November 19, 2001

Five ‘Riders Earn All-GSC Honors

Magnolia, Ark.—Center Trey LaValle and linebacker Eddie Key of Southern Arkansas University have been selected 2001 first-team All-Gulf South Conference by the league football coaches. Both LaValle and Key were also first-team All-GSC selections in 2000.

LaValle, a 6-1, 265-pound senior from Farmerville, La., was a four-year starter after walking on and redshirting as a 215-pound freshman. As a redshirt freshman, he won a starting role in 1998 over a returning starter on the 1997 SAU championship team. He was named second-team on the Sophomore All-American team in 1999. In 2000, he not only made first-team All-Conference but was chosen first-team NCAA All-South Region. He is expected to repeat as an All-Region selection and to make some All-American teams when released later.

Key, a 6-2, 220-pound senior from Longview (Pine Tree), Tex., was a three-year starter and four-year letterman. He was selected the GSC Defensive Player of the Week in 1999 after making several key plays that turned a game at the University of North Alabama in Florence in favor of the Muleriders. He has made every GSC All-Academic/Honor Roll team possible for a student-athlete, won the Bill Gates Scholarship, was the SAU Male Scholar-Athlete for the 2000-2001 Academic Year and recently was awarded a national honor by being awarded an $18,000 post-graduate scholarship limited to only 16 student-athletes in the entire nation, regardless of classification.

Three ‘Riders were chosen second-team All-GSC. Wide receiver Nik Lewis, a 5-10, 190-pound sophomore from Jacksboro, Tex., was on the offensive team and linebacker Tim Rose, a 5-11, 193-pound sophomore from Tyler (John Tyler), Tex., and cornerback Carl Bucknor, a 5-10. 185-pound junior from Augusta (Richmond Academy), Ga., were members of the defensive team.