MARSHALL, Texas – Under first-year head coach Calvin Ruzicka, East Texas Baptist University earned two major American Southwest Conference awards as 16 players were named All-ASC. It is the most since the 2016 season when 20 players were honored under then head coach Scotty Walden. In 2015, ETBU had 18 players selected under head coach Joshua Eargle.
 
With the 16 players selected, five players were selected for defense on the first team. Jahkamian Carr was voted the ASC Defensive Lineman of the Year and Trajen Llanas-Wilcox is the Tri-Freshman of the Year. Cornelius Banks was put on the ASC Sportsman Team of the Year.
 
Carr becomes ETBU's first ASC Defensive Lineman of the Year since 2005 when Chad Glover won the award. This is his second straight All-ASC first team award and third overall being honorable mention in fall 2021. Carr finished leading the ASC in sacks (7) and tackles for loss (1.35 per game) with 13.5 while being 10^th in tackles with 60 at 6.2 tackles per game. He had two sacks vs. Sul Ross State and 10 tackles against Texas Lutheran. He was also the ASC Defensive Player of the Week on Oct. 23.
 
Llanas-Wilcox is ETBU's third ASC Freshman of the Year in program history. He joins RoShawn Johnson (2002) and KJ Miller (2017) as the only three players to earn the ASC award. He finished the year with 683 yards receiving, six touchdowns and four games with 100+ yards receiving. His 100-yard receiving games came against Louisiana Christian, Hendrix College, Texas Lutheran, and Hardin-Simmons.
 
Banks was named one of eight players to the ASC Football Sportsman Team. He played in five games before an injury ended his season. He had eight passing touchdowns and over 900 yards passing.
 
Also earning first team status on defense were linemen Christian Booker and Dominick Williams, linebacker Joey Verret, and defensive back Robert Williams III.
 
Booker earns his second All-ASC award and it the first time being on the first team after being All-ASC third team in 2022. He produced 5.5 sacks, 31 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, one interception, six pass break ups, and 10 quarterback hurries. In the ASC he was fourth in tackles for loss and seventh in sacks. He posted six tackles vs. Sul Ross State and 1.5 sacks vs. Hendrix.
 
Williams gains his first ASC award being on the first team. He was fifth on the team in tackles at 40, collected 10.5 tackles for loss, had 6.5 sacks, four pass break ups, and three blocked kicks. In the ASC, he was second in sacks (6.5) behind teammate Carr and fifth in tackles for loss (1.05). Against Sul Ross State, he had 10 tackles and three sacks with a blocked kick.
 
Verret is now a two-time All-ASC selection making the first team for the first time after being a third team selection last year. He led the team with 72 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss, one interception, two fumble recoveries, and two forced fumbles. He was fifth in the ASC at 7.2 tackles per game and 16^th in tackles per loss. He had 10 or more tackles in three gams with 13 against Mary Hardin-Baylor and an interception vs. McMurry.
 
Bradley is a back-to-back All-ASC selection earning his first first team award after being on the third team last year. He finished fourth on the team in tackles with 41, had one interception, and four pass break ups. Against Sul Ross State, he had an interception along with four tackles. He collected a season-high six tackles, twice, vs. Hendrix College, and Texas Lutheran.
 
Earning second team status were Garri Smith on the offensive line and Kei'Untray Hawkins. Eight players were then on the third team with three defensive players Keewan Grismore (LB), Robert Williams III (DB), and Daevien Willis (DB) and five offensive players in Llanas-Wilcox (WR), Zay Thomas (SB), Rashard Martin ( C), Paul Woodward, and Nicholas Piazza (K). Nathan Morris was named All-ASC honorable mention as an offensive guard.
 
Overall, nine defensive players were selected and seven offensive players. ETBU finished the season 5-5 and tied for third place in the ASC at 3-3.
 

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All-ASC Awards
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Jahkamian Carr
Tri-Freshman of the Year: Trajan Llanas-Wilcox
Outstanding Sportsman Team of the Year: Cornelius Banks
 
First Team
Jahkamian Carr (DL)
Christian Booker (DL)
Dominick Williams (DL)
Joey Verret (LB)
Kenneth Bradley (DB)
 
Second Team
Garri Smith (OL)
Kei'Untray Hawkins (DL)
 
Third Team
Trajan Llanas-Wilcox (WR)
Zay Thomas (SB)
Rashard Martin (C)
Paul Woodward (RB)
Nicholas Piazza (K)
Keewan Grismore (LB)
Robert Williams (DB)
Daevien Willis (DB)
 
Honorable Mention
Nathan Morris (OG)