LAKE CHARLES –
Garrison Smith, McNeese's freshman first team All-Southland Conference placekicker, has been named to the 2022 Hero Sports Freshman All-America team, the organization released on Thursday.
The Norwalk, Ohio native and transfer from Ohio State, Smith posted a stellar freshman campaign with the Cowboys connecting on 10 of his 11 field goals attempts while posting a perfect 25 for 25 on his extra-point kicks.
His longest of 47 yards came against UIW and was the eighth-longest in school history. His 10 made field goals ranked second in the conference while his 84 points scored on the year also ranked second. Smith also kicked off 44 times with 27 of those going for touchbacks and punted seven times for a 40.4 average.
Nationally, his 90.9 success rate in field goals ranked fourth in the FCS while his 10 makes ranked as the 52
nd most in the nation.
Nicholls linebacker Eli Ennis was the only other player from the Southland Conference to be named to the Hero Freshman All-America team.
2022 Hero Sports Freshman All-American Team
Freshman Offensive Team
QB Gevani McCoy, Idaho
QB Reese Poffenbarger, UAlbany
RB Jalen Hampton, Elon
RB Anthony Woods, Idaho
RB Victor Dawson, Merrimack
RB Desmond Reid, Western Carolina
WR Makai Jackson, Saint Francis
WR Elijah Sarratt, Saint Francis
WR Dominic Kibby, Presbyterian
TE Josh Cuevas, Cal Poly
TE DJ Nelson, UT Martin
OL Chandler Kirton, Austin Peay
OL Ayden Knapik, Idaho
OL Nathan Mejia, Sacramento State
OL Jarod Russell, UT Martin
Freshman Defensive Team
DL Finn Claypool, Drake
DL Kenneth Eiden IV, Montana State
DL Eric O'Neill, LIU
DL Edward Bobino, Stephen F. Austin
LB Kohner Cullimore, Southern Utah
LB Mason Woods, Towson
LB Chandler Martin, ETSU
LB Eli Ennis, Nicholls
DB Jalen Jones, William & Mary
DB Rex Connors, UC Davis
DB Wedner Cadet, Georgetown
DB Jamel Johnson, Charleston Southern
DB Travis Hunter, Jackson State
Freshman Special Teams
K Garrison Smith, McNeese
K Alejandro Mata, Jackson State
P Patrick Rohrbach, Montana
LS Jamie Wilson, Gardner-Webb
KR Keith Jenkins Jr., Morgan State
PR Chaunzavia Lewis, Texas Southern
