The University of Charleston football team's historic 2015 season led to a massive representation on this year's All-Mountain East Conference first team.
The Golden Eagles, who host Indiana (Pa.) at noon Saturday in their first-ever NCAA Division II playoff game, put nine players on the first team and found themselves in 11 spots overall, as picked by conference coaches.
West Virginia State sophomore linebacker Dennis Gardeck became the Yellow Jackets' first All-MEC first-teamer and was one of six State players honored.
Only MEC champion Shepherd put more players, 10, on the first team than UC, which finished the season 10-1 and conference runner-up. The Rams also collected awards for conference offensive player of the year (quarterback Jeff Ziemba), defensive player of the year (defensive lineman Shaneil Jenkins) and coach of the year (Monte Cater).
The winner of Saturday's UCs-IUP game will visit Shepherd on Nov. 28 for a second-round game.
Three UC offensive linemen - senior Juwaughn Arnold, and juniors Zach Erb and Justin Johnson - made the first team, along with junior receiver Joey Augustin, junior defensive lineman James King, junior linebacker Rhakeem Stallings, sophomore defensive back Zaire Lewis, senior defensive back Torie Wagner and punter Brett Benes. Wagner was also named a second-team kick/punt returner, while quarterback Jeremy Johnson was named second-team quarterback.
Gardeck, who led the MEC with 11 sacks and finished second with 22 tackles for a loss, was WVSU's lone first-teamer. Junior offensive lineman Dalton Shannon and senior defensive back Stevin Gomez were named to the second team, while sophomore receiver Quinton Gray, junior linebacker Mitch Rowell and senior defensive back William Merritt all received honorable mention.
The Yellow Jackets finished the season at 5-6, their largest win total since going 7-3 in 2008.
Notre Dame College running back D.J. Greene was named MEC offensive freshman of the year, while Glenville State linebacker Fitz Mofor was named MEC defensive freshman of the year.
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HOLLAND STEPS DOWN: Dunbar native Jim Holland has resigned after 24 consecutive years as general manager of the Princeton Rays baseball team of the Appalachian League.
Hired on Nov. 1, 1991, Holland will depart as the longest-tenured GM in franchise history, serving 24 of its 28 years of existence.
During his term, the franchise had nine winning seasons, four postseason appearances, and one league championship (1994).
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MU VOLLEYBALL: Marshall's junior Ally Kiekover was named to the All-Conference USA first team as selected by league coaches Tuesday. Kiekover is one of 11 players selected to the first team.
Kiekover, a middle blocker, has played in 117 sets this season, and was first on the team in blocks with 74. The Herd travels to the Conference USA Tournament in San Antonio Friday to face Western Kentucky in the quarterfinals at 6 p.m.
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MU WOMEN: Shayna Gore was named Conference USA Freshman of the Week in women's basketball after scoring 40 points in two games while shooting 71.4 percent.
from the floor and also hitting 50 percent of her 3s.