The SIAC has released their all-conference honors for the 2023 season ahead of the SIAC Championship game between Benedict & Albany State. Benedict College head coach Chennis Berry won SIAC Coach of the Year for the second year in a row, as he guided Benedict College to another undefeated season and once again finished the regular season as the top-ranked team in Super Region II. His Benedict College team is also very well represented in the honors.

Allen, Albany State, Fort Valley & Tuskegee also had players represented in the honors. The players honored and a quick breakdown of their season is below.

David Wright

Offensive Player of the Year & Overall Player of the Year MVP

Allen University quarterback David Wright led one of the most high-powered offenses in the SIAC and Division II football. He finished the season with 3,171 yards and 19 touchdowns, averaging 335 yards per game while completing 58% of his passes.

His best performance of the season was against Kentucky State. He threw for 411 yards and five touchdowns on 30/53 passing and two interceptions. His effort led the team to a miraculous 34-30 comeback after being down 30-7 entering the third quarter. Four of his five touchdowns came in the fourth quarter during the comeback.

Wright also contributed four rushing touchdowns and 235 yards on the ground this season. Allen finished the season with a 7-3 record, the best record in the history of the program.

Loopert Denelus

Defensive Player of the Year
Benedict College's Loopert Denelus is the leader of the #1 scoring defense in Division II. The success of the Tiger's defensive attack is because of Denelus, who finished the season with 10 sacks for a loss of 57 yards, four QB hits, one forced fumble, and 37 tackles (25 solo) with 17 of them being tackles for loss.

His two best performances of the year were in successive weeks. Against Lane in Week 3, Denelus accumulated 6 tackles (5 solo, 4.5 tackles for loss) and 3 sacks. He followed up
in Week 4 against Chowan, finishing the game with 7 tackles (5 solo, 4.5 tackles for loss) and 2.5 sacks.

Denelus was recently announced as a finalist for the 2023 William V. Campbell Trophy, alongside North Carolina Central quarterback Davius Richard. This prestigious award is bestowed annually upon a student-athlete who demonstrates excellence in academic achievements, football skills, and exceptional leadership qualities. Notable past winners of this coveted trophy include legendary players like Peyton and Eli Manning.

Frederick Gaines

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Freshman of the Year
Running back Frederick Gaines was an integral part of Albany State's return to the SIAC Championship. After a dismal performance against Wingate University and not playing vs. Valdosta State, Gaines totaled 63 yards on 11 carries for the Golden Rams in their win over Savannah State.

He continued his heightened level of play, increasing his output against Kentucky State (91 yards on 18 carries) and Central State (129 yards on 19 carries, 2 touchdowns). However, his biggest game came in Albany State's last-second loss to Edward Waters. He finished the game with 143 yards on 23 carries and 2 rushing touchdowns.

Gaines finished the year with 486 rushing yards and 6 touchdowns on 95 attempts.

Brandon Marshall

Newcomer of the Year

With four 100-yard games, Brandon Marshall of Fort Valley State emerged as a standout Newcomer in the SIAC. Leading the league in rushing, he recorded 893 yards on 193 carries, averaging 89.3 yards per game and 4.6 yards per carry.

Marshall's impressive performance this season earned him the SIAC Newcomer of the Week title twice, along with 8 touchdowns. Additionally, he showcased versatility by totaling 1,064 yards on 214 touches and 9 TDs, while securing at least one reception in 8 of the 10 games.

He stepped up in pivotal moments for the Wildcats this season. Marshall was the lone bright spot in Benedict's 48-6 primetime victory over Fort Valley State on ESPN2. He finished the game with 104 rushing yards on 23 attempts.

His best game came a week earlier against the Savannah State. He accumulated 187 yards and 1 touchdown on 28 attempts.