Tech's Vanlier named Freshman All-America as return specialist
January 23, 2013

Tech's Vanlier named Freshman All-America as return specialist

Tennessee Tech's Ladarius Vanlier has been named as a Freshman All-American by College Sports Journal. One of three OVC players to make the 63-player squad, Vanlier was chosen as a return specialist.


COOKEVILLE, Tenn. -- Speedster Ladarius Vanlier had a sudden impact on the Tennessee Tech football team in his freshman season, providing a spark on special teams with his electrifying kickoff and punt returns. After earning a spot on the OVC All-Newcomer team at the end of the season, Vanlier has added another honor to his resume by being named to the College Sports Journal Freshman All-America team.

Vanlier is one of three freshmen from the Ohio Valley Conference selected to the 63-man team, a total representing the 63 scholarships allowed to teams competing in the Football Championship Subdivision.

Vanlier, a 5-foot-7, 165-pound runningback/return specialist from Nashville, was chosen as a return specialist. During his rookie season, Vanlier ranked second in the OVC in kick return yardage and fourth in kick return average. He was sixth in punt return average, leading the Golden Eagles in both categories. He returned 32 kickoffs for 668 yards to average 20.9 per try. His returns included a 94-yard return for a touchdown in Tech's game at Murray State. He returned 12 pints for 96 yards, averaging 8.0 yards per tote.

The two OVC players who joined Vanlier on the Freshman All-America team were tight end Joe Bowens of Tennessee State and cornerback Jermaine Hough of Jacksonville State.

The College Sports Journal Football Championship Subdivision Freshman All-America team

OFFENSE
  Quarterback John Robertson, Villanova
 Quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen, Northern Iowa
 Quarterback Josh Woodrum, Liberty
 Quarterback Vernon Adams, Eastern Washington
 Running Back Luke Hagy, Cornell
 Running Back Jake Hutson, Valparaiso
 Running Back Ryan Heaston, Missouri State
 Fullback Emmanuel Holder, Towson
 All-Purpose Back Johna’ Hebert, Prairie View A&M
 All-Purpose Back Darius Ramsey, Western Carolina
 Wide Receiver Sean Price, Appalachian State
 Wide Receiver Jameer Jackson, North Dakota
 Wide Receiver Larry Jones III, Charleston Southern
 Wide Receiver D.J. Ward, Stephen F. Austin
 Wide Receiver Malachi Jones, Appalachian State
 Tight End Joe Bowens, Tennessee State
 Tight End Sam Rohr, Northern Iowa
 Offensive Tackle Ben Curtis, Delaware
 Offensive Tackle Derek Chancellor, South Dakota
 Offensive Tackle Adam Pasnik, Albany
 Offensive Tackle Ethan Wirth, Southern Illinois
 Offensive Guard Josh Colville, North Dakota State
 Offensive Guard Donald Jackson, Sam Houston State
 Offensive Guard Sedale Young, Richmond
 Offensive Guard Shaq Counts, Appalachian State
 Center Eric Thoni, Furman
 Center Zach Wilk, Cornell
DEFENSE
 Defensive End James Cowser, Southern Utah
 Defensive End Damon Gresham-Chisholm, Howard
 Defensive End Davante Harris, Appalachian State
 Defensive End Michael Kozlakowski, Maine
 Defensive End Jonathan Woodard, Central Arkansas
 Defensive End Mark Thomas, The Citadel
 Defensive End Connor Underwood, Indiana State
 Defensive Tackle Daevonte Barnett, Wagner
 Defensive Tackle Javon Hargrave, South Carolina State
 Defensive Tackle Alex Mosley, James Madison
 Defensive Tackle Brian Schaetz, North Dakota State
 Linebacker Zak Browning, Southern Utah
 Linebacker Alex Donnelly, Illinois State
 Linebacker T.J. Lally, South Dakota State
 Linebacker J.J. Raffelson, Western Illinois
 Linebacker Luke Rhodes, William & Mary
 Linebacker Elandon Roberts, Morgan State
 Linebacker Jeff Williams, Delaware
 Cornerback James Bradberry, Samford
 Cornerback Marcelis Branch, Wagner
 Cornerback Anthony Gaffney, Princeton
 Cornerback Jermaine Hough, Jacksonville State
 Cornerback Aaron Matthews, Hampton
 Cornerback Ryan Smith, North Carolina Central
 Safety Terrick Colston, Delaware State
 Safety Taison Manu, Idaho State
 Safety Mark Sewall, Indiana State
 Safety Jordan Tonani, Eastern Washington
 
SPECIAL TEAMS
 Kick Returner Shaquille Hill, Eastern Washington
 Kick Returner Khalif Raymond, Holy Cross
 Punt Returner Jamel Smith, Lafayette
 Return Specialist Ladarius Vanlier, Tennessee Tech
 Kicker Chris Lider, Montana
 Punter Ben LeCompte, North Dakota State
 Punter Stephen Shaw, Montana
 Long Snapper Jake Olson, Montana State