Rainey, Majors named to Sun Belt all-conference teams; Rainey named Offensive POY

Herald Staff

WKU’s 2-10 record this season didn’t meet its expectations, but the Toppers received some individual accolades from the Sun Belt Conference Wednesday.

Junior running back Bobby Rainey was named the Sun Belt’s Offensive Player of the Year, and senior linebacker Thomas Majors was named to the second all-conference team, the league announced Wednesday.

Senior linebacker Orlando Misaalefua and senior offensive lineman Mychal Patterson were both named honorable mention.

Rainey carried the ball a nation-best 340 times for 1,649 yards this season, making him the second-leading rusher in the country behind Oregon’s LaMichael James. He also rushed for 15 touchdowns.

Majors recorded 105 tackles this season, placing him fourth in the Sun Belt. He totaled more than 100 tackles in both of his seasons at WKU.

Florida International receiver T.Y. Hilton was named the league’s Player of the Year, and FIU’s Mario Cristobal received the Coach of the Year honor.

Below are the full awards, per a Sun Belt release:

Player of the Year: T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Jr., WR)

Offensive Player of the Year: Bobby Rainey (WKU, Jr., RB)

Defensive Player of the Year: Jamari Lattimore (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DL)

Freshman of the Year: Corey Robinson (Troy, Fr., QB)

Coach of the Year: Mario Cristobal, FIU

First Team All-Sun Belt Conference

Offense

Ryan Aplin (Arkansas State, So., QB)

Lance Dunbar (North Texas, Jr., RB)

Bobby Rainey (WKU, Jr., RB)

T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Jr., WR)

Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Sr., WR)

Ladarius Green (Louisiana-Lafayette, Jr., TE)

Brad Serini (FIU, Sr., OL)

Tyler Clark (Troy, Sr., OL)

Victor Gill (North Texas, Sr., OL)

Derek Newton (Arkansas State, Sr., OL)

Esteban Santiago (North Texas, Sr., OL)

Defense

Bryan Hall (Arkansas State, Sr., DL)

Jamari Lattimore (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DL)

Jonathan Massaquoi (Troy, So., DL)

Jarvis Wilson (FIU, Sr., DL)

Demario Davis (Arkansas State, Jr., LB)

Toronto Smith (FIU, Sr., LB)

Craig Robertson (North Texas, Sr., LB)

M.D. Jennings (Arkansas State, Sr., DB)

Anthony Gaitor (FIU, Sr., DB)

Rod Issac (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DB)

Jeremy Kellem (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DB)

Special Teams

Alan Gendreau (Middle Tennessee, Jr., K)

Mickey Groody (Florida Atlantic, R-Jr., P)

T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Jr., Return Specialist)

Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Sr., All Purpose)

Second Team All-Sun Belt Conference

Offense

Corey Robinson (Troy, Fr., QB)

Phillip Tanner (Middle Tennessee, Sr., RB)

Darriet Perry (FIU, Jr., RB)

Lester Jean (Florida Atlantic, Sr., WR)

Luther Ambrose (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., WR)

Rob Housler (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., TE)

Tom Castilaw (Arkansas State, Sr., OL)

Sifa Etu (Arkansas State, Sr., OL)

Ian Burks (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., OL)

Mark Fisher (Middle Tennessee, Sr., OL)

James Brown (Troy, Jr., OL)

Defense

Dorvus Woods (Arkansas State, Jr., DL)

Tourek Williams (FIU, So., DL)

Ken Dorsey (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., DL)

Mario Addison (Troy, Sr., DL)

Javon McKinnon (Arkansas State, Sr., LB)

Michael Lockley (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., LB)

Thomas Majors (WKU, Sr., LB)

Marcus Bartels (Florida Atlantic, R-Jr., DB)

Tavious Polo (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., DB)

Jonathan Cyprien (FIU, So., DB)

Darius Prelow (Louisiana-Monroe, Jr., DB)

Special Teams

Zach Olen (North Texas, Fr., K)

Josh Davis (Middle Tennessee, Fr., P)

Jerrel Jernigan (Troy, Sr., Return Specialist)

T.Y. Hilton (FIU, Jr., All-Purpose)

Honorable Mention All-Sun Belt Conference

Dwayne Frampton (Arkansas State, Jr., WR); Allen Muse (Arkansas State, So., WR); Tarvoris Hill (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., DB); Jeff Van Camp (Florida Atlantic, R-Sr., QB); Greg Ellingson (FIU, Sr., WR); Winston Fraser (FIU, R-So., LB); Orkeys Auriene (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., DB); Spencer Ortego (Louisiana-Lafayette, Sr., P); Kolton Browning (ULM, R-Fr., QB); Cameron Blakes (ULM, So., LB); Eric Russel (Middle Tennessee, Junior, RS); Dwight Smith (Middle Tennessee, Sr., DL); Brelan Chancellor (North Texas, Fr. RS); Will Goggans (Troy, Jr., P); Michael Taylor (Troy, Jr., K); Orlando Misaalefua (WKU, Sr., LB); Mychal Patterson (WKU, Sr., OL)

 The All-Sun Belt Conference Teams are selected by each team’s head coach and a media representative from each institution.