WICHITA, Kan. – Friends University quarterback K'Vonte Baker has been named the 2024 KCAC Kessinger Division Co-Offensive Player of the Year, the conference office announced today (Nov. 21). Both coaching awards also went for the Falcons, as Terry Harrison was selected as the Kessinger Division Coach of the Year and Eric Kelly earned the Assistant Coach of the Year nod after guiding the Falcons to a 10-1 mark and the program's first NAIA Football Championship Series appearance since 2008.
Harrison and Kelly collected the league's top coaching honors by piloting the NAIA's top rushing offense (4552 yards), over 1,000 yards clear of second place Taylor (3429 yards). The Falcons also ranked second in the Kessinger Division in scoring with over 40 points per game (40.4).
"Proud of all of our young men," said Harrison. They have done a great job both on and off the field. No amount of awards can express our gratitude for what they do everyday!"
First-team All-KCAC Kessinger Division offensive selections for the Falcons were running backs Elias Pino and Nick Cordova and offensive lineman Kyree Watkins and Kenyon Vigil.
Pino finished sixth in the division in rushing yards with nine touchdowns on the season, with Cordova right behind in seventh with 662 yards and eight rushing scores.
Paving the way for this rushing success were Watkins and Vigil, who served as key components in the Falcons' leading the NAIA in rushing offense for the third consecutive season.
Earning first-team recognition on defense was defensive lineman Barrett Roads, defensive back Nolan Ewing and linebacker Marquis Willoughby.
Roads was a major disruptor this season, ranking second in the Kessinger Division in sacks (6.5), while Ewing led the Falcons with 57 tackles and Willoughby totaled 42 stops, three sacks and ranked second on the team with 11 tackles for loss.
Jett Cheatham averaged 18 yards per kickoff return and 14 yards on punt returns to snag a first-team honor on special teams and was joined by long snapper Braelyn Jay.
The 2023 KCAC Offensive Player of the Year, Baker is a second-team selection after following that season up with a team-leading 895 rushing yards while ranking second in the division with 13 rushing touchdowns this season.
Defensive lineman Marco Torres tallied 5.5 sacks that was tied for third in the division to receive an All-KCAC Kessinger second team nod.
Cole Thompson, who earned four KCAC Special Teams Player of the Week awards this year, is a second-team special teams honoree after drilling 9-of-11 field goal attempts and 53-of-57 extra point tries. Also receiving second-team special teams honors was returner Michael Lopez.
The Falcon All-KCAC Kessinger Division honorable-mention selections are listed below:
RB Jett Cheatham (319 rushing yards, one touchdown)
TE Samuel Becker (64 receiving yards, one touchdown)
WR Caden Lee (147 receiving yards, two touchdowns)
OL Kel Stroud & OL Dalton Phillips (consistent performers along the offensive line)
LB Andrew Arnold (27 tackles, two sacks)
DB Brock Zerger (43 tackles, one interception)
DB Sy Aponte (15 tackles)
DB Kasey Lehman (13 tackles, one interception)
P Cole Thompson (35.3 average on 18 punts, five placed inside the 20)
The Falcons are currently preparing for their NAIA FCS First Round clash with OUAZ Saturday (Nov. 23) starting at noon at Adair-Austin Stadium. Tickets are on sale now and are $20 for adults and $10 for students and faculty staff. All student and faculty/staff tickets must be purchased at the gate. Anyone not able to attend the game can view a high-production live stream on www.kcacnetwork.com/friends for $9.99.
