MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Trinity University's junior linebacker Julian Turner was named to the 2015 D3football.com All-South Region first team to highlight eight Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference selections.
The teams, selected in balloting by South Region sports information directors and D3football.com staff, were chosen from 240 nominations by Division III member schools. A total of 77 players were chosen. Players nominated for All-Region are eligible to be considered for D3football.com All-America honors, which will be announced the evening of Dec. 18.
Joining Turner were Texas Lutheran University's junior linebacker Darian Candler and senior cornerback Jordan Sims as All-South Region second team selections.
All-South Region Third Team selections for the SCAC were Southwestern University's junior defensive end Justin Broussard, TLU's senior defensive tackle Dominic Stives, junior center Daven Klein, senior safety Drake Dowling, and Trinity's senior safety Jai Boatman.
Turner, a junior from Katy, Texas, was voted as the SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year for the second straight season after finishing second in the conference and leading the Tigers with 109 tackles (10.9 per game), including a league-leading 55 solo efforts. The first team All-SCAC selection also had 15 tackles for loss (second in the SCAC), four sacks (tied for sixth in the SCAC) and seven QB hurries. He was the SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Week the final weekend of the season as he and the Trinity defense held Austin College to just 135 yards of total offense and 57 rushing yards. He and the Trinity defense led the SCAC in both yards allowed (279.5 per game – 19th in the nation) and points allowed (15.3 points per game – 20th in the nation).
Candler, a first team All-SCAC selection, finished the season ranked third in the league and led the Bulldogs with 84 total tackles (53 solo stops), and put up five sacks to earn the fifth best total in the SCAC. The Humble, Texas, native also had a team-best 14.5 tackles for loss (third in the SCAC) and forced a fumble. Candler's defense helped the Bulldogs towards their third straight SCAC title.
Sims, a first team All-SCAC selection, ranked second in the league and led the team with five interceptions and was tied for fourth in passes defended. The San Antonio native was also tied for first in fumble recoveries. He was named SCAC Defensive and Special Teams Player-of-the-Week once this season and was also a big factor in TLU's return game, averaging a conference-best 24.6 yards per kick return.
Broussard, a first team All-SCAC selection, posted a conference-best 9.5 sacks on the year, 20.5 tackles for loss and was seventh in total tackles with 62. The Beaumont, Texas native was selected as SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Week twice. Broussard heads into his senior year with 21.5 career sacks averaging 6.5 tackles per game.
Stives, a first team All-SCAC selection, was the number two tackler for the Bulldogs after posting 57 total stops on the year, good enough for tenth in the league. He posted six tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks to close out his career.
Klein, a first team All-SCAC selection, anchored an offensive line that contributed to the most explosive offense in the SCAC. TLU's line was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week twice last season after scoring a conference-best 409 points on 55 touchdowns and 4,808 total yards. TLU also led the league in rushing and passing offense averaging 4.8 yards on the ground for 2,014 total yards and 22 scores. Behind Klein and the rest of the Bulldogs offensive line, TLU's senior quarterback Trenton White earned Offensive Player-of-the-Year accolades and threw for 2,794 yards and 31 scores.
Dowling, a first team All-SCAC selection, led the league in punt returning with 129 total yards and was sixth in interceptions with three. He also posted 51 total tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and two blocked kicks. Dowling's most memorable play of the season was a blocked field goal that he returned for a touchdown during TLU's 49-20 win over Howard Payne which earned a Special Teams Player-of-the-Week nod.
Boatman, a first team All-SCAC selection, led the conference with 13 passes defended and 6 interceptions. The San Antonio native finished the season with 37 total tackles from his safety position and was named Defensive Player-of-the-Week once.
To view the entire D3Football.com All-South Region Team, click here.
