DALLAS (July 15, 2019) - FIU football's
Sage Lewis was tabbed the Conference USA Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, as the senior headlined the honorees for this season's preseason awards, as voted on by the league's 14 head coaches.
The Preseason Defensive POY honor is the first for FIU since Richard Leonard was awarded the title before the start of the 2015 season. Lewis was also named to the C-USA Preseason All-Conference Team as well, joined by teammate and return man
Maurice Alexander.
After making the move to middle linebacker in 2018, Lewis broke the school record in total tackles (132) and solos (83) while ranking first in the league for both of those categories. Lewis' 83 solos ranked
10th in the nation last season, with that same number ranking third in the country among 2019 returnees. Lewis was awarded C-USA First Team honors following his stellar junior campaign in 2018.
Alexander had a breakout season in 2018, after making the move from quarterback to
wideout and return man. The Florida City, Florida native was a highlight reel in the return game (when teams were brave enough to kick to him) as he averaged 14.6 yards per punt return to rank fifth in the nation among those with at least three returns on the year. Alexander's breakout game in 2018 came against UMass, as the Panther racked up 136 return yards and scored on a 69-yard scamper to help FIU roll over the Minutemen. Alexander was awarded C-USA First Team honors for his special team efforts in 2018.
North Texas quarterback Mason Fine was named the Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, while Charlotte's Jonathan Cruz was tabbed the Special Teams Player of the Year. The league's
24th football season begins on Thursday, August 29 when FIU travels to Tulane for an 8 p.m. ET kick. The
15th annual Conference USA Football Championship Game, pitting the champions of the East and West Divisions, will be held Saturday, Dec. 7. The C-USA Media Poll (Predicted Order of Finish) will be released on Tuesday.
As a reminder, season tickets for the 2019 FIU football season are now on sale. For more information, or to order your tickets by phone, please call
(305) FIU-GAME.
Click Here To Purchase Season Tickets
Entering its
18th year of football in 2019, the FIU Panthers are coming off a program-best nine wins a season ago. FIU capped 2018 with a 35-32 victory over Toledo in the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl to finish the season 9-4 overall. Under legendary head coach
Butch Davis, the Panthers have earned back-to-back bowl appearances and 17 wins in the last two years.
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2019 Preseason C-USA Awards
Offensive Player of the Year
Mason Fine, Sr., QB, North Texas
Defensive Player of the Year
Sage Lewis, Sr., LB, FIU
Special Teams Player of the Year
Jonathan Cruz, So., K, Charlotte
Offense
QB Mason Fine, Sr., North Texas
RB Spencer Brown, Jr., UAB
RB Benny
LeMay, Sr., Charlotte
OL Levi Brown, Sr., Marshall
OL Josh Dunlop, Sr.,
UTSA
OL
Derron Gatewood, Sr.,
UTEP
OL
Sosaia Mose, Sr., North Texas
OL Miles Pate, Sr., WKU
TE Harrison Bryant, Sr., Florida Atlantic
WR Rico
Bussey, Jr., Sr., North Texas
WR Adrian Hardy, Jr., Louisiana Tech
WR
Quez Watkins, Jr., Southern Miss
Defense
DL Channing Hames, Sr., Marshall
DL
LaDarius Hamilton, Sr., North Texas
DL Alex
Highsmith, Sr., Charlotte
DL Garrett Marino, Sr., UAB
DL
DeMarrio Smith, Sr., Southern Miss
DL Jacques Turner, Jr., Southern Miss
LB
Khalil Brooks, Sr., Middle Tennessee
LB
Sage Lewis, Sr., FIU
LB
Racheem Boothe, Jr., Southern Miss
DB Reed Blankenship, Jr., Middle Tennessee
DB
Ky'el Hemby, Jr., Southern Miss
DB
Amik Robertson, Jr., Louisiana Tech
DB Chris Jackson, Sr., Marshall
Special Teams
K Jonathan Cruz, So., Charlotte
P Alvin
Kenworthy, Sr., North Texas
KR Brett
Winnegan, Sr.,
UTSA
PR
Maurice Alexander, Sr., FIU
LS Matt
Beardall, Sr., Marshall
