San Antonio – The Southland Conference announced the selection of 15 University of the Incarnate Word football players to its 2021 Preseason All-Conference Football Team. The Cardinals earned the second-highest number of selections among SLC teams.
 
First team all-conference offensive selections included running back Kevin Brown and receiver Robert Ferrel.
 
Brown had a season high of 775 rushing yards with five touchdowns in the shortened, six-game season for the Cardinals. He led the nation, averaging 10.5 yards per carry with 21 caught passes for 205 yards. This is Brown's second consecutive season receiving the Southland All-Conference first team selection.
 
Ferrel led the team in receptions, yards and touchdowns for the spring 202 season. He finished the season with a season high of 35 catches, 474 yards and six touchdowns. Ferrel's six touchdowns tied the school record for most in a single season.
 
First team all-conference defensive selections included Cameron Preston, Kelechi Anyalebechi, Ce'Cori Tolds and Robert Ferrel.
 
Preston started all six games as a defensive tackle for the Cardinals in the spring 2021 season. He totaled for 15 tackles (4 unassisted, 11 assisted) with 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack. He had a season high of fours total tackles in one game. (Lamar, March 6).
 
Anyalebechi led the team with 42 tackles (22 unassisted, 20 assisted) and had one tackle for a loss. He tallied a career high of 17 total tackles and forced one fumble in the appearance against Lamar on March 6. This is Anyalebechi's second consecutive year being selected to the Southland All-Conference first team.
 
Tolds opened the spring 2021 season with a 109-yard kick return for a touchdown against McNeese on Feb. 27, bringing his career total to three kickoff returns. This tied him for the most career kickoff returns for a touchdown in school history. He recorded 19 tackles (11 unassisted, eight assisted) with two pass breakups and one forced fumble on defense.  
 
As a punt returner, Ferrel returned six punts for 91 yards, including a 60-yard return against Northwestern State. He also returned five kickoffs for 120 yards.
 
Second team all-conference offensive selections included Cameron Ward, Caleb Johnson, Nash Jones, Reid Francis and Carson Mohr.
 
In his debut season with the Cardinals, Ward was selected as the 2021 Jerry Rice award recipient. He set multiple UIW single-game and single-season passing records in the shortened six game season. Ward finished with 2,260 yards passing, two rushing touchdowns and 22 touchdowns for a total of 24 total touchdowns over the six games. He threw for a career high of 470 yards and six touchdowns against Nicholls on March 27.
 
Johnson started all six games at right guard.
 
Jones recorded one total tackle against Nicholls on March 27.
 
Francis appeared in five games, starting in four. He started three games at center and one game at left guard.
 
Mohr started all six games at place kicker. He completed 5-of-7 field goal attempts with a career long 48-yard field goal against McNeese on February 27. Mohr finished the spring 2021 season 30-for-31 on point after touchdown kicks.
 
Second team all-conference defensive selections included: Blaine Hoover, Isiah Paul, Shawn Holton and Elliott Davison.
 
Hoover completed 21 tackles (7 unassisted, 14 assisted) with four tackles for loss in the spring 2021 season. He led the team with three sacks and had a career high of eight total tackles and 2.5 sacks. Hoover also recorded two quarterback hurries.
 
In the spring 2021 season, Paul recorded a career-high of 12 total tackles against Lamar on March 6. He was the second leader on the team for tackles with 38 total (17 unassisted, 21 assisted). Paul finished the season with 4.5 tackles for loss, two pass breakups and one quarterback hurry. 
 
Holton recorded 34 total tackles (16 unassisted, 18 assisted) and had a team high of seven pass breakups. He had a career high of nine total tackles and four pass breakups in the game against Southern Louisiana on March 20.
 
Davison completed 31 total tackles (21 unassisted, 10 assisted), one interception and three pass breakups for the spring 2021 season. He also tallied his first career interception against Lamar on March 6.   
 
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