Full D2 CCA Release
VALDOSTA, Ga. – The Wildcats gained their annual region recognition on Thursday afternoon. Fort Valley State placed the trio of Dejuan Bell, Brandon Marshall and Andrew Dorsey on the D2 Collegiate Conference Association Football All-South Region Second Team squad.
Bell makes a return among the South Region's best, while his Wildcat teammates of Marshall and Dorsey gained the honors for the first time as the awards are voted on by the sports communicators.
As a conference, the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference earned 14 of the 50 honored players with SIAC champion Miles College having the most of three First Team and four Second Team. FVSU was second with three, while Clark Atlanta had one First Team and Benedict College received a Second Team player.
The All-South Region top honors went to Virginia Union running back Jada Byers as the Offensive Player of the Year and defensive end Marquise Fleming of Wingate as the Defensive Player of the Year.
One of the NCAA DII premier punt returners, Bell, returned to the All-South Region Second Team after he garnered his second All-SIAC First Team at the position. The grad student from North Augusta, S.C., returned three punts and one kick-off for touchdowns. In 10 games, Bell returned 19 punts for 399 yards for a 21.0-yard per return average with those three for scores. He also ran back 15 kick-offs for 364 yards, including a 95-yard one for a final touchdown. On the FVSU offense, Bell pulled in 26 passes for 467 yards for an 18.0-yard average with three touchdowns. He also rushed the ball six times for another 49 yards.
For the second year in a row, Marshall led the SIAC in rushing with 933 yards in 10 games in 2024. He makes his first All-Region appearance after being on the 2023 and 2024 All-SIAC First Team. The Philadelphia, Pa./Jacksonville, Fla., native rushed for 93.3 yards per game, as well as, rushing touchdowns (11) overall touchdowns (15), points scored (90) and points per game (9.0 ppg), while third in all-purpose yards at 1372 yards (137.2 per game). The two-time SIAC Offensive Player of the Week rushed 212 times for 933 yards with a 4.4-yard per carry average with 11 TDs and 93.3 yd/gm and caught 31 passes for 439 yards with 4 more TDs at a 14.2-yard per catch average. Repeating on the First Team, the grad student rushed for 160 yards against both Edward Waters and Benedict for his season highs and added 132 yards against NCAA DI South Carolina State.
Clearing the way and providing the time to pass, Dorsey, a sophomore from Atlanta, was part of the SIAC's top line, which for the fourth year in a row had the Conference's top rusher and this year allowed the fewest sacks of 12 in 10 games.
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