COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee Tech true freshman Ladarius Vanlier has been named to the prestigious FCS National Freshman Performer of the Year Watch List by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA). The watch list highlights freshmen whose performances merit recognition and Vanlier was one of 30 athletes, and one of three OVC players, to make the FCS list. 

The College Football Performance Awards aim to provide recognition to student-athletes that statistically stand alone and increase the overall effectiveness of their teams. In his first year wearing purple and Gold, Vanlier has done just that. Throughout his freshman season, Vanlier has received nods for his exceptional play from the Ohio Valley Conference and the CFPA as he grew from an unknown freshman to a force to be reckonened with. 

Vanlier took the field by storm, breaking OVC records and coming up just shy of NCAA records within his first month of play. In one game he had 291 all-purpose yards, the fourth-most in school history, returning 11 kickoffs (an OVC record) for 237 total yards. 

Vanlier leads the Golden Eagle special teams with 598 kick return yards, averaging 21.4 yards per return, including a 94-yard effort that he brought back for a touchdown. He is averaging 8.6 yards per punt return. 

Joining Vanlier are fellow OVC freshman Kade Bell, Jacksonville States quarterback, and Southeast Missouri State's quarterback Scott Lathrop. 

2012 FCS National Freshman Performer of the Year Watch List: 
Sean Price, Appalachian State Wide Receiver
Jacob Huesman, Chattanooga Quarterback
Mark Thomas, The Citadel Defensive Lineman
Jeff Williams, Delaware Linebacker
Vernon Adams, Eastern Washington Quarterback
Reese Hannon, Furman Quarterback
Ben McLane, Georgia State Quarterback
Kalif Raymond, Holy Cross Wide Receiver
Connor Underwood, Indiana State Linebacker
Kade Bell, Jacksonville Quarterback
Josh Woodrum, Liberty Quarterback
Ryan Heaston, Missouri State Running Back
Chris Lider, Montana Placekicker
Trent McKinney, Montana Quarterback
Elandon Roberts, Morgan State Linebacker
Brendon Riddick, Norfolk State Running Back
Jameer Jackson, North Dakota Wide Receiver
Sawyer Kollmorgen, Northern Iowa Quarterback
Keiran McDonagh, Portland State Quarterback
Johntá Hebert, Prairie View A&M Running Back
Bryson Brindle, Presbyterian Defensive Lineman
T.J. Lally, South Dakota State Linebacker
Scott Lathrop, Southeast Missouri State Quarterback
James Cowser, Southern Utah Defensive Lineman
D.J. Ward, Stephen F. Austin Wide Receiver
Telvin Hooks, Tennessee State Running Back
Ladarius Vanlier, Tennessee Tech Running Back
John Robertson, Villanova Quarterback
Spearman Robinson, Western Carolina Wide Receiver
Andre Stubbs, Youngstown State Wide Receiver