COLUMBIA, S.C. – Benedict College junior defensive end
Loobert Denelus and junior defensive back
Ja'ron Kilpatrick have been named to the 2022 Academic All-America® football teams selected by the College Sports Communicators.
Denelus was named to the first team defense, becoming just the second Benedict College student-athlete in school history to be named a first-team Academic All-American®. Kilpatrick was named to the second team.
The honor is the latest in a long line of post-season accolades for Denelus. The junior defensive end was named the SIAC Defensive Player of the Year, All-Region by the D2 Conference Commissioner's Association and All-American by the American Football Coaches Association.
Denelus ranks as one of the nation's leaders in sacks (5th) and tackles for loss (10th). He was a leader of the Benedict defense that ranked fourth in scoring defense, seventh in total defense, and third in passing yards allowed. Denelus is a psychology major with a 3.92 GPA.
Kilpatrick was another of the defensive leaders for the Tigers. He finished with 33 total tackles, including four tackles for loss with two pass breakups, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery. He received the SIAC Elite 14 Award, and was one of 13 Division II finalists for the William V. Campbell® Trophy Award, college football's premier scholar-athlete award. He is a sports management major with a 3.84 GPA.
The pair were the only representatives from the SIAC to be named Academic All-American®. Chowan, a member of the CIAA, was the only other HBCU conference member school to have a representative.
Softball player Cecelia Lykes was Benedict's first-ever Academic All- American®, earning third-team honors in 2015. Men's tennis player Shane Latchman was also a third-team selection in 2015. Cross country and track & field standout Haregot Gebreyesus was a third-team selection in 2017, then repeated in 2018 as a first-team selection.
The Academic All-America® football team is selected by College Sports Communicators and recognizes the nation's top student-athletes for their combined performances on the playing field and in the classroom.
The Academic All-America® program separately recognizes honorees in four divisions — NCAA Division I, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III and NAIA. The Division II Academic All-America® program is being financially supported by the NCAA Division II national governance structure to assist College Sports Communicators with handling the awards fulfillment aspects for the 2022-23 Division II Academic All-America® program.
FIRST TEAM
| Pos |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| QB |
John Matocha (1) |
Colorado School of Mines |
Sr. |
3.61 |
Computer Science |
| RB |
Jariq Scales |
Southern Arkansas University |
Sr. |
3.59 |
Sport Management / Coaching |
| RB |
Nolan Susel |
Black Hills State University |
Gr. |
3.82/3.67 |
Applied Mgmt. / Business Admin. / Criminal Justice |
| WR |
Jacob Bachman |
McKendree University |
Sr. |
3.86 |
Management |
| WR |
Mason Karp |
Colorado School of Mines |
Gr. |
3.95 |
Mechanical Engr. (UG) / Engr. & Tech. Mgmt. (G) |
| TE |
Dagan Rienks (2) |
Colorado Mesa University |
Sr. |
3.79 |
Exercise Science / Biology |
| OL |
Noel Brouse (1) |
California (PA) |
Gr. |
3.81/4.00 |
Sport Management |
| OL |
Arik Johnson |
University of Minnesota Duluth |
Sr. |
3.97 |
Criminology |
| OL |
Joel Linden |
Grand Valley State University |
Jr. |
3.96 |
Mechanical Engineering |
| OL |
Gavin Posey (2, *) |
Ashland University |
Gr. |
3.89/3.89 |
Accounting |
| OL |
Adam Stilley |
Shepherd University |
Gr. |
4.00/4.00 |
Health Promotion / Exercise Science (UG) / MBA (G) |
| K |
Dayne Koontz |
Frostburg State |
Sr. |
3.71 |
Business Administration |
