COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech junior Ladarius Vanlier has added another honor to his bulging resume as a Golden Eagle football player, this time being listed among 11 Ohio Valley Conference players who were recently named to the 2014 Sports Network Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) All-American Team.
The 11 selections, tied for fourth overall among FCS Conferences, included three players on the first-team, three on the second-team and four on the third-team. Overall eight of nine OVC schools had at least one player on the team; the eight schools represented were tied (with the CAA) for most by a FCS conference. Vanlier was a second-team selection as a punt returner.
The first-team selections included Jacksonville State senior center Max Holcombe, Eastern Illinois senior offensive lineman Collin Seibert and Murray State junior kick returner Pokey Harris. The second-team choices were Eastern Illinois senior wide receiver Adam Drake, UT Martin senior linebacker Tony Bell, Tennessee State senior defensive back De'Ante Saunders and Tennessee Tech junior punt returner Ladarius Vanlier. The third-team selections included Eastern Kentucky junior running back Dy'Shawn Mobley, Southeast Missouri sophomore kicker Ryan McCrum, Jacksonville State junior defensive lineman Devaunte Sigler and Jacksonville State junior defensive back Jermaine Hough.
Vanlier was one of just four players in the FCS with both a kickoff and punt return for a touchdown this season and one of just five players nationally with multiple punt return touchdowns (2). His three total returns for touchdowns was tied for second nationally while his 14.4 yards/punt return average ranked fourth in the FCS. Vanlier had a 79-yard punt return for a score in a win over nationally-ranked Eastern Kentucky and a 72-yarder for a score against Indiana State while his kickoff return touchdown was a 99-yarder against Murray State. Both EKU and Indiana State were FCS Playoff participants.
OVC Players Named to 2014 Sports Network FCS All-American Team
OL - Max Holcombe, Jacksonville State (1st Team)
OL - Collin Seibert, Eastern Illinois (1st)
KR - Pokey Harris, Murray State (1st)
WR - Adam Drake, Eastern Illinois (2nd)
LB - Tony Bell, UT Martin (2nd)
DB - De'Ante Saunders, Tennessee State (2nd)
PR - Ladarius Vanlier, Tennessee Tech (2nd)
RB - Dy'Shawn Mobley, Eastern Kentucky (3rd)
K - Ryan McCrum, Southeast Missouri (3rd)
DL - Devaunte Sigler, Jacksonville State (3rd)
DB - Jermaine Hough, Jacksonville State (3rd)
