Courtesy of Dr. Earnest Brown
ATLANTA, Ga. (November 14, 2022) – Running back Emanuel Wilson of Fort Valley State headlines the 2022 All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) Football All-Conference team earning this year’s Overall Player of the Year (MVP) and Offensive Player of the Year awards. The team, which features 52 total student-athletes covering twelve positions, was voted on by the league’s head coaches and sports information directors.
Benedict’s defensive lineman Loobert Denelus was named Defensive Player of the Year alongside Fort Valley State’s quarterback, Kelvin Durham, who earned the Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year awards.
Chennis Berry of Benedict was selected as the 2022 SIAC Coach of the Year.
Wilson, a 6’1 running back from Charlotte, N.C. was named this year’s Overall Player of the Year (MVP) and Offensive Player of the Year after being the first 1,000-yard rusher for the FVSU Wildcats since 2004. The redshirt junior was one of the top running backs in the conference and Division II. He is ranked first in the conference for all-purpose yards (161 yards per game), scoring and scoring touchdowns (11.4 points per game), rushing, rushing attempts, rushing yards, and rushing touchdowns (137.1 yards per game). In Division II, he is tied for seventh in total touchdowns (19), ranks seventh for rushing yards, tied for ninth in rushing touchdowns, tied for seventh in scoring and 11th in rush yards per carry. He is also tied for sixth for all-purpose yards and is ranked seventh in rushing yards per game. After being named to the 2022 All-SIAC Preseason First Team, Wilson earned two SIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. On the season, he finished with 209 rushes for 1,371 yards and 17 touchdowns and 24 receptions for 239 yards. He also added two touchdowns for 1,610 all-purpose yards. He led the Fort Valley State offense to top the conference in total offensive yards (393.9 yards per game) and total offensive touchdowns (40).
Denelus is a leader for the Benedict Tigers and has been named this year’s Defensive Player of the Year. The junior defensive lineman led Benedict to an undefeated season with 49 total tackles, 20 tackles for loss (-89 yds) and 13 sacks (-80 yds). The junior defensive lineman ranks first in SIAC and fourth in NCAA in sacks per game (1.18 sacks per game). The Florida native also ranks third in SIAC and 6th in NCAA in tackles for loss (1.9 per game). He also ranks first in SIAC and tied second in NCAA with four fumble recoveries. Benedict’s defense ranks first in SIAC and fifth in NCAA in total defense (236.9 yards per game), and fifth in NCAA in scoring defense (12 points per game).
In his first season with the Wildcats, Durham has collected 2,252 total yards and has earned this year’s Freshman of the Year and Newcomer of the Year honors. The redshirt freshman tallied 1,994 yards passing, 16 touchdowns, and four interceptions. The Florida native also has 44 rushes for 309 yards rushing with three touchdowns in 10 games this season.
Head Coach of Benedict College, Chennis Berry, has led the Tigers to the school’s first-ever national ranking and first-ever appearance in the SIAC Championship game. Coach Berry guided Benedict to school’s best-ever record (7-0 SIAC) and garnished a No. 1 ranking in the NCAA Super Region 2 poll, winning the SIAC’s Eastern Division and claiming the conference championship title. The Tigers, now 11-0 on the season, won their first-ever SIAC football championship by overwhelming Tuskegee 58-21 on Saturday and are making their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Division II football playoffs. The Tigers will have a bye during the first round on Nov. 19 and will face the winner between No. 4 seed Virginia Union (9-1) from the CIAA and the No. 5 seed Wingate (9-2) from the South Atlantic Conference on Nov. 26.
Fort Valley State paced the all-conference teams with 12 selections. Benedict followed up with 10 selections ahead of Tuskegee who had seven all-conference selections. Albany State placed six on this year’s all-conference team while Lane had five selections. Savannah State trailed with four selections, while Allen rounded out the 2022 SIAC Football All-Conference team with one selection.
The Elite 14 award recognized the student-athlete who has reached the pinnacle of competition at the SIAC championship level in his or her sport while also achieving the highest academic standard among his or her peers. Ja’Ron Kilpatrick of Benedict was this year’s recipient of this award in his respective sport.
