NORFOLK, Va. – The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) announced its 2017 football postseason honors on Tuesday, Nov. 28, with a total of eight Bethune-Cookman student-athletes being named to the first-, second- and third team, respectfully.
 
North Carolina A&T State University led the way in this year's All-MEAC voting as the Aggies had 12 student-athletes named to the first team. The team is voted on by the MEAC's head football coaches and sports information directors.
 
Named as All-MEAC First Team selections were Dwayne Brown (OL), Diquan Richardson (DB) and Uriel Hernandez (PK). Second Team honors went to Chris Adams (C) and Todney Evans (DL). Meanwhile, the Third Team consisted of Larry Brihm, Jr. (QB), Jamaruz Thompkins (RB) and Phillip Norman (OL).
 
Dwayne Brown earned a spot on the All-MEAC First Team along the offensive line, as the 6-3, 339-pound junior from Indianapolis played and started in all 11 games as a guard for the Wildcats, finishing up their third year under the direction of Head Coach Terry Sims. Brown, whose story of defeating cancer was highlighted during the season by several media outlets, was named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week (Oct. 2), helping to block for the team with the fifth-best total offensive output in the conference (341.2 y/g). He helped protect quarterbacks Larry Brihm, Jr. and Akevious Williams throughout the season, grading out at better than 92 percent on all assignments in six of 11 games across the campaign.
 
An All-MEAC First Team defensive selection for the second consecutive year, safety Diquan Richardson finished atop the BCU statistical category for tackles (84) and placed himself seventh overall in the league for that department. The 5-11, 167-pound senior from Allen, South Carolina was instrumental to the Wildcats defensive backfield, finishing fifth in the league for passes defended as he accumulated 12 breakups and a league third-best five interceptions. He picked off a pair of passes in the Florida Blue Florida Classic, allowing BCU to collect its seventh consecutive win against in-state opponent Florida A&M.
 
Rounding out the All-MEAC First Team was junior kicker Uriel Hernandez, a 5-4, 209-pound native of Homestead, Florida, as he makes his way onto the first team for the first time in his three-year career. On the 2017 campaign, Hernandez served as the primary placekicker for the Cats and finished atop the league in field goals, connecting on 12 of 18 for the season. He also finished fifth overall in the conference in scoring as he amassed 60 points altogether. He would end the year hitting on 24 of 26 extra point attempts as well.
 
Landing on the All-MEAC Second Team for offense was center Chris Adams (Daytona, Ohio). The 6-4, 300-pound offensive lineman played and started in all 11 games for the Wildcats at the center position, grading out at 92 percent on all assignments for the season. He was named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Week (Sept. 11) following a road win at Southeastern Louisiana, in addition to accumulating eight pancake blocks with 11 downfield blocks.
 
On the All-MEAC Second Team for defense was Todney Evans (Delray Beach, Fla.), a 6-2, 222-pound junior defensive end that played and started in 10 games on the year for the Wildcats. He missed one game due to injury. Evans finished the year tallying 34 tackles (15 solo, 19 assisted), including a team-leading 8.5 tackles for loss. He also amassed 2.5 quarterback sacks and broke up three passes along with two quarterback pressures.
 
Three Wildcats made their way onto the All-MEAC Third Team in the form of Larry Brihm, Jr. (QB), Jamaruz Thompkins (RB) and Phillip Norman (OL).
 
Brihm, a redshirt senior from Delray Beach, Florida, ended the season with a pair of MEAC Offensive Player of the Week awards (Sept. 11, Nov. 6). He played and started in all 11 games under center as the primary signal caller for the Cats, finishing fourth in the MEAC in passing yards per game (200.9) and fifth in pass efficiency (133.0). In total offense, Brihm would place himself fourth in the league with 211.5 yards per game in that category, as well as tied for eighth in total scoring (36 points). Against Morgan State, he tied the school record for passing touchdowns in a game with five.
 
Senior running back Jamaruz Thompkins (Tampa, Fla.) earned his second consecutive All-MEAC selection after landing on the third team a season ago. In 2017, Thompkins finished second on the team in rushing (359 yards), running for a pair of touchdowns and averaging 32.6 yards per game on the ground. He stepped out of the backfield for 11 receptions and 108 yards as well.
 
Phillip Norman (Sebastian, Fla.) played and started in all 11 games for the Wildcats as an offensive tackle, helping to block for the team with the fifth-best total offensive output in the conference (341.2 y/g). Norman graded out above 85 percent on the year for all assignments, and helped pave the way for an offensive unit that racked up 215.3 yards per game through the air with quarterback Larry Brihm, Jr. and Akevious Williams, respectively.
 
North Carolina A&T State's Brandon Parker made history as the first player to be named MEAC Offensive Lineman of the Year for three consecutive seasons. Howard University freshman Caylin Newton was tabbed as the league's Freshman of the Year while North Carolina A&T State's Rod Broadway was selected as Coach of the Year.
 
In a partnership with the National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame, the league's Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year will be announced as part of the festivities surrounding the 60^th NFF Annual Awards Dinner, Tuesday, Dec. 5, at the Hilton Midtown in New York City. The event will be televised live on ESPN3 at 9 a.m.
 
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