STERLING, Va. – Millsaps College junior inside linebacker
Will Hawkins capped a breakout junior campaign on Saturday, as he became the first defensive player in school history and second ever to be named to the
D3football.com All-American First Team.
Overall, he's the 21st player from Millsaps to be named to an All-American Team and sixth in the last four seasons combined, after Juan Joseph and John Shivers were each named to the D3football.com All-American Third Team in 2008.
The SCAC's Defensive Player of the Year, Hawkins was one of four Majors named to the D3football.com All-South Region Team last week along with
Kevin Peters,
Michael Galatas and
Shane Bowser, which made him eligible for All-America recognition.
Hawkins tied for the SCAC lead with a career-high 102 tackles, adding 7.5 tackles-for-loss, six quarterback hurries, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and a sack. He finished the year with five double digit tackle performances in the last seven games, including a career-high 17 tackles in a season-ending win against BSC.
The junior from Nettleton, Miss., was also named a Third Team All-American by D3baseball.com on the diamond last season, the only known Major to earn All-American status in two different sports.
Hawkins will ditch his pads and helmet for a glove and aluminum bat come February, as the baseball Majors open the 2010 season with a three-game series against the University of the Ozarks on Feb. 5-6 at Twenty Field on the campus of Millsaps.