CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Southeast Missouri had eight players earn Big South-OVC Association All-Conference honors during the 2023 season. 
 
Running back Geno Hess, wide receiver Ryan Flournoy, offensive lineman Zack Gieg, inside linebacker Bryce Norman and punt returner Dalyn McDonald each claimed first-team accolades. 
 
Defensive back Lawrence Johnson and place kicker DC Pippin took second-team laurels and quarterback Paxton DeLaurent was named to the league's All-Academic Team.
 
A native of Peoria, Illinois, Hess finished off his six-year career by becoming the first player in SEMO history to rush for 5,000 yards. The Redhawks all-time leading rusher, Hess ran for over 1,000 yards for the third-straight season. He carried the ball 186 times for 1,007 yards and 10 touchdowns and caught 28 passes for 220 yards in 11 starts this year. Hess went over 100 yards on six occasions and gained a season-high 179 yards in his final game as a Redhawk at Bryant (Nov. 18).
 
Hess, a first-team selection for the fourth year in a row, racked up 5,119 yards and 63 touchdowns in 56 games during his career. He also posted a school record 5,520 all-purpose yards.
 
Flournoy, who hails from Hazelcrest, Illinois, secured first-team honors in both of his seasons at SEMO. He led the Big South-OVC with 93.2 receivng yards per game and ranked second with 6.3 receptions per contest. Flournoy caught 57 passes for 839 yards and six touchdowns in 2023.
 
Gieg, after winning the Rimington Award as the top center in the Football Championship Subdivision a year ago, lands a spot on the Big South-OVC First-Team for the third consecutive season. He is from Morgan Hill, California and started all 11 games for a SEMO offense that averaged 26.7 points per contest.
 
A native of nearby Jackson, Norman is a first-team pick for the second-straight season. He led SEMO in tackles for the third year in a row and ranked second in the Big South-OVC with 87 stops. Norman averaged 8.7 tackles per game and added a team-high five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. Additionally, he finished with four pass breakups, one forced fumble and returned a fumble 46 yards for a touchdown.
 
McDonald, who is out of Gautier, Mississippi, was the top punt return man in the Big South-OVC. He returned 13 punts for 150 yards for an average of 11.5 yards per return. McDonald scored on a 65-yard punt return at Nicholls (Oct. 28).
 
Johnson, who hails from St. Louis, garners all-conference honors for the second year in a row. He was the Redhawks second-leading tackler with 73, including 47 solo stops. Johnson collected 5.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. He also had five pass breakups, one fumble recovery and two forced fumbles in 11 starts. A sixth-year player, Johnson ends his outstanding career with 283 tackles, 18.5 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions.
 
A native of Springfield, Illinois, Pippin led the Redhawks in scoring with 68 points on 11-of-14 field goals and a near-perfect 35-of-36 extra points. He led the Big South-OVC in scoring (kick) and field goals (1.1 per game) and was second in field goal percentage (78.5 pct.).
 
DeLaurent becomes the first SEMO player to make the Big South-OVC All-Academic Team. He completed 159-of-247 passes for 1,792 yards and 11 touchdowns in seven starts before his season ended due to a shoulder injury. DeLaurent, who is from Camdenton, Missouri, majors in Physical Education with a 3.95 grade point average.
 
Bryant quarterback Zevi Eckhaus was voted Big South-OVC Offensive Player of the Year, Tennessee State lineman Terrell Allen was tabbed Defensive Player of the Year and UT Martin punter/kicker Aidan Laros was named Special Teams Player of the Year. Eastern Illinois running back MJ Flowers is the league's Offensive Freshman of the Year, while Tennessee State defensive lineman and Robert Morris defensive back Jermarian Jackson shared the Defensive Freshman of the Year award. Eastern Illinois' Chris Wilkerson earned Big South-OVC Coach of the Year honors and Gardner Webb lindebacker William McRainey won Scholar-Athlete of the Year laurels.
 
2023 BIG SOUTH-OVC FOOTBALL ASSOCIATION ALL-CONFERENCE TEAMS AND ANNUAL AWARD WINNERS

OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Zevi Eckhaus, QB, Jr., Bryant
 
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Terrell Allen, DL, Sr., Tennessee State
 
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Aidan Laros, PK/P, R-Soph, UT Martin
 
OFFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
MJ Flowers, RB, R-Fr., Eastern Illinois
 
CO-DEFENSIVE FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Eriq George, DL, Fr., Tennessee State
Jermarian Jackson, DB, R-Fr., Robert Morris
 
COACH OF THE YEAR
Chris Wilkerson, Eastern Illinois
 
SCHOLAR-ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
William McRainey, LB, Gr., Gardner-Webb

