BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) named Samford quarterback Liam Welch its Small College Athlete of the Year Thursday.  
 
Welch will be presented with the award at the ASWA's annual awards dinner Sunday night.
 
"I am extremely proud of Liam after watching his improvement as a player this spring," Samford head coach Chris Hatcher said. "He really took a step forward and did an excellent job of leading our team after a tough quarterback competition. We are excited to have him back this fall and to continue to watch him grow as a player and leader."
 
This prestigious honor is the latest in a long list of awards Welch has earned for his performance during the spring season. He was named a finalist for the Walter Payton Award, which goes to the top offensive player in all of FCS football. He was also named second team All-American by STATS Perform, and he earned first team All-SoCon honors by both the coaches and media. The SoCon's coaches also tabbed him as the league's Co-Offensive Player of the Year.
 
During the season, Welch was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week twice, including following his school-record 570 passing yards against VMI. He was also named the league's Offensive Player of the Month for both February and March.
 
Welch led the Southern Conference and ranked fourth in the nation in passing yards per game, averaging 373.7 passing yards per contest. He also led the league and ranked fifth nationally in total passing yards at 2,242 yards in just six contests. Welch was the SoCon leader and ranked second in the nation in both total offense (2,545 yards) and total offense per game (424.2 ypg.).
 
In addition to his impressive passing numbers, Welch ranked second on the team in rushing with 303 yards and four touchdowns. He rushed for a career-high 139 yards and a touchdown in a 55-7 win at The Citadel.
 
Samford finished the spring season with a record of 4-3, wrapping up the season with an impressive 44-20 win over No. 23 Mercer. The Bulldogs are set to open the 2021 fall season by hosting Tennessee Tech on Thursday, Sept. 2, at Seibert Stadium.
 
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