Eight Newberry College football players have been named to the 2007 All-South Atlantic Conference squads, the league office announced today.

Heath Benedict (Greer) received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the second consecutive season, and earned first team all-SAC for the third year. Benedict is only the third two-time winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, and only the fourth SAC player to be invited to the Senior Bowl.

Alex Haynes (Summerville) earned first team all-SAC laurels for the second consecutive season after earning the league's statistical championship in rushing yards per game (113.2) and all-purpose yards per game (129.4). Haynes finished the season with 1,019 rushing yards, his second straight year over 1,000 rushing yards.

Sophomore Antonio Patton (Woodruff.) earned first team all-SAC honors as a return specialist in his first season at Newberry. He was the conference's statistical champion in punt return yardage, with 12.5 yards per return. He had a 61-yard punt return for a touchdown against Chowan, as well as a 73-yard kickoff return for a score against West Georgia.

Temarcus Thompson (Greenville) tied for the league lead in interceptions with four picks this year. He also had seven pass breakups and 28 tackles to earn first team all-conference honors.

Wide receiver David Smith (Union) earned second team all-SAC honors with 28 receptions for 353 yards and four touchdowns in his first season at Newberry. Jonathan Dailey (Clinton) also made the second team on the offensive line, starting all 11 games this season.

Tony Ransom (Marion) is on the second team defensive line, having made 51 tackles, 15 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks this season.  Derrell Mills (Gray Court) also earned second team honors as a defensive back with 42 tackles, two interceptions and three pass breakups from his safety position.

Newberry finished the season with an overall record of 9-2 and was third in the conference with a 4-2 record.

South Atlantic Conference football co-champions Carson-Newman College and Catawba College led the way with 13 selections each on the 2007 SAC All-Conference Football Team.

Catawba senior quarterback Brad Roach, who threw for 2,704 yards and 24 touchdowns, was named the Offensive Player of the Year.

Carson-Newman senior linebacker Eric Rice, who was the leading tackler on an Eagle team that led the league in rush defense, was named the Defensive Player of the Year.Catawba coach Chip Hester, who guided the Indians to the league championship and a berth into the NCAA Division II playoffs, was named Coach of the Year.

Wingate University freshman running back Nelson Woods, who rushed for 1,174 yards and 11 touchdowns in his rookie season, was named Offensive Freshman of the Year.

Carson-Newman freshman defensive back Revel Coffey, who had three interceptions and five pass break-ups and 38 tackles, was named Defensive Freshman of the Year.

Newberry College senior offensive lineman Heath Benedict received the Jacobs Blocking Trophy for the second year in a row.

Tusculum College sophomore tight end Jarrell NeSmith, who has a 4.0 GPA as a pre-medicine major, was named Football Scholar Athlete.

The head coaches in the conference select the All-Conference teams.

Information courtesy of the South Atlantic Conference

Volleyball's Sales Named to All-SAC first Team

Priscila Sales (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) was named to the 2007 South Atlantic Conference volleyball all-conference first team.  Sales becomes the first Lady Indian to be named to the All-SAC first team since Aubrey Moseley in 2003.

Sales's banner year included 368 kills on the season. The junior recorded double digit kills in 22 of the team's 26 matches.  Sales eclipsed the 20 kills mark on three occasions this season including a season high 24 kills against Brevard.

Sales swung .300 or better in eight different matches, with a season best coming against North Greenville when she hit .529.

Lorena Maia (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) was the SAC statistical champion for service aces per game with 0.56.  Maia recorded 48 service aces during the season.

The Lady Indians finished the regular season with an 18-8 record, establishing a new mark for wins in a season.  They also finished 7-7 in conference play giving Newberry a fourth place finish which is also the highest seeding since joining the SAC in 1996.

Information courtesy of Newberrry College Sports Infomation