CLINTON, Miss. --- Seniors Detric Hawthorn and Turner Rotenberry have been named to the Preseason All-Gulf South Conference Football Team, it was announced on Thursday (Aug. 1).

Hawthorn (Collins, Miss.) was a First Team All-GSC selection in 2018 after rushing for 916 yards and nine touchdowns, while passing for 675 yards and four scores. He ranked 2nd in the league in rushing yards per game (101.8), while racking up five games with over 100 rushing yards.

Hawthorn rushed for a season-high 148 yards with two touchdowns in a win over Shorter, also piling up 141 rushing yards with a season-high three touchdowns in a victory against Clark Atlanta. The Jones JC transfer had a season-high 174 passing yards with two touchdowns against West Florida.

Rotenberry (Batesville, Miss.) finished 3rd on the team with 48 tackles and led the GSC with 182 interception return yards on four passes picked off. In the season opener against Clark Atlanta, the Northwest MS CC transfer returned an interception 87 yards for a score.

He tallied at least two tackles in every game in 2018 with interceptions in four different contests. Rotenberry posted a season-high eight tackles against West Florida and had tackles for loss against Florida Tech and West Georgia.

The GSC Football Preseason Poll was also released with the Choctaws checking in at 8th in the standings. Defending national champion Valdosta State received all but one first-place votes and picked up 64 points to sit atop the poll. West Georgia (55 pts) was picked 2nd, followed by West Alabama (49) and West Florida (44), who received the final first-place vote. The poll was rounded out by Florida Tech (37), Delta State (28), North Greenville (24), MC (15) and Shorter (8).

The GSC Football Top Newcomers List was also released with four incoming Choctaws being recognized: defensive lineman William Sterling (Hattiesburg, MS / East Central CC), offensive lineman Matt Toles (Oxford, MS / East MS CC), defensive lineman Fred Wash (Forest, MS / Coahoma CC) and running back Jordan Wright (Pearl, MS / Louisiana).

The Choctaws open the 2019 season on the road when they travel to Lorman, Miss. to face Alcorn State on Saturday, September 6th (6:00 pm). The home opener for MC is scheduled for Saturday, September 14th (7:00 p.m.) when the Choctaws host Albany State at Robinson-Hale Stadium.
 

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Mississippi College is a private Christian university located in Clinton, Mississippi with an enrollment of over 5,000 students. MC recently finished their transition process back to NCAA Division II and the Gulf South Conference and began competing for conference and national championships in the 2016-17 academic year.

The athletic department sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletic programs: Baseball, Men's and Women's Basketball, Men's and Women's Cross Country, Football, Golf, Men's and Women's Soccer, Softball, Men's and Women's Tennis, Men's and Women's Indoor Track & Field, Men's and Women's Outdoor Track & Field and Volleyball.

For more information on Mississippi College athletics, please contact David Nichols at 601-925-3234 or nichols@mc.edu.