Four Furman Paladins Named Sports Network All-America

Dec. 13, 2005

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- Four Furman Paladins have been named Sports Network NCAA I-AA All-Americans, it has been announced.

Offensive guard Patrick Covington was named first team All-America, and center Corey Stewart garnered second team honors along with punter Ingle Martin. Linebacker William Freeman, meanwhile, collected third team All-America accolades.

Covington, a senior from Charlotte, N.C., and two-time All-Southern Conference selection, started in 34 games during his Paladin career. Along with Stewart, a senior and two-time all-conference choice from Lilburn, Ga., who also tallied 34 career starts, the duo helped Furman's offense average a program record 469.9 yards per game in 2005.

Martin was a consensus all-league choice at both punter and quarterback in 2005. His 42.5 punting average topped the SoCon, and the Paladin senior from Nashville, Tenn., also established new Furman season standards for passing yards (2,959 yards) and total offense (3,191 yards), as well as new career marks for passing yards (5,751 yards), touchdown passes (42), and total offense (6,275 yards).

Freeman paced Furman with 130 tackles this fall and finished his career with 331 tackles, including 35 for-loss and nine sacks. The Swansea, S.C., native and Paladin senior registered 35 starts during his Paladin tenure, which included consensus 2004 SoCon Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors, as well as state defensive player -of-the-year selection by both the Greenville and Orangeburg Touchdown Clubs.

Furman, which has produced 50 All-America selections since 1982, went 11-3 this fall and was ranked third in the Sports Network NCAA I-AA final regular season poll.