FIRST-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE        
QB    Zevi Eckhaus, Jr., Bryant
RB    Sam Franklin, R-Soph., UT Martin
RB    Geno Hess, Sr., Southeast Missouri
RB    MJ Flowers, R-Fr., Eastern Illinois
WR   Ryan Flournoy, Sr., Southeast Missouri
WR   Noah Robinson, R-Jr., Robert Morris
WR   Jeff Caldwell, Soph., Lindenwood
WR   Eli Mirza, Jr., Eastern Illinois
TE    Chaese Jackson, Gr., Robert Morris
OL    Gavin Olson, Gr., UT Martin
OL    Zack Gieg, Jr., Southeast Missouri
OL    Chad Strickland, Gr., Eastern Illinois
OL    Lamar Morgan, Sr., UT Martin
OL    Drake Carroll, Gr., UT Martin
OL    Ahmad Assad, Sr., Bryant
 
DEFENSE
DL    Terrell Allen, Sr., Tennessee State
DL    Dalyan Dotson, Jr., UT Martin
DL    Daniel Rickert, Jr., Tennessee Tech
DL    Ty French, Sr., Gardner-Webb
DL    Kenny Dyson, Sr., Bryant
LB    Bryce Norman, Jr., Southeast Missouri
LB    William McRainey, Gr., Gardner-Webb
LB    Monroe Beard III, Jr., Tennessee State
LB    Elijawah Tolbert, Jr., Eastern Illinois
LB    Malik Barnes, Sr., Charleston Southern
DB    Blake Ruffin, R-Soph., Eastern Illinois
DB    Timothy Coutras, Jr., Tennessee Tech
DB    Oshae Baker, Jr., UT Martin
DB    Russell Dandy, Gr., Eastern Illinois
DB    Ja'Kai Young, R-Soph., Gardner-Webb
 
SPECIALISTS
PK    James Lowery, R-Jr., Tennessee State
P       Aidan Laros, R-Soph., UT Martin
LS    AJ Covan, Gr., Gardner-Webb
KR    Spencer Redd, Sr., Lindenwood
PR    Dalyn McDonald, Sr., Southeast Missouri
AP    Jayden Brown, Soph., Gardner-Webb
 
SECOND-TEAM ALL-CONFERENCE
OFFENSE        
QB    Pierce Holley, Gr., Eastern Illinois
RB    Narii Gaither, Sr., Gardner-Webb
RB    Jordan Gant, R-Fr., Tennessee State
RB    TJ Ruff, Soph., Charleston Southern
WR   Matt Prochaska, Sr., Bryant
WR   Anthony Frederick, Sr., Bryant
WR   DeVonte Tanksley, R-Jr., UT Martin
WR   Justin Thomas, Gr., Eastern Illinois
TE    Konor Lathrop, Sr., Bryant
OL    Gabriel Thompson, R-Sr., Gardner-Webb
OL    Jamichael Watts, Sr., Bryant
OL    Darius Meeks, Soph., Charleston Southern
OL    Sebastian Pares, Jr., Eastern Illinois
OL    Vance Van Every, Jr., UT Martin
OL    JaQuan Adams, R-Fr., Gardner-Webb
 
DEFENSE
DL    Giovanni Davis, Jr., UT Martin
DL    Michael Otty, Soph., Bryant
DL    Kobe McClendon, Soph., Lindenwood
DL    Joel Barrows, R-Jr., Eastern Illinois
DL    Hudson Tucker, Sr., Tennessee Tech
LB    Jaylon Sharpe, R-Jr., UT Martin
LB    Jacquez McGowan, Soph., Tennessee Tech
LB    Aaron Swafford, Jr., Tennessee Tech
LB    Ethan Stuhlsatz, Soph., Lindenwood
LB    Brendan Jackson, Jr., Gardner-Webb
DB    Lawrence Johnson, Sr., Southeast Missouri
DB    Lake Ellis, Sr., Bryant
DB    Jamari Brown, Gr., Gardner-Webb
DB    JaMichael McGoy, R-Soph., UT Martin
DB    Jeremiah Josephs, Gr., Tennessee State
 
SPECIALISTS
PK    DC Pippin, Jr., Southeast Missouri
P       Jackson Foster, Jr., Tennessee State
LS    Carson Buchanan, Jr., Tennessee State
KR    Narkel LeFlore, Jr., UT Martin
AP    Anthony Frederick, Sr., Bryant
 
ALL-ACADEMIC TEAM
Darnel Shillingford, DL, Gr., Bryant
Jacob Tylski, OL, Gr., Charleston Southern
Chad Strickland, OL, Gr., Eastern Illinois
William McRainey, LB, Gr., Gardner-Webb
Gareth Warren, OL, Jr., Lindenwood
Luke Beltavski, OL, Jr., Robert Morris
Paxton DeLaurent, QB, Jr., Southeast Missouri
Deveon Bryant, QB, Gr., Tennessee State
Hayden Olsen, K, Sr., Tennessee Tech
Gavin Olson, OL, Sr., UT Martin