for over 3,000 yards and became the first quarterback in school history to surpass the 3,000 yard threshold for a single season. He set season marks for completions (302), attempts (523), total plays (570) and tied the season mark for most touchdown passes in a season with 20. Udinski established VMI single game records for passing yards when he threw for 491 yards in VMI’s 52-50 loss at Western Carolina September 22 which also stood as the second most yards by a SoCon QB during the year.
Rohan Martin was a 2018 second team All-Socon specialist despite only playing in eight games due to injury. He tied for third on the team for the most receptions on the year with 30 to go with 252 yards and a touchdown. On special teams he averaged 15.9 yards per return in seven tries.
Western Carolina quarterback Tyrie Adams was named the preseason Offensive Player of the Year and defensive lineman Nasir Player of ETSU was named the preseason Defensive Player of the Year.
2019 Preseason All-SoCon Teams
First Team Offense
QB Tyrie Adams, R-Sr., Western Carolina
RB Quay Holmes, R-So., ETSU
RB Tyray Devezin, Jr., Mercer
OL Bo Layton, R-Jr., Furman
OL Austin Sanders, R-Sr., Mercer
OL Nick Nixon, Sr., Samford
OL Justus Basinger, Sr., Wofford
OL Michael Ralph, Sr., Wofford
TE Owen Cosenke, Jr., Western Carolina
WR Bryce Nunnelly, Jr., Chattanooga
WR Javeon Lara, Sr., VMI
First Team Defense
DL Joseph Randall II, Sr., The Citadel
DL Jason Maduafokwa, R-Sr., ETSU
DL Nasir Player, R-Sr., ETSU
DL Thad Mangum, Sr., Wofford
LB Willie Eubanks III, Jr., The Citadel
LB Adrian Hope, R-So., Furman
LB Marshall Cooper, Sr., Chattanooga
DB Tyree Robinson, Jr., ETSU
DB Brandon Dowdell, Jr., Chattanooga
DB Jerrell Lawson, R-Jr., Chattanooga
DB A.J. Smith, Jr., VMI
DB Ronald Kent Jr., So., Western Carolina
First Team Specialists
PK Grayson Atkins, Jr., Furman
PK Mitchell Fineran, So., Samford
P Matthew Campbell, So., The Citadel
RS David Durden, So., Mercer
Second Team Offense
QB Reece Udinski, Jr., VMI
RB Devin Wynn, Jr., Furman
RB Tyrell Price, Sr., Chattanooga
OL Haden Haas, R-So., The Citadel
OL Drew McEntyre, Sr., The Citadel
OL Ben Blackmon, R-Sr., ETSU
OL Tre’mond Shorts, R-So., ETSU
OL Andy Godwin, R-Sr., Furman
OL Cole Strange, R-Jr., Chattanooga
OL Blake Jeresaty, Jr., Wofford
TE Chris Ellington, Sr., Mercer
WR Thomas Gordon, Sr., Furman
WR David Durden, So., Mercer
Second Team Defense
DL Dorian Kithcart, R-Sr., Mercer
DL Justin Foster, Sr., Samford
DL Nelson Jordan, So., Samford
DL Mikel Horton, Jr., Wofford
LB Elijah McKoy, Jr., Furman
LB Will Coneway, R-Sr., Mercer
LB Jireh Wilson, Sr., Wofford
DB Jeremy Lewis, Sr., ETSU
DB Malique Fleming, R-Jr., Mercer
DB Mason Alstatt, Sr., Wofford
DB George Gbesee, Sr., Wofford
Second Team Specialists
PK Jacob Godek, Sr., The Citadel
P Luke Carter, Sr., Wofford
RS Rohan Martin, Sr., VMI
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