FRISCO, Texas – After catching 51 passes in his inaugural season and helping Southeastern Louisiana to its most wins since 2004, Simmie Yarborough was selected as Freshmen of the Year as the 2008 All-Southland Conference team was released Tuesday by the conference office.

Southeastern, which finished 5-7 overall, placed 10 players on the All-Conference teams with defensive back Tommy Connors selected to the first team with defensive back Marquis Powell a second-team selection. Eight players, highlighted by running back Jay Lucas, were named honorable mention as Southeastern placed its most players on the team since joining the league in 2005.

Joining Lucas as honorable mention selections were Yarborough (tight end), Brad Bardy (offensive line), Kevin Hughes (offensive line), Devin Boutwell (defensive line), Steven Honore (defensive line), Quinten Pierre (linebacker) and Powell (return specialist).

Yarborough, from Brookhaven, Miss., led all SLC freshmen in receptions and caught six touchdown passes on the season for Southeastern. Yarborough caught a season-high nine passes at Central Arkansas and added eight catches and a pair of touchdowns at Stephen F. Austin.

Connors, a junior from Marrero, made his third appearance on the team after being a second-team selection in his first two seasons. The All-America candidate finished second in the Southland Conference with 108 tackles while leading the league with four interceptions. Connors blocked two kicks on the season, forced a fumble and returned two in leading Southeastern on defense.

Powell, a senior from Madison, Fla., recorded 51 tackles with seven for loss in 10 games for the Lions. Powell intercepted two passes, returning both for touchdowns while forcing and recovering two fumbles. He also played a huge role in the Lions' return game, averaging 25.4 yards on kickoff returns while setting a single-season record with 610 yards.

Lucas, who finished as one of the best all-purpose players in school history, rushed for a team-high 787 yards as a senior while leading the team with 58 receptions. The three-time All-Conference performer from Baton Rouge closed out his career as the school's fourth-leading rusher with 2,710 years while finishing second in school history with 146 receptions.

Lucas was aided in the running game by the play of Bardy and Hughes, who were each named to the All-Conference team for the first time.

Bardy, a senior from Covington, started all 12 games at center for the Lions after starting 10 games as a junior. Hughes, a sophomore from New Orleans, started all 12 games at right tackle for the Lions after starting twice last season as a redshirt freshman.

Boutwell, a sophomore from Buras, recorded 22 tackles in nine games as the Lions' nose guard with a season-high seven stops coming at Central Arkansas. He was joined on the defensive line by Honore, a senior from New Roads, who recorded 37 tackles with six sacks in 11 games.

Honore closed out his two-year career with the Lions with a season-high six tackles at Nicholls State and recorded two sacks in Southeastern's come-from-behind win at Sam Houston State.

Pierre, a junior from New Iberia, tallied 66 tackles for the Lions with six fumble recoveries and four forced fumbles. Pierre, who was named the SLC and LSWA Defensive Player of the Week after recording a season-high 14 tackles at Nicholls State, also broke up five passes and had three sacks on the season.

After quarterbacking Central Arkansas to a 10-2 overall record, Nathan Brown was named the Southland Conference Player of the Year Tuesday in conjunction with the announcement of the all-conference teams, which were selected by a vote of the league's head coaches and sports information directors. UCA defensive end Larry Hart was named the defensive player of the year and Bears' mentor Clint Conque was named coach of the year.

McNeese State tailback Toddrick Pendland was the Southland's offensive player of the year, while Southeastern Louisiana receiver Simmie Yarborough was named the freshman of the year. Stephen F. Austin receiver Duane Brooks was voted the newcomer of the year.

Brown, last year's offensive player of the year, capped his career by surpassing the 10,000-yard passing mark. The senior from Russellville, Ark., finished with an even 100 career touchdowns. A candidate for the Walter Payton Award, Brown completed 254-of-375 passes for 3,206 yards and 31 scores, while maintaining the best pass efficiency (164.7) rating by a conference quarterback.

Nearly half of Hart's 43 tackles went for losses. The junior from Madison, Miss., led the conference with 21 tackles for losses of 96 yards and his league-best 15 sacks totaled 75 yards. He broke up five passes, forced one fumble and blocked a kick. He recorded 9.5 tackles for loss in Southland play, in addition to eight sacks.

Pendland, who averaged 130.1 yards rushing in 11 games this season, saw that number swell to 153.7 yards per game in conference play. The junior from Newton, Texas, totaled 1,431 yards on 219 carries and scored 12 touchdowns. He was second in the league with 174.1 all-purpose yards per game, but led the Southland with 201.9 all-purpose yards in seven conference games.

