ATLANTA, Ga – Benedict College football coach Chennis Berry and defensive lineman Loobert Denelus both repeated as SIAC Coach of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year, the league announced on Friday at the pre-championship luncheon at Atlanta's City Hall.
 
Berry guided the Tigers to a second straight undefeated regular season and second straight appearance into the SIAC Championship game. The Tigers are currently ranked No. 5 in the American Football Coaches Association D2 poll, the highest ranking in school history.
 
Denelus is one of the leaders on the Benedict defense which ranks No. 1 in the nation in total defense, scoring defense, passing yards allowed, and team passing efficiency defense, while ranking second in team tackles for loss and fourth in team sacks. Individually, Denelus was third on the team with 37 total tackles, which included 10 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. He led the SIAC and ranked seventh in the nation in sacks, and was fifth in the SIAC and 11^th in the nation in tackles for loss.