NEW ORLEANS – James Madison redshirt junior quarterback Alonza Barnett III was named the Sun Belt Player of the Year to headline the 2025 Sun Belt football postseason awards and All-Sun Belt teams announced Thursday. The honors were voted upon by the conference’s 14 head coaches and select media representatives.
Old Dominion redshirt sophomore quarterback Colton Joseph was named the Offensive Player of the Year, while James Madison senior linebacker Trent Hendrick was selected as the Defensive Player of the Year. Troy redshirt junior punter Evan Crenshaw was honored as the inaugural Special Teams Player of the Year, Georgia Southern senior wide receiver Camden Brown was picked as the Newcomer of the Year, James Madison redshirt freshman defensive lineman Sahir West was dubbed the Freshman of the Year and James Madison head coach Bob Chesney was named the Coach of the Year.
Barnett III helmed a James Madison offense that paces the Sun Belt and ranks 10th in the nation averaging 37.8 points per game. The Whitsett, N.C, product threw for 2,440 yards and 20 touchdowns and rushed for 459 yards and 13 touchdowns. The redshirt junior quarterback ranks ninth in the country with 16.7 points responsible for per game, 17th with 13.33 yards per completion and 22nd with 13 rushing touchdowns. Barnett guided James Madison to the seventh unblemished conference season in Sun Belt history and the third during the championship game era.
Joseph led Old Dominion to its second winning season in program history, guiding an offense that ranks 16th in the country averaging 460.8 yards per game. The Newport Beach, Calif., native threw for 2,624 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 1,007 yards and 13 touchdowns. The redshirt sophomore quarterback ranks second in the nation with 15.17 yards per completion, seventh with 17.0 points responsible for per game, eighth with 302.6 yards of total offense per game, 12th with 6.37 yards per carry, 13th with 9.05 yards per pass attempt, 22nd with 13 rushing touchdowns and 25th with a 152.7 passing efficiency.
Hendrick led James Madison and ranks eighth in the Sun Belt with 7.6 tackles per game. The Richmond, Va., native also notched 6.0 tackles for loss, 3.0 sacks, a pass breakup and a forced fumble on the year. The senior linebacker was a key cog in the Dukes defense that ranks fifth in the nation in total defense at 253.5 yards per game, fifth in rushing defense at 84.7 yards per game, 10th in scoring defense at 16.0 points per game and 12th in passing defense at 167.8 yards per game.
Crenshaw averaged 46.70 yards per punt to lead the Sun Belt and rank sixth in the country. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., product posted 20 punts of 50-or-more yards on the season, with 25 of his punts being downed inside the 20-yard line. Behind redshirt junior punter Crenshaw, Troy paces the Sun Belt and ranks third in the nation in net punting at 43.75 net yards per punt.
Brown, a transfer from Auburn, became Georgia Southern’s single-season program record holder with 1,049 receiving yards on 63 receptions, as the program’s first-ever 1,000-yard receiver. The Monroe, La., native leads the nation with 14 touchdown receptions on the year, while his receiving yardage total ranks second in the Sun Belt and 10th in the country. The senior wide receiver tied the Eagles program record with five 100-yard receiving performances.
As a redshirt freshman, West started all 12 games at defensive end for a James Madison defense that ranks fifth in the nation in total defense at 253.5 yards per game, fifth in rushing defense at 84.7 yards per game, 10th in scoring defense at 16.0 points per game and 12th in passing defense at 167.8 yards per game. The Baltimore, Md., product tallied 33 tackles, a team-high 8.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, seven quarterback hurries and four pass breakups.
Chesney led James Madison to its second 11-win season in four years at the FBS level, en route to its first Sun Belt East Division title, first Credit Union 1 Sun Belt Football Championship presented by Visit Pensacola berth and first College Football Playoff Ranking at No. 25 in this week’s edition. The Dukes won 10-straight games to close out the regular season—an active winning streak that trails only No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana—and completed the seventh 8-0 run through Sun Belt Conference play in the league’s 25-year history. The Dukes were 1-of-3 programs to complete an unbeaten conference season, alongside No. 1 Ohio State and No. 2 Indiana. James Madison ranks 10th in the nation in both scoring offense at 37.8 points per game and scoring defense at 16.0 points per game.
James Madison paced the conference with 16 All-Sun Belt honorees, followed closely by nine from Texas State and eight apiece from Georgia Southern and Troy. Also boasting five-or-more All-Sun Belt selections were Old Dominion (7), App State (6), Arkansas State (6), Marshall (6), South Alabama (5) and Southern Miss (5).
