FOREST, Va. – Coming off its runner-up finish in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship Game, eight members of the Emory & Henry College Football Team have earned All-ODAC recognition, league officials announced Wednesday. Seven players were named to the first team while one was named to the second team. Additionally, sophomore defensive lineman Jay Swegheimer (Orlando, Fla.) was named the Lou Wacker ODAC Defensive Player of the Year.

With the abbreviated season and with one team 'opting-out' of competition this spring, the conference's coaches and administration elected to reduce the All-ODAC Teams from three to two squads. The league maintained the "of the Year" designations for Offensive Player, Defensive Player, Rookie, Coach and Scholar-Athlete as in previous seasons.

RELATED – ODAC Release

Swegheimer posted 18 tackles, with a league-best 10.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks which also led the ODAC. He had 3.5 sacks in his E&H debut against Ferrum (Feb. 26) and added six solo stops, four tackles for loss and a pass defended against Guilford (Mar. 12). He is the first E&H player to receive a "player of the year" award from the ODAC since 2011 when Devan Sproles was also honored for his accomplishments on defense.

Joining Swegheimer on the first team is senior lineman Dakota Morris (Mount Sydney, Va.), sophomore running back Grayson Overstreet (Moneta, Va.) and junior Elijah Rice (Myrtle Beach, S.C.), who represented the offense, while junior linebacker Ivan Phillips (Kingsport, Tenn.), junior lineman Donovan Pinnix (Eden, N.C.), and junior defensive back Jaylyn Kreimes (Sharps, Va.) were picked for the defense. Senior Deondre Chambliss (Chattanooga, Tenn.) earned second-team accolades.

Morris moves up to the first team after being a two-time All-ODAC Third Team pick. He led the offensive line from his center position to 206.5 rushing yards per game and 30.3 points per contest. The Wasps scored nine of their 15 offensive touchdowns on the ground and allowed just four sacks on the year.

Overstreet earns his second all-league honor after being picked to the second team as a linebacker last year. He led the Wasps rushing attack with 413 yards on 83 carries with six touchdowns. He was selected as ODAC Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for 196 yards and two touchdowns against Ferrum (Feb. 26).

Rice makes the all-conference team in his first year with E&H after catching 20 passes for 467 yards and two scores. He had six receptions for 199 yards against Guilford (Mar. 12) averaging 33 yards per catch. He also returned four kicks on the year for an average of 23.8 yards per return.

Defensively, Phillips earns his second All-ODAC First-Team nod after leading the team with 27 tackles, 18 of which came as solo stops. He also made seven tackles for a loss of 34 yards. He had 11 tackles (nine solo) and a forced fumble at Randolph-Macon (Apr. 3).

Pinnix moves to the first team after earning second-team laurels in 2019. He had 22 tackles, six tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery on the year. Against Southern Virginia (Mar. 5) he had a season-best eight stops and forced a fumble.

Kreimes also earns his second all-league accolades after being named to the second team a year ago. He finished the season with 15 tackles making seven solo stops, an interception and three other passes defended against Southern Virginia (Mar. 5). Additionally, he blocked an extra-point attempt against Guilford (Mar. 12).

Chambliss receives the first All-ODAC recognition of his career, appearing on the second team. He made 11 tackles including a pair of sacks on the season. He had a season-best seven stops with 1.5 sacks against Southern Virginia (Mar. 5).

Randolph-Macon College signal-caller Presley Egbers was named the J. Stokeley Fulton Offensive Player of the Year while Yellow Jacket mentor Pedro Arruza was honored as coach of the year by his colleagues. Hampden-Sydney College defensive back Will Pickren was selected as ODAC Rookie of the Year and Tiger offensive lineman and William V. Campbell Trophy Finalist Tyler Howerton was honored as ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete of the Year by the league's sports information directors.

Emory & Henry finished its final season as a full member of the ODAC with a 3-1 overall record, winning its three regular season games before falling in overtime, 13-10, to Randolph-Macon in the league title game. The Wasps are scheduled to play their ODAC rivals one last time during the fall of 2021 but will not be eligible for a league championship or awards due to the process of reclassifying to NCAA Division II.

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2020-21 ALL-ODAC FOOTBALL TEAMS

J. Stokeley Fulton Offensive Player of the Year: Presley Egbers, So., QB, Randolph-Macon
Lou Wacker Defensive Player of the Year: Jay Swegheimer, So., DL, Emory & Henry
ODAC Coach of the Year: Pedro Arruza, Randolph-Macon
ODAC Rookie of the Year: Will Pickren, Fr., DB, Hampden-Sydney
ODAC/Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Scholar-Athlete: Tyler Howerton, Sr., OL, Hampden-Sydney