(complete team listed below)
2022 SIAC Football All-Conference Team
First Team
| Position | Name | School | Classification | Hometown |
| Offensive Lineman | Emmanuel Boone | Fort Valley State | Senior | Macon, Ga. |
| Offensive Lineman | Maurice Campbell | Benedict | Graduate Student | Atlanta, GA |
| Offensive Lineman | Josh Simon | Albany State | Junior | Atlanta, GA |
| Offensive Lineman | Tyler Pritchett | Benedict | Graduate Student | Auburn, AL |
| Offensive Lineman | Henry Mitchell III | Benedict | Graduate Student | Austin, TX |
| Tight End | Gentry Sparks | Fort Valley State | Sophomore | Tallahassee, FL |
| Wide Receiver | Twon Hines | Central State | Junior | Dayton, OH |
| Wide Receiver | Jacquez Jones | Lane | R-Sophomore | Orlando, FL |
| Running Back | Emanuel Wilson | Fort Valley State | R-Junior | Charlotte, N.C. |
| Running Back | Taurean Taylor | Tuskegee | Senior | Scotdale, GA |
| Quarterback | Kelvin Durham | Fort Valley State | R-Freshman | Homestead, FL |
| Defensive Lineman | Tim Alderman | Fort Valley State | Sophomore | Fort Valley, GA |
| Defensive Lineman | Loobert Denelus | Benedict | Junior | Naples, FL |
| Defensive Lineman | Andrew Farmer | Lane | R-Senior | Jacksonville, FL |
| Defensive Lineman | Malik Barnes | Albany State | Junior | Newton, GA |
| Linebacker | Vincent Hill | Tuskegee | Freshman | Fairburn, GA |
| Linebacker | Stephan Pierre | Albany State | Senior | Tallahasee, FL |
| Linebacker | Jalil Lenore | Central State | R-Freshman | Chicago, IL |
| Defensive Back | Zelly Aldridge | Tuskegee | Sophomore | Gallon, AL |
| Defensive Back | Tyler Moore | Fort Valley State | Senior | Ashburn, GA |
| Defensive Back | Nijul Canada | Lane | R-Senior | Mansfield, LA |
| Defensive Back | James Hawkins | Albany State | Senior | Fayetteville, GA |
| Kicker | Rodney Williams Jr. | Fort Valley State | Freshman | Covington, GA |
| Punter | Hamady Diallo | Central State | Senior | Bradenton, FL |
| Punt Returner | Chaii Bland | Savannah State | Junior | Miami, FL |
| Kick Returner | Twon Hines | Central State | Junior | Dayton, OH |
Second Team
| Position | Name | School | Classification | Hometown |
| Offensive Lineman | Kyle Frazier | Savannah State | Sophomore | Augusta, GA |
| Offensive Lineman | Nathan Harrison | Tuskegee | Graduate Student | Tuskegee, AL |
| Offensive Lineman | Jacob Wooden | Central State | Sophomore | Nashville, TN |
| Offensive Lineman | Jay’Shaun Booker | Fort Valley State | R-Junior | Macon, GA |
| Offensive Lineman | Taviauhn Turner | Lane | R-Senior | Fellowship, LA |
| Tight End | Tyree Taylor | Albany State | Sophomore | Live Oak, FL |
| Wide Receiver | Corintheus Edmonds | Fort Valley State | Senior | Atlanta, GA |
| Wide Receiver | Brandon Brock | Central State | Junior | Norfolk, VA |
| Running Back | Noah Zaire Scotland | Benedict | R-Freshman | Walhalla, S.C. |
| Running Back | Shamarcus Poole | Savannah State | Sophomore | Sandersville, GA |
| Quarterback | Eric Phoenix | Benedict | Junior | Savannah, GA |
| Defensive Lineman | Jeremy Dees | Tuskegee | R-Junior | Evergreen, AL |
| Defensive Lineman | Mike White | Central State | Sophomore | Springfield, OH |
| Defensive Lineman | Makenly Newbill | Savannah State | Senior | Savannah, Ga. |
| Defensive Lineman | Jayden Broughton | Benedict | Sophomore | Monks Corner, S.C. |
| Linebacker | Kentrell Lawson | Fort Valley State | Sophomore | Marianna, FL |
| Linebacker | Dialo Mosley | Fort Valley State | Freshman | Atlanta, GA |
| Linebacker | Gary Bourrage | Allen | Junior | Kemper, MS |
| Defensive Back | Olajuwone Smith | Benedict | R-Senior | Waycross, GA |
| Defensive Back | Jaree Turner | Albany State | Sophomore | Ocala, FL |
| Defensive Back | Walter Tatum | Lane | Sophomore | Notasulga, AL |
| Defensive Back | Davir Hamilton-Jackson | Tuskegee | R-Senior | Compton, CA |
| Kicker | Arnes Huskic | Tuskegee | Senior | Jacksonville, FL |
| Punter | Jared Eubanks | Benedict | Graduate Student | Newark, N.J. |
| Punt Returner | Hakeem Ellington | Fort Valley State | R-Junior | Summerville, S.C. |
| Kick Returner | Kendall Norman | Benedict | Freshman | Spartanburg, S.C. |
Overall Player of the Year (MVP): Emanuel Wilson, Fort Valley State
Offensive Player of the Year: Emanuel Wilson, Fort Valley State
Defensive Player of the Year: Loobert Denelus, Benedict
Freshman of the Year: Kelvin Durham, Fort Valley State
Newcomer of the Year: Kelvin Durham, Fort Valley State
Coach of the Year: Chennis Berry, Benedict
Elite 14: Ja’Ron Kilpatrick, Benedict