James Madison’s defense (8) and offense (7) were the most decorated units. Georgia Southern’s offense, Southern Miss’ defense and Texas State’s offense earned five All-Sun Belt nods, while Old Dominion’s offense and Troy’s defense reaped four All-Sun Belt honors. Texas State’s special teams units paced the conference with three All-Sun Belt picks.
James Madison (5) and Troy (4) were the only programs to claim more than three All-Sun Belt First Team accolades. All 14 teams produced at least one All-Sun Belt pick.
The Credit Union 1 Sun Belt Football Championship presented by Visit Pensacola will take place on Friday, Dec. 5, at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT at Bridgeforth Stadium in Harrisonburg, Va., and will be nationally televised on ESPN.
2025 SUN BELT CONFERENCE FOOTBALL POSTSEASON AWARDS
Player of the Year
Alonza Barnett III, James Madison (RS Jr., QB – Whitsett, N.C.)
Offensive Player of the Year
Colton Joseph, Old Dominion (RS So., QB – Newport Beach, Calif.)
Defensive Player of the Year
Trent Hendrick, James Madison (Sr., LB – Richmond, Va.)
Special Teams Player of the Year
Evan Crenshaw, Troy (RS Jr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
Newcomer of the Year
Camden Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., WR – Monroe, La.)
Freshman of the Year
Sahir West, James Madison (RS Fr., DL – Baltimore, Md.)
Coach of the Year
Bob Chesney, James Madison
All-Sun Belt First Team Offense
QB – Alonza Barnett III, James Madison (RS Jr., QB – Whitsett, N.C.)
RB – Wayne Knight, James Madison (RS Jr., RB – Smyrna, Del.)
RB – Kentrel Bullock, South Alabama (Sr., RB – Columbia, Miss.)
OL – Caleb Cook, Georgia Southern (RS Sr., OL – Brunswick, Ga.)
OL – Pat McMurtrie, James Madison (Gr., OL – Verona, N.J.)
OL – Jax Harrington, Louisiana (RS Sr., OL – Erath, La.)
OL – Zach Barlev, Old Dominion (Sr., OL – Bolingbrook, Ill.)
OL – Dorion Strawn, Texas State (RS Sr., OL – Ennis, Texas)
TE – Toby Payne, Marshall (RS Jr., TE – Poca, W.Va.)
WR – Camden Brown, Georgia Southern (Sr., WR – Monroe, La.)
WR – Ted Hurst, Georgia State (Sr., WR – Savannah, Ga.)
WR – Beau Sparks, Texas State (Jr., WR – El Paso, Texas)
All-Sun Belt First Team Defense
DL – Demarcus Hendricks, Arkansas State (RS Sr., DL – San Antonio, Texas)
DL – MJ Stroud, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., DL – Covington, Ga.)
DL – J’Mond Tapp, Southern Miss (RS Jr., DL – Donaldsonville, La.)
DL – Donnie Smith, Troy (Jr., DL – Greenville, Miss.)
LB – Trent Hendrick, James Madison (Sr., LB – Richmond, Va.)
LB – Jaden Dugger, Louisiana (Sr., LB – Pittsburgh, Pa.)
LB – Chris Jones, Southern Miss (So., LB – Byram, Miss.)
LB – Jordan Stringer, Troy (Sr., LB – Augusta, Ga.)
DB – Boogie Trotter, Marshall (Sr., DB – Nashville, Tenn.)
DB – Nehemiah Chandler, South Alabama (RS Fr., DB – Jacksonville, Fla.)
DB – Josh Moten, Southern Miss (RS Sr., DB – Waldorf, Md.)
DB – Devin Lafayette, Troy (Sr., DB – Brunswick, Ga.)
All-Sun Belt First Team Special Teams
K – Lorcan Quinn, Marshall (Fr., K – Donaghmore, Ireland)
P – Evan Crenshaw, Troy (RS Jr., P – Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.)
RS – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS So., RS – Clewiston, Fla.)
AP – Wayne Knight, James Madison (RS Jr., AP – Smyrna, Del.)
All-Sun Belt Second Team Offense
QB – Colton Joseph, Old Dominion (RS So., QB – Newport Beach, Calif.)
RB – OJ Arnold, Georgia Southern (Sr., RB – Quitman, Ga.)
RB – Lincoln Pare, Texas State (RS Sr., RB – Germantown, Tenn.)
OL – Pichon Wimbley, Georgia Southern (Sr., OL – Newnan, Ga.)
OL – Zach Greenberg, James Madison (RS Sr., OL – Livingston, N.J.)
OL – Riley Robell, James Madison (RS So., OL – Harrisburg, Pa.)
OL – Ryan Joyce, Old Dominion (RS Sr., OL – Stockton, N.J.)
