Fall Frosty Awards Nominees: Male Athlete of the Year

Posted: Jan 03, 2025

From now until Jan. 3, the Carson-Newman Athletic Communications Department will debut the Frosty Award nominees for the fall semester. These are the fall nominees for Male Athlete of the Year.

The 12th annual Frosty Awards will take place April 29 and honor athletic excellence in Carson-Newman's athletic department.

Categories:

Male Athlete of the Year

Mekhi Brown (Football): Brown followed up his Freshman of the Year campaign in the league by earning All-Mountain Division honors for a second straight year. He finished second on the team in both tackles, with 63, and tackles for loss with 10. Brown also had 5.5 sacks, the fourth-most in the league. Brown had three sacks in the SAC title game against Wingate (Nov. 16) – tied for the sixth-most in a game in school history. Brown had three eight-tackle days at Catawba (Sept. 28) and in back-to-back weeks to close the regular season against Tusculum (Nov. 9) and Wingate (Nov. 16).

Turk Daniels (Football): Daniels was the only freshman in Super Region II to earn a spot on either the first or second team offense. Miles freshman corner Lashon Young was the only other freshman in the region recognized. Daniels adds the all-region accolade to an already stocked trophy case. He was the South Atlantic Conference offensive freshman of the year. Daniels is the first offensive lineman in the history of the league to win the award. Daniels selection gives Carson-Newman a Freshman of the Year honoree for a third consecutive season following defensive honors the last two years for Mekhi Brown and Frank Lee. He is the first Eagle to win the offensive freshman of the year since Troy Dendy in 2019. Daniels is the 14^th Eagle overall to earn the conference's freshman of the year honor. Daniels mauled men up front all year long, becoming the first Eagle offensive lineman to start every game of his freshman season since future All-American Pat Egan. Daniels produced a whopping 80 knockdowns on the year – the most in a single-season in school history. He helped clear the way for Carson-Newman to lead the SAC in rushing. The Eagles produced 265.8 yards rushing per game – a figure that also ranks fourth nationally.

Christian Hicks (Football): Hicks led C-N in tackles in his senior campaign, finishing with 74. He was tied with Jacorey Long for the most TFL on the team – also fifth in the SAC with 11.5. Hicks registered 2.5 sacks and a forced fumble. Hicks produced two double-digit tackle days, with 10 stops at Catawba (Sept. 28) and UVA Wise (Oct. 19). He had 3.5 tackles for loss at West Virginia State (Sept. 13).

Mitchell Honcoop (Men's Soccer): Honcoop was named to the All-South Atlantic Conference second team after tying for the most goals this season with five, while also adding four assists, the second-most on the team. His all-conference honor was the first of his career. The midfielder started his scoring with a pair of goals in the season opener versus Trevecca Nazarene. He would go on to score a goal each in games three and four of the young season against Montevallo and Catawba, scoring four of his five goals in the first four games of the year. The Dutchman had all four of assists come in different games. His first was against Montevallo, while his other three came in Carson-Newman wins versus (RV) West Alabama, Emory & Henry and Newberry.

Colten Lee (Cross Country): Lee was named First Team All-SAC after securing a 7th place finish in the SAC Cross Country Championships. Lee was also named to the All-Region list after an 18th place finish in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region Cross Country Championships. Finishing the season with three 1st place finishes and setting new personal best times in the men's 5K and 6K.

Jacorey Long (Football): Long earned All-Mountain Division honors for a second straight season. He finished the season sixth on the team in tackles. A force to be reckoned with up front, Long had 41 tackles and a team-best 11.5 tackles for loss. The 11.5 TFls are tied for fifth in the league. Long had nine stops in the Eagles win over Wingate (Sept. 21). He registered multiple TFLs in for games, topping out at two against both Mars Hill (Oct. 12) and Tusculum (Nov. 9).

Jayden Sullins (Football): Carson-Newman's 29th all-time 1,000 yard rusher, averaging just short of 100 yards per game. He earned SAC Player of the Week honors and TSWA State Player of the Week honors for one of his two, 200-yard rushing days on the season. Sullins exploded against Barton (Oct. 5) when he rushed 31 times for 261 yards and a score. He followed that up two weeks later with a 235-yard day on 25 carries against UVA Wise (Oct. 19). Sullins has 11 rushing TDs on the season, the third-most in the SAC. He wrapped the year with 1,224 yards rushing, the most in the South Atlantic Conference and the eighth-most nationally. His 1,224 yards rushing put him 16th for a single-season in school history. Sullins earned All-America honors from Don Hansen's Football Gazette.

Major Williams (Football): Williams continues a sensational run by Carson-Newman defensive backs, joining Desmond Fairell (2019), Darius Williams, no relation (2017), Jerry Miclisse (2016) and Eien Jacob (2014) as DBs to have earned All-America status in the last decade. Williams is the first defensive back to earn All-America honors in two different seasons since Montrea Ford in 1998 and 1999. Williams was fifth on the team in tackles with 53. He had 7.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks with a pick. He also produced the first defensive PAT for the Eagles in a decade in Carson-Newman's win over Wingate in week three. Williams had a career-high 10 tackles that day against the Bulldogs and also produced his lone pick of the season.

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