Mountain East Conference announces football award winners

UNC Pembroke running back Sincere Baines was voted the MEC Offensive Freshman of the Year, and Frostburg State defensive back Darrell Scott earned Defensive Freshman of the Year recognition. UC head coach Quinn Sanders was voted the league’s Coach of the Year.

Wright, a redshirt sophomore from Pembroke Pines, Fla., led the MEC in rushing this season with 1,231 yards on 203 carries (6.1 yd/carry). Wright also rushed for a league-high 14 touchdowns and put together five 100-yard rushing performances on the year. He rushed for a season-high 276 yards and three touchdowns on Oct. 14 against Notre Dame.

Blank, a redshirt junior from Durham, N.C., led the league with 12.5 sacks and finished second in the MEC with 21.5 tackles for loss this season. For the season, the defensive end also chipped in 49 tackles, had six pass breakups, and forced and recovered three fumbles. Blank had five multiple sack performances on the season.

Evans, a redshirt senior from Boston, Mass., finished the year with 22 tackles, 9.5 sacks and one forced fumble to lead the Charleston defense. He totaled 12.0 tackles for loss from his defensive end position this season. Evans ranks second in the league in sacks this season. He recorded a season-high six tackles and two sacks in Charleston’s season opener against Gannon. He had four multiple sack performances this season.

Baines, from Fayetteville, N.C., finished fourth in the league with 797 rushing yards on the season. He averaged 7.6 yards per carry and also rushed for 11 TDs on the year. Baines was also a contributor in the UNCP passing game, hauling in 15 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown. Over the final four weeks of the season, Baines had three 100-yard rushing games and nine touchdowns. His best outing of the year was in week 11, when he rushed for 178 yards and five scores against Concord.

Scott, a cornerback from Brandywine, Md., recorded 14 solo tackles, nine pass breakups and one interception in the Frostburg State secondary this season. Scott recorded a season-high four solo stops and four pass breakups against Wheeling back in September. He recorded his lone interception of the year against Charleston on Oct. 28.

Sanders was named the MEC Coach of the Year after leading Charleston to a 9-1 record in 2023, including an 8-1 mark in league play. Charleston is making its first NCAA playoff appearance since 2015. UC also won its first-ever Mountain East Conference Football Championship in 2023 and currently ranks 23rd in the AFCA National Poll.

Charleston earned the No. 2 seed in Super Region 1 and will host New Haven on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m. in the opening round of the NCAA Division II Football Playoffs.