OL – Eli Russ, Troy (Sr., OL – Ardmore, Okla.)
TE – Ethan Conner, Troy (RS Sr., TE – Columbus, Miss.)
WR – Corey Rucker, Arkansas State (RS Sr., WR – Bentonia, Miss.)
WR – Demarcus Lacey, Marshall (Sr., WR – Birmingham, Ala.)
WR – Devin Voisin, South Alabama (Gr., WR – Crestview, Fla.)
All-Sun Belt Second Team Defense
DL – Cody Sigler, Arkansas State (RS Jr., DL – New Hope, Ala.)
DL – Immanuel Bush, James Madison (RS Sr., DL – Lancaster, S.C.)
DL – Sahir West, James Madison (RS Fr., DL – Baltimore, Md.)
DL – Jordan Lawson, Louisiana (RS Sr., DL – Brandon, Miss.)
LB – Colton Phares, App State (RS So., LB – Beaufort, S.C.)
LB – Blayne Myrick, South Alabama (RS Jr., LB – Fairhope, Ala.)
LB – Treylin Payne, Texas State (Sr., LB – San Antonio, Texas)
DB – Xamarion Gordon, Coastal Carolina (RS Sr., DB – Houston, Texas)
DB – Justin Eaglin, James Madison (RS Jr., DB – Spring Lake, N.C.)
DB – Jacob Thomas, James Madison (Sr., DB – Ashburn, Va.)
DB – Jerome Carter, Old Dominion (So., DB – Lake City, Fla.)
DB – Jaquez White, Troy (Jr., DB – Blackshear, Ga.)
All-Sun Belt Second Team Special Teams
K – Tyler Robles, Texas State (RS So., K – Encinitas, Calif.)
P – Nathan Totten, Marshall (RS So., P – Ashland, Ky.)
RS – Jaylen Jenkins, Texas State (RS Jr., RS – Dallas, Texas)
AP – Beau Sparks, Texas State (Jr., AP – El Paso, Texas)
All-Sun Belt Third Team Offense
QB – Brad Jackson, Texas State (RS Fr., QB – San Antonio, Texas)
RB – Rashod Dubinion, App State (Sr., RB – Ellenwood, Ga.)
RB – Bill Davis, Louisiana (RS So., RB – LaPlace, La.)
OL – Johnnie Brown III, Georgia Southern (RS Jr., OL – Lilburn, Ga.)
OL – Carter Sweazie, James Madison (RS Jr., OL – Ashburn, Va.)
OL – Jalen Slappy, Marshall (RS Jr., OL – Columbus, Ohio)
OL – Kenton Jerido, South Alabama (RS Jr., OL – Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
OL – Matt Henry, Troy (Sr., OL – Auckland, New Zealand)
TE – Izayah Cummings, App State (RS Sr., TE – Louisville, Ky.)
WR – Landon Ellis, James Madison (Jr., WR – Orange, Va.)
WR – Tre’ Brown III, Old Dominion (RS So., WR – Savannah, Ga.)
WR – Chris Dawn Jr., Texas State (Jr., WR – Dallas, Texas)
All-Sun Belt Third Team Defense
DL – Kevin Abrams-Verwayne, App State (RS Sr., DL – Marietta, Ga.)
DL – Ethan Hassler, Arkansas State (RS Sr., DL – Collierville, Tenn.)
DL – Ezekiel Durham-Campbell, Coastal Carolina (RS Jr., DL – Atlanta, Ga.)
DL – Aiden Gobaira, James Madison (RS Jr., DL – Fairfax, Va.)
DL – Kris Trinidad, Old Dominion (RS Sr., DL – Richmond, Va.)
LB – Noah Flemmings, ULM (Jr., LB – Austin, Texas)
LB – Jeremy Mack Jr., Old Dominion (RS Sr., LB – Clinton, Miss.)
LB – Michael Montgomery, Southern Miss (Jr., LB – Seattle, Wash.)
DB – Ethan Johnson, App State (Sr., DB – Huntersville, N.C.)
DB – DJ Barksdale, James Madison (Jr., DB – Rock Hill, S.C.)
DB – Elijah Culp, James Madison (RS Sr., DB – Charlotte, N.C.)
DB – Ian Foster, Southern Miss (RS So., DB – Brundidge, Ala.)
All-Sun Belt Third Team Special Teams
K – Dominic De Freitas, App State (Fr., K – Nappanee, Ind.)
P – Alex Smith, Georgia Southern (Jr., P – Melbourne, Australia)
RS – Dalen Cobb, Georgia Southern (Sr., RS – Washington, Ga.)
AP – Chauncy Cobb, Arkansas State (RS So., AP – Clewiston, Fla.)
