NORFOLK, Va.,- - South Carolina State junior defensive lineman Javon Hargrave was named the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year, while teammate redshirt freshman linebacker Darius Leonard  earned Rookie of the Year accolades, the conference announced.

South Carolina State finished third tied with Norfolk State with 10 student-athletes recognized on the three MEAC post-season teams, as voted on by the MEAC's head football coaches and sports information directors. The Bulldogs have three student-athletes earn first-team honors, four second-team, and three third-team honors in addition to earning two-of-four top awards.

Hargrave (6-2, 300, Salisbury, NC) led the MEAC and ranks third in the nation in sacks with 16 for a loss of 199 yards and ranks fourth in the FCS in tackles for loss with 23.5.  He finished the season recording 55 total tackles, three forced fumbles, one recovered fumble (61 yards), eight quarterback hurries and two breakups.  He is listed on the Sports Networks' Buck Buchanan Award List and has earned national and conference Defensive Player of the Week honors after tying a conference and FCS-best record of six sacks in a single game in a win over ranked Bethune-Cookman. 

As a freshman, Leonard (6-3, 200, Lake View, SC) led the MEAC and ranked 30^th in the nation in solo tackles (73).  He tallied 88 total tackles (9^th in MEAC) and ranked t-11^th in the conference in tackles for loss with 13.5.  He garnered the MEAC's Defensive Player of the Week honors once and Rookie of the Week honors twice this season.  Leonard is currently listed on the Sports Networks' Jerry Rice Award list.
 
  ALL-MEAC TEAM
FIRST TEAM
Offense
Pos.                 Name.                                          
TE                   Temarrick Hemingway                   
OL                   Devin Flowers                                  

Defense
Pos.                 Name.                                          
DL                   Javon Hargrave                                
 
SECOND TEAM
Offense
Pos.                 Name.                                             
OL                   Domanic Wilson                                
 
Defense
Pos.                 Name.                                              
LB                   Darius Leonard                                  
DB                  Antonio Hamilton                                 
DB                  Chris Pauling                                      
 
 
THIRD TEAM
Offense
Pos.                 Name.                                              
RB                   Jalen Simmons                                   
 
Defense
Pos.                 Name.                                            
DL                   Curtis Hill                                         
RS                   Antonio Hamilton