By ,
Published November 20, 2014
Stony Brook running back Miguel Maysonet and Coastal Carolina linebacker Quinn Backus were named the Big South Conference offensive and defensive players of the year, respectively, on Tuesday.
Maysonet, a Walter Payton Award candidate, became the third straight player to win the Big South award in back-to-back years. This season, the senior set a new single-season Big South rushing record with 1,721 yards and 19 touchdowns, three 200-yard rushing games and eight multi-touchdown games.
He finished the regular season averaging 156 yards per game, good for No. 1 in the FCS. He rushed for 220 yards in Stony Brook's win at Army and later had a career high with 233 rushing yards in a win versus Coastal Carolina.
Stony Brook will host Villanova in a first-round playoff game on Saturday.
Backus kept the defensive player of the year honors alive at Coastal when he became the second Chanticleer in three seasons to win the award. In his first season as a starter, Backus set a school record with 123 tackles. He added eight tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, two fumble recoveries and three forced fumbles. He also recorded at least 10 tackles in eight games this season.
Both players were All-Big South first-team selections.
Other Big South honors went to Coastal Carolina's Joe Mogila for coach of the year, Liberty quarterback Josh Woodrum for freshman of the year and Liberty wide receiver Pat Kelly as the football scholar-athlete of the year.
CCU's dynamic receiver/return specialist Niccolo Mastromatteo earned All-Big South first-team honors as a punt returner and second-team honors as a wide receiver.
Coastal Carolina, Liberty and Gardnerr-Webb led all teams with 13 selections each.
All-Big South Conference First Team
(as voted on by the head coaches and media)
OFFENSE
QB - Aramis Hillary, Coastal Carolina
RB - Miguel Maysonet, Stony Brook
RB - Aldreakis Allen, Liberty
WR - Kevin Norrell, Stony Brook
WR - Pat Kelly, Liberty
WR - Matt Hazel, Coastal Carolina
TE - Seth Cranfill, Gardner-Webb
OL - Michael Bamiro, Stony Brook
OL - Pat Williams, Coastal Carolina
OL - Mike Lisi, Stony Brook
OL - Steve Demilio, Gardner-Webb
OL - Aaron Lundy, Liberty
DEFENSE
DL - Jonathan Coats, Stony Brook
DL - Charlie Jones, Virginia Military
DL - Johnny Hartsfield, Coastal Carolina
DL - Quinton Davis, Coastal Carolina
LB - Quinn Backus, Coastal Carolina
LB - Nick Sigmon, Liberty
LB - Tanner Burch, Gardner-Webb
LB - Jawara Dudley, Stony Brook
DB - Charles James, Charleston Southern
DB - Dominick Reyes, Stony Brook
DB - Brent Vinson, Liberty
DB - Dontavais Johnson, Coastal Carolina
SPECIALISTS
PK - Wesley Skiffington, Stony Brook
P - Bo Lindsey, Gardner-Webb
LS - Richard Wright, Liberty
KR - Michael Ruff, Presbyterian
PR - Niccolo Mastromatteo, Coastal Carolina
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/maysonet-backus-garner-top-big-south-honors