Nov. 25, 2003

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Samford University swept the Ohio Valley Conference postseason awards announced by the conference office Tuesday afternoon.

Head Coach Bill Gray was named Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 7-4 overall record, a 5-3 conference mark and a tie for third place in the league after being picked preseason eighth in the nine-team league.

"This is a testament to our players and assistant coaches for putting us in a position to win games," Gray said. "For this to be voted on by my peers is very humbling because there are a lot of coaches this could have gone to."

Efrem Hill was named the OVC's Offensive Player of the Year.

Junior wide receiver Efrem Hill was named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year. Hill led the league in receptions per game (8.36 rpg.), receiving yards per game (126.1 ypg.), scoring (8.2 ppg.) and scoring by a touchdown (8.2 ppg.). Hill also leads the nation in receiving yards per game and is second in receptions per game. Hill's 1,387 total receiving yards ranks third in the nation, and he set new OVC records for receptions (92) and touchdowns (15) in a single season.

"Efrem has been consistent for us all year," Gray said. "He has been the go-to guy for us offensively, and he has continued to come up with big plays. Efrem has had a great work ethic all season, and in the off-season as well."

Sophomore safety Cortland Finnegan is the league's Defensive Player of the Year after leading the league in tackles per game (9.8 tpg.). Finnegan was third in the conference in passes defended with 11, and he tied for the team lead with three interceptions on the season.

"We felt if we could put Cortland at free safety, he could control our defense from the middle of the field," Gray said. "He is an exceptional athlete and is a very hard worker."

Cortland Finnegan was named the OVC's Defensive Player of the Year.

The OVC also announced its All-Conference teams on Tuesday. Hill and Finnegan were joined on the first team by junior quarterback Ray Nelson. Nelson led the OVC in passing yards per game (250.8 ypg.) and total offense (285.5 ypg.). Nelson's 2,759 total passing yards set a new Samford single-season record.

Senior defensive end Darold Williams was named to the second team All-Conference team. Williams, one of the team's four captains, was third in the conference in tackles for a loss (1.60 pg).

Finnegan was also named to the second team as a return specialist. Finnegan led the conference in kick returns, averaging 27.5 yards per return. He also had an 89-yard return for a touchdown against West Alabama.

2003 ALL-OHIO VALLEY CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM (Selected by OVC Head Football Coaches and Sports Information Directors)

First Team

Offense

Ray Nelson (QB), Samford

Charles Anthony (RB), Tennessee State

Kory Chapman (RB), Jacksonville State

Efrem Hill (WR), Samford

C.J. Johnson (WR), Tennessee State

Ray Goodson (TE), Southeast Missouri

Larry Turner (C), Eastern Kentucky

Dan Bieg (OG), Southeast Missouri

Burt Shurette (OG), Tennessee Tech

Frank Castagnoli (OT), Eastern Illinois

Levet Jones (OT), Jacksonville State

Derek Kutz (PK), Southeast Missouri

Allen Evans (RS), Eastern Kentucky

Defense

Chad Dewberry (DL), Eastern Kentucky

Ryan Roth (DL), Southeast Missouri

Paul Thomas (DL), Tennessee State

Marcus White (DL), Murray State

Ricky Farmer (LB), Southeast Missouri

Nick Ricks (LB), Eastern Illinois

Justen Rivers (LB), Eastern Kentucky

Daniel Wentzel (LB), Tennessee Tech

Donnell Allison (DB), Eastern Kentucky

Scott Cunningham (DB), Tennessee State

Cortland Finnegan (DB), Samford

Dimitri Patterson (DB), Southeast Missouri

Richie Rhodes (P), Jacksonville State

Four linebackers were chosen to the first team due to a tie in the voting.

OVC OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Efrem Hill, Samford

OVC DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: Cortland Finnegan, Samford

OVC COACH OF THE YEAR: Bill Gray, Samford

Second Team

Offense

Matt Guice (QB), Eastern Kentucky

Jason Ballard (RB), Tennessee Tech

Terry Ennis (RB), Eastern Kentucky

Deandre Green (WR), Murray State*

Andre Ralston (WR), Eastern Kentucky

Nick Eller (TE), Eastern Illinois

Eugene Amano (C), Southeast Missouri

Will Heineman (OG), Eastern Kentucky

Justen Meyer (OG), Southeast Missouri

Dan Connolly (OT), Southeast Missouri

Frank Omiyale (OT), Tennessee Tech

Jesse Ohliger (PK), Murray State

Cortland Finnegan (RS), Samford

Defense

Mike Dunn (DL), Eastern Kentucky

Kory Lothe (DL), Eastern Illinois

Marcus Lorick (DL), Eastern Illinois

Mark Tibbs (DL), Jacksonville State

Darold Williams (DL), Samford

Jonathan Crutcher (LB), Jacksonville State

James Dumervil (LB), Tennessee State

Fred Miller (LB), Eastern Illinois

Laroni Gallishaw (DB), Murray State

Deon Giddens (DB), Tennessee State

Michael Hanley (DB), Murray State

Ahmed Safeullah (DB), Tennessee State

David Simonhoff (P), Southeast Missouri

Five defensive linemen were chosen to the second team due to a tie in the voting.

Honorable Mention: Brock Anderson, C, Tennessee State; Steven Lee, PK, Jacksonville State; Jason Coleman, RS, Tennessee-Martin; Carlos Wright, RS, Tennessee State; Andre Plummer, DL, Tennessee-Martin; Jerome Jones, LB, Eastern Kentucky; Bobby Sanders, DB, Murray State