NATCHITOCHES – A pair of Northwestern State senior defensive backs earned first-team preseason All-Southland Conference honors Wednesday, highlighting five Demons awarded by league coaches.

Cornerback Shemar Bartholomew and safety PJ Herrington are the Demons’ lone first-team selections, making up half the first-team secondary.

Bartholomew, a New Orleans native, earned second-team All-Southland Conference honors after intercepting two passes and breaking up six others. His nine career interceptions ranked him 27th among active FCS players at the conclusion of the 2021 season.

Bartholomew enters his final season as a Demon two interceptions shy of the career top 10 in school history.

Herrington, a transfer from East Mississippi Community College, has made an impact in his two seasons in a Demon uniform, averaging close to six tackles per game while adding three interceptions and three pass breakups in 15 career games as a Demon.

In the fall, Herrington ranked third on the team in tackles with 53 despite missing the final two games of the season.

Redshirt junior running back Scooter Adams was a preseason second-team selection.

Adams missed the final seven games of the 2021 season but finished as NSU’s third-leading rusher with 286 yards and a touchdown. In 10 career games, the Hallettsville, Texas, product has rushed for 967 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a first-team All-Southland Conference selection after the spring 2021 season.

The Demons placed a pair of senior defensive linemen on the second team as well.

Sixth-year senior Isaiah Longino and Jomard Valsin Jr. were named to the unit.

Longino enjoyed a breakout season in 2021, his first as a defensive linemen. The Humble, Texas, product recorded 9.5 sacks, ranking second in the Southland and seventh on NSU’s single-season list.

Longino enters the 2022 campaign with 15.5 career sacks, sixth most in Demon career history.

Valsin slides into the Beast position in new defensive coordinator Weston Glaser’s scheme after a season in which he recorded a team-leading 68 tackles (9.5 for loss), four quarterback hurries, three sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and an interception.

NSU opens its 2022 season at Montana on Sept. 3.

First Team All-Conference Offense

Pos. Name School Class Hometown

QB Lindsey Scott Jr. UIW Sr. Zachary, La.

RB Collin Guggenheim* Nicholls So. Kenner, La.

RB Deonta McMahon* McNeese Sr. Frostploof, Fla.

TE/HB Lee NeGrotto* Nicholls So. Pass Christian, Miss.

WR Taylor Grimes* UIW Sr. Godly, Texas

WR K.J. Franklin* Nicholls Jr. Prairieville, La.

WR Gage Larvadain* Southeastern So. Donaldsonville, La.

OL Caron Coleman* McNeese Sr. St. Louis, Mo.

OL Nash Jones* UIW Jr. Nacogdoches, Texas

OL John Allen* Southeastern Jr. Jackson, Miss.

OL Jalen Bell* Southeastern Sr. Amory, Miss.

OL Evan Roussel* Nicholls So. Lutcher, La.

PK Gavin Lasseigne* Nicholls Jr. Raceland, La.

P Brady Buell* HBU Sr. Traverse City, Mich.

First Team All-Conference Defense

Pos. Name School Class Hometown

DL Perry Ganci* Nicholls Jr. New Orleans, La.

DL Mason Kinsey* McNeese Sr. Mansfield, Texas

DL Cameron Preston* UIW Gr. Crowley, Texas

DL Garrett Crawford* Southeastern Jr. Slidell, La.

DL Accord Green* McNeese Sr. New Orleans, La.

LB Kelechi Anyalebechi* UIW Gr. Pearland, Texas

LB Kordell Williams* McNeese R-Sr. Carencro, La.

DB Zy Alexander* Southeastern So. Loreauville, La.

DB Kaleb Culp* UIW Jr. Dallas, Texas

DB Shemar Bartholomew* Northwestern State Sr. New Orleans, La.

DB Donniel Ward-McGee* Southeastern Sr. New Orleans, La.

DB PJ Herrington Northwestern State Sr. Natchez, Miss.

KR Gage Larvadain* Southeastern So. Donaldsonville, La.

PR Mason Pierce* McNeese R-So. Pearland, Texas

Second Team All-Conference Offense

Pos. Name School Class Hometown

QB Kohen Granier Nicholls Sr. Destrehan, La.

RB Taron Jones* Southeastern Sr. Mandeville, La.

RB Scooter Adams Northwestern State R-Jr. Hallettsville, Texas

TE/HB Roger McCuller UIW Gr. Hallsville, Texas

WR Darion Chafin UIW Gr. Wichita Falls, Texas

WR Mason Pierce McNeese R-So. Pearland, Texas

WR CJ Turner Southeastern R-Sr. LaPlace, La.

OL Mark Barthelemy Nicholls Sr. Opelousas, La.

OL Reid Francis UIW Sr. College Station, Texas

OL Caleb Johnson UIW Gr. Mount Pleasant, Texas

OL Calvin Barkat McNeese Sr. Sachse, Texas

OL Brennan Lanclos Southeastern R-Jr. Mandeville, La.

PK Carson Mohr UIW Sr. The Woodlands, Texas

P Keven Nguyen* UIW Gr. Rohnert Park, Calif.

Second Team All-Conference Defense

Pos. Name School Class Hometown

DL Isaiah Longino Northwestern State Sr. Humble, Texas

DL Jomard Valsin Northwestern State Sr. Port Arthur, Texas

DL Bryce Cage Southeastern So. Baton Rouge, La.

LB Rodney Dansby* HBU So. Houston, Texas

LB Isaiah Paul* UIW R-Jr. San Antonio, Texas

LB Hayden Shaheen* Nicholls So. Baton Rouge, La.

LB Brennan Young HBU Sr. Conroe, Texas

DB Elliott Davison UIW Jr. Flint, Texas

DB Jordan Jackson Nicholls Jr. Prairieville, La.

DB Isaiah Cash HBU So. Austin, Texas

DB Brandon Richard UIW Sr. San Antonio, Texas

DB Coi Miller HBU Sr. Fort Worth, Texas

KR Ce’Cori Tolds UIW Gr. Houston, Texas

PR Gage Larvadain Southeastern So. Donaldsonville, La.