FOREST, Va. — Fifth-year defensive end Jahlin Russell was named the Lou Wacker Defensive Player of the Year as Averett University football placed seven student-athletes on the 2023 All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference Teams, which were announced Wednesday.

In addition to being named the ODAC's top defensive player, Russell earned All-ODAC First Team defensive line honors. Redshirt junior linebacker Lamar Horner and junior receiver Shawn Watlington were named to the All-ODAC Second Team, while fifth-year defensive back Carey Dickinson, senior offensive linemen Matthew Isom and Vincent Nguyen and junior defensive tackle Tony Totten Jr. all earned All-ODAC Third Team recognition.

Russell, a native of Richmond, Virginia, became the first Averett football player to earn a major conference award from the ODAC since Averett joined the league before the 2022 season. Overall, he is the second Cougar to earn the top defensive honor from the conference, joining Averett Athletics Hall of Famer Jermaine Moore, who was the 2006 USA South Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Russell put together a record-breaking year in which he set the program's single-season mark with 12 sacks. Russell, who twice earned ODAC Defensive Player of the Week and once was named to the D3football.com Team of the Week, finished with 85 total tackles (36 solo) with three forced fumbles and 11 quarterback hurries. In 10 starts, his sack total led the ODAC in addition to tackles for loss yards, and he was second in fumbles forced. He finished his career with 17 sacks, one shy of the program record.
 
Horner, a native of Centreville, Virginia, started all 10 games at linebacker, where he accumulated 65 tackles for the 12th highest total in the ODAC this season. He had four tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries, two pass breakups, two fumble recoveries and one forced fumble.

Watlington, a native of Danville, Virginia, broke Averett's single-season receiving touchdown record with 14 in 10 games. He caught 45 passes for 771 yards — both team highs. He finished with 17.13 yards per catch with a long of 59 yards.

Dickinson, a safety from Centreville, Virginia, finished fourth on the team with 50 total tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss. He had one interception and three pass breakups in 10 starts.

Isom, a native of Waxhaw, North Carolina, and Nguyan, who is from Manassas, Virginia, started all 10 games on the offensive line — with Isom at center and Nguyan at right tackle. They were key members of the offensive line that allowed only two sacks all season, which led the nation in all three divisions — Division I, II and III. The two blocked for an offense that averaged 27.1 points per game in 2023 while averaging 155.3 rushing yards a game and 210.9 passing yards a game for 366.2 yards of offense per game within the ODAC.

Totten, a native of Cascade, Virginia, played 10 games at defensive tackle while making 30 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks with one quarterback hurry. His 3.5 sacks this season ranked ninth in the ODAC.
 
 

2023 Football All-ODAC Awards:

J. Stokeley Fulton Offensive Player of the Year: Drew Campanale, Sr., QB, Randolph-Macon

Lou Wacker Defensive Player of the Year: Jahlin Russell, Sr., DE, Averett

ODAC Coach of the Year: Pedro Arruza, Randolph-Macon

ODAC Rookie of the Year: Anthony Crawford, Fy., RB, Washington and Lee

ODAC/Va. Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Peyton Pack, Sr., DE, Washington and Lee

 

ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM OFFENSE

Drew Campanale Sr. QB Randolph-Macon

Kennedy Fauntleroy Jr. RB Bridgewater

Nick Hale Sr. RB Randolph-Macon

Jamahdia Whitby Sr. APB Hampden-Sydney

Mason Cunningham So. WR Hampden-Sydney

David Wallis Sr. WR Randolph-Macon

Brandon Woolridge Sr. TE Randolph-Macon

Matt Hale Sr. OL Randolph-Macon

Storm James Sr. OL Randolph-Macon

Nehemiah Nixon Sr. OL Randolph-Macon

David Munoz Sr. OL Shenandoah

Tucker Jacobsen So. OL Washington and Lee

Kyle Ihle Jr. PK Randolph-Macon
 

ALL-ODAC FIRST TEAM DEFENSE

Jahlin Russell 5th DL Averett

Preston Turner 5th DL Bridgewater

Wade Grubbs Jr. DL Randolph-Macon

Nathan Unger Sr. DL Washington and Lee

Aaron Nice So. LB Bridgewater

Tony Skinner Sr. LB Randolph-Macon

Matt Conroy So. LB Shenandoah

Will Mahmud So. LB Washington and Lee

Aaron Moore Sr. DB Bridgewater

Will Pickren Sr. DB Hampden-Sydney

Cade Jones Sr. DB Randolph-Macon

Keyshawn Wilder Sr. DB Shenandoah

Burke Nettles Sr. P Guilford

 

ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM OFFENSE

Andrew Puccinelli Sr. QB Hampden-Sydney

Melik Frost Sr. RB Hampden-Sydney

Jacob Romero Jr. RB Washington and Lee

Andre Jackson Sr. APB Shenandoah

Shawn Watlington Jr. WR Averett

JoJo Marinella Sr. WR Randolph-Macon

Evan Novak Jr. TE Washington and Lee

Tyler Duckstein Sr. OL Bridgewater

Glory Nseka Jr. OL Bridgewater

TJ Minter Sr. OL Hampden-Sydney

Chris Desmond Sr. OL Randolph-Macon

Harrison Donovan Jr. OL Washington and Lee

Seth Deaton Jr. PK Ferrum
 

ALL-ODAC SECOND TEAM DEFENSE

Eli Rucker Sr. DL Bridgewater

Kevin Gholson Sr. DL Hampden-Sydney

Ethan Brown Sr. DL Shenandoah

Will Knight So. DL Washington and Lee

Lamar Horner Jr. LB Averett

Shawn Harris 5th LB Bridgewater

Jackson Deaver Sr. LB Randolph-Macon

Hunter Hawk Sr. LB Washington and Lee

Noah Hines Jr. DB Bridgewater

Tobias Lafayette Sr. DB Hampden-Sydney

Coleton Payne Sr. DB Randolph-Macon

Jack Johnson So. DB Washington and Lee

Seth Deaton Jr. P Ferrum

 

ALL-ODAC THIRD TEAM OFFENSE (AT-LARGE SELECTION)

Steven Hugney Jr. QB Shenandoah

Stephen Murrin Sr. QB Washington and Lee

Brendan Robinson So. APB Bridgewater

Marcus Payne Jr. APB Washington and Lee

Broden Domenico Sr. WR Shenandoah

Matthew Isom Sr. OL Averett

Vincent Nguyen Sr. OL Averett

Dominic Gulli Sr. OL Shenandoah

ALL-ODAC THIRD TEAM DEFENSE (AT-LARGE SELECTION)

Tony Totten, Jr. Jr. DL Averett

Corey Kidwell Jr. DL Shenandoah

Joey Strong, Jr. Gr. LB Guilford

Dorian Green Sr. LB Hampden-Sydney

Carey Dickinson 5th DB Averett

Alex Biddle So. DB Randolph-Macon

Sean Perry Sr. DB Shenandoah

Charlie Fleming Jr. DB Washington and Lee