SUWANEE, Ga. – Will Hawkins and Michael Galatas have repeated as SCAC Defensive and Special Teams Players of the Year as announced today by the conference office. Joining them are 17 other Majors named to the First and Second Teams All-Conference and Honorable Mentions.
In exclusive voting by the head coaches of the conference, Will Hawkins was voted the league's Defensive Player-of-the-Year for the second consecutive year.
Michael Galatas was selected as Special Teams Player-of-the-Year for the third consecutive year.
Will Hawkins, a 6-2, 230-pound senior linebacker from Nettleton, Miss., led the SCAC in tackles for the second consecutive year. His 117 tackles this season are the ninth-most for a single season in league history and his 84 solo tackles are the third-most. He had double digit tackles in eight of his team's 10 games, including a career-high 21 against DePauw on Oct. 2. Hawkins also finished tied for fifth in the conference with 10.5 tackles-for-loss and added three sacks, two interceptions and one fumble recovery. A 2009 All-American and two-time all conference selection, Hawkins became just the second SCAC student-athlete to earn Player-of-the-Year honors in two separate sports – excluding cross country and track and field – when he won the 2009 SCAC Defensive Player-of-the-Year award following his selection as the league's Offensive Player-of-the-Year in baseball in the spring of 2009.
Hawkins received six votes in the Defensive POTY balloting while senior strong safety. Jon Lambert of DePauw received the remaining two first-place votes.
Michael Galatas, a 5-10, 185-pound receiver/kick returner from Lacombe, La., becomes just the second SCAC student-athlete to earn three consecutive SCAC Special Teams Player-of-the-Year awards, equaling Brian Britt of Centre who won the award in 1999, 2000 and 2001. It is the fifth consecutive year a Millsaps player has received the honor. Galatas finished fifth in the SCAC in all-purpose yards (1,260), which included 477 kick return yards and 197 punt return yards. He ends his career as the school's all-time leader in kick return yards (1,670) and is second all-time in all-purpose yards (4,242). As a receiver, Galatas was selected First Team All-SCAC after catching 47 passes for 566 yards and three touchdowns.
Galatas garnered four votes in the Special Teams Player-of-the-Year balloting to edge senior receiver/kick returner Caleb Urban of Trinity, who received three votes. Junior receiver/kick returner Jordan Albright of Centre received the remaining first-place vote.
Joining Hawkins and Galatas on the First Team were lineman Nathan Quick, offensive back Shane Bowser, defensive lineman Ward Coker, and defensive back Kevin Peters. Second Team honors were awarded to wide receiver Jason O'Rear, offensive back Chris Skinner, quarterback Garrett Pinciotti, kicker/punter Taylor Russolino, linebacker Marvis O'Sirio, and defensive back Jonathan Moore. Honorable mentions include offensive lineman Will Chandler, defensive end Will Derrick, tight end Bryce Haddad, defensive tackle Kyle Hughes, and offensive lineman Deauntay Payne.
The complete release from the SCAC can be found here.