Brooks, a freshman transfer from Central Michigan, led the Lumberjacks with 86.3 receiving yards per game. A native of Irving, Texas, Brooks caught a team-high 68 passes for 863 yards and four scores.

Conque led Central Arkansas to the best record in the Southland this season at 6-1 though it was ineligible for the conference championship and league's automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division I Football Championships during its transition from Division II. During the last two seasons, Conque has guided the Bears to an 11-3 conference record, matching McNeese State for the best mark during that stretch. The Bears' win over McNeese State last Saturday gave Conque 10 wins for just the second time in his nine-year career. Conque, who has guided the Bears to a No. 11 national ranking, owns a 68-36 career record and is a finalist for the 2008 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year Award.

UCA placed 13 student-athletes on the two all-conference teams, the most by a Southland program. That included seven first-team selections. Joining Brown on the first-team offense are tight end Marquez Branson and offensive linemen Lane Freiwald and Jeremy Ford. Hart was joined on the first-team defense by defensive backs Pieri Feazell and Anthony Gambles. Six Bears earned second-team all-conference mention including running back Brent Grimes, fullback Nick Cowger, offensive lineman Brad Gordon, defensive lineman Taylor Scott, linebacker James Lancaster and punter Jonathan Beard.

Texas State and McNeese State each had nine members on the all-conference squads. The Bobcats won the Southland Conference championship and is the league's automatic qualifier for the NCAA Division I Football Championships. Four Texas State players earned first-team honors, including running back Karrington Bush, fullback Blake Burton, wide receiver Cameron Luke and offensive lineman Jeff Bowen. Joining Pendland on the first team for McNeese are offensive linemen Eman Naghavi and Kyle Link, defensive lineman Vaalyn Jackson and linebacker Allen Nelson.

Sam Houston was next with six all-conference selections. Defensive lineman Chris Brown was the Bearkats' lone first-team selection. Northwestern State and Nicholls State each placed five on the teams. The Demons were represented on the first team by placekicker Robert Weeks and defensive back Wesley Eckles. Lardarius Webb, of Nicholls State, earned first-team honors both as a defensive back and as a return specialist and was joined on the first-team by Colonel punter Patrick Dolan.

Stephen F. Austin landed three selections on the all-conference teams. Wide receiver Dominque Edison, defensive lineman Tim Knicky and linebacker Jabara Williams each earned first-team kudos.

Twelve members of the all-conference team have earned first-team honors previously, including McNeese State's Whitehead, who has now earned all-conference honors three consecutive seasons. Burton previously earned all-conference honors in 2006.

2008 All-Southland Conference Football Teams
First Team Offense
Pos. Name University Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown
QB Nathan Brown Central Arkansas 6-2 214 Sr. Russellville, Ark.
RB Toddrick Pendland McNeese State 5-10 175 Jr. Newton, Texas
RB Karrington Bush Texas State 5-10 182 So. Whitewright, Texas
FB Blake Burton Texas State 6-0 237 Sr. Hungerford, Texas
WR Cameron Luke Texas State 6-2 211 Sr. Houston, Texas
WR Dominque Edison Stephen F. Austin 6-3 200 Sr. San Augustine, Texas
TE Marquez Branson Central Arkansas 6-3 248 Sr. Starkville, Miss.
OL Eman Naghavi McNeese State 6-2 300 Sr. Katy, Texas
OL Kyle Link McNeese State 6-6 290 Sr. Lake Charles, La.
OL Lane Freiwald Central Arkansas 6-7 318 Jr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Jeff Bowen Texas State 6-1 275 Sr. North Richland Hills, Texas
OL Jeremy Ford Central Arkansas 6-1 284 Sr. Bastrop, La.
PK Robert Weeks Northwestern State 6-0 195 Sr. Pineville, La.

First Team Defense
Pos. Name University Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown
DL Larry Hart Central Arkansas 6-1 255 Jr. Madison, Miss.
DL Tim Knicky Stephen F. Austin 6-4 235 Jr. Cedar Park, Texas
DL Vaalyn Jackson McNeese State 6-0 285 Sr. Sulphur, La.
DL Chris Brown Sam Houston State 6-2 220 Jr. Texarkana, Texas
LB Allen Nelson McNeese State 6-2 210 Sr. Beaumont, Texas
LB Jabara Williams Stephen F. Austin 6-3 205 So. Garrison, Texas
DB Lardarius Webb Nicholls State 5-10 205 Sr. Opelika, Ala.
DB Tommy Connors Southeastern La. 6-0 195 Jr. Marrero, La.
DB Pieri Feazell Central Arkansas 5-11 206 Jr. Mount Olive, Miss.
DB Wesley Eckles Northwestern State 6-0 185 Jr. Mansfield, La.
DB Anthony Gambles Central Arkansas 5-9 174 Jr. Byhalia, Miss.
P Patrick Dolan Nicholls State 6-1 180 So. Mobile, Ala.
RS Lardarius Webb Nicholls State 5-10 205 Sr. Opelika, Ala.