| K |
Austin Wilkerson |
Southern Arkansas University |
Gr. |
3.76 |
Business Administration |
| DL |
Aaron Barnett |
University of Indianapolis |
Sr. |
3.92 |
Sport Management |
| DL |
Loobert Denelus |
Benedict College |
Jr. |
3.92 |
Psychology |
| DL |
Raydarius Freeman |
Chowan University |
Gr. |
3.85 |
History |
| DL |
Rashad Yelding |
Lenoir-Rhyne University |
Gr. |
3.91/4.00 |
MBA |
| LB |
T.J. Liggett (2) |
Augustana University |
Gr. |
3.90/4.00 |
Computer Science |
| LB |
Nathan Moore (&) |
Notre Dame College |
Gr. |
3.96 |
Business Management |
| LB |
P.J. Sarwinski |
Pittsburg State University |
Gr. |
3.80/4.00 |
Mathematics (UG) / Educational Leadership (G) |
| DB |
Kijana Caldwell |
University of Findlay |
Gr. |
3.61/3.63 |
Business Administration (UG) / MBA (G) |
| DB |
Cooper Carroll (2) |
Harding University |
Sr. |
3.91 |
Accounting |
| DB |
Jaedon Pool |
Emporia State University |
Sr. |
3.78 |
Biology / Chemistry |
| DB |
Eli Weber (1, &) |
Augustana University |
Sr. |
3.70 |
Nursing |
| P |
Andrew Cantrell (2, *) |
Tusculum University |
Gr. |
3.70 |
Chemistry |
| ST |
Ben Limburg |
Augustana University |
Jr. |
3.99 |
Chemistry |
|
|
SECOND TEAM |
|
|
|
| Pos. |
Name |
School |
Yr. |
GPA |
Major |
| QB |
Noah Grover |
Slippery Rock University |
Gr. |
3.88 |
Industrial & Systems Engineering |
| RB |
Jaquan Buchanan |
University of Indianapolis |
Sr. |
3.75 |
Sport Management |
| RB |
Kendel Givens |
Ouachita Baptist University |
So. |
3.60 |
Communications & Sports Media |
| WR |
Connor Flannigan |
Ouachita Baptist University |
So. |
3.83 |
Finance & Business Administration |
| WR |
Jerome Kapp |
Kutztown University |
Gr. |
3.84 |
Sport Management (UG)/ MBA (G) |
| TE |
Mitchell Goodbary |
Augustana University |
Jr. |
3.98 |
Exercise Science |
| OL |
Darrell Davis |
Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
Gr. |
3.80 |
Sport Management |
| OL |
Steve Dawson |
University of West Florida |
Gr. |
3.83/3.76 |
Integrated Business (UG) / MBA (G) |
| OL |
Ben Farrar |
University of Findlay |
Gr. |
3.89/3.92 |
Health Science (UG) / Physical Therapy (G) |
| OL |
Peyton Stafford |
Ouachita Baptist University |
Sr. |
3.59 |
Finance / Marketing / Entrepreneurship |
| OL |
Evan Taylor |
Pittsburg State University |
Jr. |
4.00 |
Mechanical Engineering Technology |
| DL |
Nick Cone |
Ashland University |
Gr. |
3.85 |
Business Management |
| DL |
Zach Howard (2, *) |
Northwest Missouri State University |
Sr. |
3.60 |
Physical Education |
| DL |
Colton Hyble |
Grand Valley State University |
Jr. |
4.00 |
International Business / Supply Chain Mgmt. |
| DL |
Olalere Oladipo |
Ferris State University |
Sr. |
3.74 |
Business Management |
| LB |
Josiah Behm |
Minnesota State University, Moorhead |
So. |
4.00 |
Accounting |
| LB |
Connor Kelly |
Indiana University of Pennsylvania |
Gr. |
3.83 |
Marketing |
| LB |
Alex Kowalczyk |
Wayne State College |
So. |
3.91 |
Accounting |
| DB |
Peyton Buckley |
Augustana University |
Jr. |
3.69 |
Physical Education |
| DB |
Ja'ron Kilpatrick |
Benedict College |
Jr. |
3.84 |
Sport Management |
| DB |
John Merica (*) |
Concord University |
Gr. |
3.79 |
Business Management (UG) / MBA (G) |
| DB |
Steve Sweeney |
Millersville University |
Gr. |
3.82 |
Technology and Innovation |
| P |
Hunter Kraus |
University of Nebraska at Kearney |
Sr. |
3.95 |
Exercise Science |
| ST |
Alex Schremmer |
Fort Hayes State University |
Jr. |
3.87 |
Biology |
Academic All-America® Team Member of the Year: John Matocha, Colorado School of Mines
(1) – Academic All-America® first-team selection in 2021
(2) – Academic All-America® second-team selection in 2021
(&) – Academic All-America® first-team selection in 2020
(*) – Academic All-America® second-team selection in 2020