All-Sun Belt Honorable Mentions
App State
OL – Jayden Ramsey (RS Sr., OL – Anderson, S.C.)
OL – Will Flowers (RS Sr., OL – LaGrange, Ga.)
DL – Rondo Porter (RS Jr., DL – Columbia, S.C.)
DB – Emory Floyd (RS Jr., DB – Marietta, Ga.)
Arkansas State
DL – Simeon Mitchell (Sr., DL – Oakland, Calif.)
LB – Kyle Taylor (RS Sr., LB – The Colony, Texas)
DB – Avante Dickerson (RS Sr., DB – Omaha, Neb.)
DB – AG McGhee (Sr., DB – Chipley, Fla.)
Coastal Carolina
OL – Joseph Hanson (Jr., OL – Niceville, Fla.)
OL – Thomas Johnson (RS Sr., OL – Aynor, S.C.)
K – Kian Afrookhteh (RS Jr., K – Laguna Niguel, Calif.)
RS – Malcolm Gillie (Super Sr., RS – Milwaukee, Wis.)
Georgia Southern
WR – Marcus Sanders Jr. (Sr., WR – Montezuma, Ga.)
DL – Davion Rhodes (RS Sr., DL – Camilla, Ga.)
LB – Brendan Harrington (7th Yr., LB – Moncure, N.C.)
DB – Dorrian Smith (RS Sr., DB – Fort Valley, Ga.)
Georgia State
QB – Cameran Brown (RS Jr., QB – Warner Robins, Ga.)
RB – Jordon Simmons (RS Sr., RB – Marietta, Ga.)
LB – Josiah Robinson (RS Jr., LB – Apopka, Fla.)
DB – Jaylen Jones (RS So., DB – Matthews, N.C.)
James Madison
OL – Joseph Simmons (RS Jr., OL – Dover, Del.)
TE – Lacota Dippre (RS So., TE – Scott Township, Pa.)
DL – Amar Thomas (RS Jr., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
DB – Tyler Brown (So., DB – Annapolis, Md.)
Louisiana
RB – Zylan Perry (RS Jr., RB – Franklin, La.)
OL – Bryant Williams (RS Jr., OL – Lake Charles, La.)
DB – Brent Gordon Jr. (Fr., DB – Cecilia, La.)
DB – Tyree Skipper (RS Sr., DB – New Orleans, La.)
ULM
RB – Zach Palmer-Smith (Sr., RB – Delran, N.J.)
OL – Elijah Fisher (RS Sr., OL – Allen, Texas)
DL – Jaden Hamlin (Sr., DL – Lafayette, Ala.)
DL – Kevontay Wells (Sr., DL – Jackson, Miss.)
Marshall
QB – Carlos Del Rio-Wilson (RS Jr., QB – Atlanta, Ga.)
DL – Paul Hutson III (RS Jr., DL – Norfolk, Va.)
LB – Jayland Parker (RS Sr., LB – Macon, Ga.)
DB – Daytione Smith (RS Jr., DB – East Highland Park, Va.)
Old Dominion
OL - Stephon Dubose-Bourne (RS Sr., OL – Chesapeake, Va.)
WR - Na'eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding (So., WR – Brooklyn, N.Y.)
DL – Chris Forbes (RS Fr., DL – Upper Marlboro, Md.)
DB – Mario Easterly (RS Jr., DB – Harrisburg, Pa.)
South Alabama
OL – Malachi Preciado (RS Jr., OL – New Orleans, La.)
LB – Tirrell Johnson (RS Jr., LB – Wynne, Ark.)
LB – Darius McKenzie (RS Sr., LB – Ottawa, Canada)
DB – Christopher Wallace Jr. (Sr., DB – Mobile, Ala.)
Southern Miss
QB – Braylon Braxton (RS Sr., QB – Frisco, Texas)
WR – Micah Davis (RS Sr., WR – Atlanta, Ga.)
WR – Elijah Metcalf (Gr., WR – Charlotte, N.C.)
DL – Brodarius Lewis (Gr., DL – Prattville, Ala.)
Texas State
OL – Emeka Obigbo (RS Sr., OL – Arlington, Texas)
TE – Titus Lyons (RS Sr., TE – Pottsboro, Texas)
DL – Kalil Alexander (RS Sr., DL – Charlotte, N.C.)
DB – Jaden Rios (RS Sr., DB – Frisco, Texas)
Troy
WR – Peyton Higgins (Sr., WR – Florence, Ala.)
WR – Tray Taylor (Sr., WR – Shreveport, La.)
DL – Luis Medina (Sr., DL – Summerville, Ga.)
DB – Kaleno Levine (Sr., DB – Fort Worth, Texas)