Second Team Offense
Pos. Name University Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown
QB Rhett Bomar Sam Houston State 6-2 215 Sr. Grand Prairie, Texas
RB Byron Lawrence Northwestern State 5-8 197 Sr. North Little Rock, Ark.
RB Brent Grimes Central Arkansas 5-9 194 Jr. Baton Rouge, La.
FB Nick Cowger Central Arkansas 6-1 236 Jr. Vilonia, Ark.
WR Steven Whitehead McNeese State 5-8 173 Sr. Slidell, La.
WR Catron Houston Sam Houston State 5-11 184 Sr. Houston, Texasa
TE Wes Mangan McNeese State 6-4 245 Jr. Brenham, Texas
OL Brad Gordon Central Arkansas 6-1 294 Sr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Nigel Cormier Nicholls State 6-1 250 Sr. Lafayette, La.
OL Lance Fremin McNeese State 6-1 300 Sr. Starkville, Miss.
OL D.J. Hall Texas State 6-2 280 Fr. Palestine, Texas
OL Hunter Schmidt Sam Houston State 6-3 304 Jr. Alvin, Texas
PK Andrew Ireland Texas State 5-8 188 Sr. Cedar Hill, Texas

Second Team Defense
Pos. Name University Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown
DL Taylor Scott Central Arkansas 6-4 264 Jr. Little Rock, Ark.
DL Donavan King Texas State 6-2 262 Sr. Altair, Texas
DL Zac Reddix Nicholls State 6-2 215 Jr. Prairieville, La.
DL Ledell Love Northwestern State 6-0 240 So. Dallas, Texas
LB James Lancaster Central Arkansas 6-0 224 Jr. Cordova, Tenn.
LB Mack Dampier Northwestern State 6-0 235 Sr. West Monroe, La.
DB Jeremy Haynes McNeese State 5-10 185 Sr. Waller, Texas
DB Wonseleh Brewer Sam Houston State 5-8 165 Sr. Dallas, Texas
DB Morris Crosby Texas State 5-9 184 Sr. Houston, Texas
DB Marquis Powell Southeastern La. 5-9 207 Sr. Madison, Fla.
DB Billy Skinner Sam Houston State 5-11 212 Sr. Arlington, Texas
P Jonathan Beard Central Arkansas 5-10 165 Jr. Weir, Miss.
RS Karrington Bush Texas State 5-10 182 So. Whitewright, Texas

Player of the Year: Nathan Brown, Central Arkansas
Offensive Player of the Year: Toddrick Pendland, McNeese State
Defensive Player of the Year: Larry Hart, Central Arkansas
Freshman of the Year: Simmie Yarborough, Southeastern La.
Newcomer of the Year: Duane Brooks, Stephen F. Austin
Coach of the Year: Clint Conque, Central Arkansas

Honorable Mention – Quarterback: Derrick Fourroux, MCN; Jeremy Moses, SFA; Bradley George, TXST. Running Back: Jay Lucas, SLU. Fullback: Matthew Powledge, SHSU; Contravious Parks, SFA. Wide Receiver: Willie Landers, UCA; Eric Ware, UCA; Patrick Gordon, NICH; Antonio Robinson, NICH; Justin Wells, SHSU. Tight End: Simmie Yarborough, SLU; John Gilley, TXST. Offensive Linemen: Aric Flowers, NICH; Tim Henderson, NWLA; Nick Grimes, SHSU; Brad Bardy, SLU; Kevin Hughes, SLU; Karl Glimp, SFA; Cameron Schacht, SFA. Placekicker: Ross Schexnayder, NICH. Defensive Linemen: Kenton Alleyne, MCN; Matt Fairchild, NICH; Erik Mikolajchak, SHSU; Devin Boutwell, SLU; Steven Honore, SLU; Travis Houston, TXST. Linebacker: Deron Minor, MCN; Nolen Bucek, SHSU; Quinten Pierre, SLU; Joe Bell, TXST; Courtney Smith, TXST. Defensive Back: Derrick Boyd, UCA; Darrell Jenkins, MCN; Justin Perry, NWLA; Kenneth Hampton, TXST. Punter: Derrick Raymer, SHSU; Drew Nelson, SFA. Return Specialist: Marquis Powell, SLU.