FERRUM, Virginia -- The Old Dominion Athletic Conference has announced the 2021 Football All-Conference Team, and Ferrum College had eight players honored.
Headlining the list for the Panthers were senior linebacker Billy Higgins and sophomore wide receiver Tmahdae Penn, who were both named to the All-ODAC first team.
Randolph-Macon College grabbed a pair of major awards with the J. Stokeley Fulton Offensive Player of the Year in senior RB Justin DeLeon and the Lou Wacker Defensive Player of the Year in senior DT Jace DePriest. DePriest also earned the ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award.
Shenandoah University freshman QB Steven Hughney was named Rookie of the Year, and Washington and Lee University's Garrett LeRose earned Coach of the Year.
Higgins closed out the season with 104 tackles, including 49 solo stops, 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble and two pass breakups. This is Higgins' second All-ODAC award, including the second team nod he earned last spring. He was the ODAC Defensive Players of Week this year on October 17.
Penn made 45 receptions for 905 yards and 10 touchdowns this season en route to his second straight All-ODAC first team pick. He holds schools record for season reception yards, and season touchdown receptions. Penn earned ODAC Offensive Player of the Week on October 17.
Named to the All-ODAC second team were senior QB Titus Jones, senior OL Daniel Mitchell, and senior DB Ja'Kari Williams.
Jones was 179-286 passing for 2442 yards and 24 touchdowns. He set school records for game and season pass attempts, game and season pass completions, game and season passing yards, and game and season touchdown passes. This is his first All-ODAC honor. He was named ODAC Offensive Player of the Week twice this season, September 19 and October 31.
Williams made 33 tackles this season, including 32 solo, 15 pass breakups and a pair of interceptions. This is his second straight All-ODAC second team honor. This is Mitchell's first All-ODAC selection.
Earning All-ODAC third team were senior DL Ray Alexander, senior WR Daniel Lamb and sophomore TE Deven Gray. All three are first-time All-ODAC honorees.
The Panthers finished the season at 6-4 overall and 3-3 in the ODAC under second-year Head Coach Cleive Adams.
