SPARTANBURG, S.C. - Nine VMI football players earned postseason awards from the Southern Conference, according to information released Tuesday morning.
Tight end Ryan Swingle led the way for VMI, as he earned First Team All-SoCon honors in both the coaches' and media selections. Also earning multiple honors were linebacker Ryan Francis, who was selected to the media's first team and the coaches' second team, as well as return specialist Mason Dermott. Dermott earned Second Team honors on both squads.
Swingle earned his first career all-conference honors after a season that saw him lead all SoCon tight ends with 32 catches. He also caught four touchdown passes to lead the Keydets, including two in the season opener against Akron. The converted quarterback had a career-high seven catches Oct. 29 against Furman, caught a two-point conversion in Sept. 24's win over Bucknell and, in addition, went 2 for 2 for 80 yards in pass attempts.
Francis, who earned second team honors from the media last season, was third in the league in tackles per game (9.6) and added six sacks as well, tied for fifth-most in the league. Of his 96 tackles, 13.5 went for loss, the fifth-most in the conference.
Dermott, a redshirt freshman, finished seventh in the conference in all-purpose yards per game and second in kick return average, at 92.1 and 23.2 respectively. He had a long return for the season of 71 yards, which came against Chattanooga in late October.
Linebacker Allan Cratsenberg earned First Team All-SoCon honors from the media after posting the lone 20-tackle game in the conference this season, Nov. 12 against The Citadel. It was VMI's first since 1999 and help Cratsenberg lead the conference with 126 total stops, a total that ranked just outside the top-10 single season efforts in school history.
Other honorees included lineman Andrew Lewis, who had been voted a preseason all-conference selection, defensive back Greg Sanders, wide receiver Aaron Sanders and two freshmen, Javeon Lara and Daz Palmer.
Lara and Palmer were voted to the conference's all-freshmen team, after a season that saw Lara post VMI's longest play from scrimmage of the season, a 79-yard reception against Chattanooga. Palmer, meanwhile, led the Keydets in rushing yards, posting over 200 yards more than any other Keydet.
Greg Sanders enjoyed a strong all-around year en route to his first all-conference selection. He extended his streak of games started to 22 in a row by starting all 11 contests this season, en route to 68 tackles (4.5 for loss) and two interceptions. Sanders posted a season-high 13 stops Nov. 5 at Western Carolina.
Aaron Sanders, meanwhile, earned all-conference for the second straight year as VMI's all-time leading receiver (by receptions) hauled in 76 passes for 747 yards and three scores. Sanders finished second in the league in total grabs and ended his career by hauling in at least one pass in 37 consecutive games.
Lewis was tabbed a second team selection by the coaches' voting after starting nine games, and playing in 10.
2016 Coaches' All-Southern Conference Selections
First Team
TE - Ryan Swingle, R-Jr.
Second Team
OL - Andrew Lewis, Sr.
LB - Ryan Francis, R-Jr.
RS - Mason Dermott, R-Fr.
All-Freshman Team, OffenseAll-Freshman
WR - Javeon Lara
RB - Daz Palmer
2016 Media All-Southern Conference Selections
First Team
TE - Swingle
LB - Francis
LB - Allan Cratsenberg, Jr.
Second Team
WR - Aaron Sanders, Sr.
DB - Greg Sanders, Jr.
RS - Mason Dermott, R-Fr.
