Saturday, July 27, 2013

Bethune-Cookman Voted to Repeat as MEAC Champs

NORFOLK, Virginia – Bethune-Cookman University was selected to repeat as Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference football champions for the 2013 season, it was announced Friday afternoon at the annual MEAC Football Kickoff Luncheon inside the grand ballroom of the Marriott Waterside Hotel.

Additionally, Isidore Jackson was selected as Preseason Co-Offensive Player of the Year, while Jarkevis Fields was voted Preseason Defensive Player of the Year.

In all, a total of five Wildcats landed on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team, while another was voted to the Second Team.

Bethune-Cookman finished the 2012 campaign as regular season champions ending the conference season 8-0 for the first time in school history. It was the first undefeated record in league play for the Wildcats since winning the conference title in 1984.

Senior running back Isidore Jackson was tabbed Preseason MEAC Co-Offensive Player of the Year alongside Florida A&M quarterback Damien Fleming. A 5-10, 205-pound native of Mossy Head, Fla., Jackson finished the 2012 campaign on the all-conference team for the second consecutive season. He rushed for a league second-best 1,069 yards and aided the vaunted Wildcats offense that led the MEAC as a team in scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense and first downs. He would end the season becoming the first B-CU running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in a season since Steve Wallace in 1997, and the first Wildcat overall to gain 1,000 yards since quarterback Allen Suber in 2002.



Senior linebacker Jarkevis Fields was voted Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the Wildcats in tackles during the 2012 campaign. Fields, a 6-0, 230-pound senior from Sanford, Fla., ended the 2012 campaign with 103 tackles (sixth-best in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference), six tackles for losses and a sack. He also dropped back and broke up four passes, while helping the B-CU defense finish third nationally in passes intercepted. Fields was named to the First Team All-MEAC squad in 2012, as well as receiving the Army Strong Leadership Award at the Florida Blue Florida Classic. He was also the recipient of the MEAC/SWAC Challenge Walter Payton Achievement Award, in addition to being a preseason HBCU All-America selection by BoxToRow.

Jackson and offensive lineman Alex Monroe were on the Preseason All-MEAC First Team for offense, while defensive end LeBrandon Richardson and defensive back Nick Addison joined Fields on the defensive team. Senior wide receiver Eddie Poole landed on the second team for offense, and defensive lineman Tevin Toney received honorable mention awards.

For a complete list of this year’s Preseason All-Conference Team, please click here. You can also visit MEACsports.com.

The Wildcats of Bethune-Cookman begin the season Sunday, Sept. 1, traveling to Tennessee State in Nashville, Tenn. A time for kickoff will be announced at a later date.

To purchase tickets for the 2013 Bethune-Cookman Wildcats football season, call the B-CU Ticket Office at 386-481-2465 or visit www.TicketMaster.com.

For the latest information on the Bethune-Cookman Wildcats, follow us on Twitter, @BCUGridIron, and make sure to ‘Like Us’ on Facebook at BCUathletics. Join the conversation for all things related to B-CU Football in 2013 by using the official hashtag #NeverSatisfied in all tweets.

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