Hampton, Pruitt, Boatright earn MVFC All-Newcomer honors

Nov. 29, 2011

By John Lock
SIUSalukis.com

ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Three Southern Illinois football players were named to the 24-man Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer team, the league announced Tuesday. Jewel Hampton, MyCole Pruitt and Kenneth Boatright all earned All-Newcomer honors for the 2011 season.

Hampton, an Iowa transfer, was named MVFC Newcomer of the Year after leading the league in touchdowns with 17 and finishing the year fifth in the nation in scoring. The junior posted six 100-yard games and rushed for 1,121 yards on the season. He earned MVFC Newcomer of the Week honors twice during the year. He was a second-team All-Conference selection.

MyCole Pruitt, redshirt freshman, led the Salukis in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns. He finished eighth in the conference in receptions per game. After posting just four catches for 64 yards in the first three games combined, Pruitt averaged five catches and 62 yards per game the rest of the season, highlighted by an eight-catch, 124-yard performance against Youngstown State. Earlier this week, Pruitt was named honorable mention All-Conference.

Kenneth Boatright, a Midland University transfer, led the team with 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for loss. His 13.5 TFLs ranked fourth in the conference. The junior was second on the team with 51 tackles, and he recorded at least 1.0 tackle for loss in eight of the last nine games. He recorded 7.5 TFLs in the last three games of the season. Earlier this week, Pruitt was named honorable mention All-Conference.

The three honorees marks the most players SIU has placed on the conference's All-Newcomer team since 2006.

OFFENSE

WR Christian Bryan, Youngstown State 5-10 180 Fr. Irwin (Pa.) Norwin High
RB Jewel Hampton, Southern Illinois 5-9 210 Jr. Indianapolis (Ind.) Warren Central High / Univ. of Iowa
RB David Johnson, Northern Iowa 6-3 214 Fr. Clinton (Iowa) High
WR Dale Moss, South Dakota State 6-4 210 Sr. Brandon (S.D.) Brandon Valley High
WR Lechein Neblett, Illinois State 6-0 175 Fr. Madison (Wis.) James Madison Memorial High School
TE James O'Shaughnessy, Illinois State 6-4 210 Fr. Naperville (Ill.) North High School
C Mark Pratt, Youngstown State 6-3 320 Jr. Tooele (Utah) High /Snow Junior College
TE MyCole Pruitt, Southern Illinois 6-3 240 Fr. St. Louis (Mo.) Kirkwood High
WR Donald Spencer, Indiana State 6-2 205 So. Ypsilanti (Mich.) High / Michigan State University
QB Austin Sumner, South Dakota State 6-5 230 Fr. Brandon (S.D.) Brandon Valley High
RB Nikko Watson, Western Illinois 6-0 240 Fr. Rock Island (Ill.) High
RB/RS Zach Zenner, South Dakota St. 6-0 215 Fr. Eagan (Minn.) High

DEFENSE

DB Mike Banks, Illinois State 5-7 165 Fr. University Park (Ill.) Mount Carmel High School
ILB Andrew Beisel, Missouri State 6-2 228 Fr. Fenton (Mo.) Rockwood Summit High
DE Kenneth Boatright, Southern Illinois 6-4 245 Jr. Bolingbrook (Ill.) High / Midland University
S Mike Crutcher, Missouri State 6-2 198 Fr. Wentzville (Mo.) Timberland High
LB Theon Dixon, Western Illinois 6-1 215 Jr. Cleveland (Ohio) Glenville High / Ball State University
CB Christian Dudzik, North Dakota State 5-10 180 Fr. Omaha (Neb.) Skutt Catholic High
LB Evan Frierson, Illinois State 6-2 230 Jr. Washington (D.C.) H.D. Woodson High School / Univ. of Illinois
P Lucas Hileman, Indiana State 6-1 195 Jr. Anna (Ill.) Anna-Jonesboro High School / Baylor University
DE Nate Palmer, Illinois State 6-3 220 Jr. Chicago (Ill.) Simeon High School / Univ. of Illinois
P Jason Schlautman, South Dakota St. 6-2 195 Sr. Columbus (Neb.) High / Univ. of Nebraska-Omaha
LB Teven Williams, Youngstown State 6-0 220 Fr. Huber Heights (Ohio) Wayne High
LB Travis Williams, Youngstown State 6-3 215 Fr. Norfolk (Va.) Lake Taylor [Miami, Fla.] High