July 21, 2012

WASHINGTON, D.C. (www.howard-bison.com) July 21, 2012 – Howard University senior Keith Pough, who was recently named to the Sports Network 2012 FCS All-America team, picked up three more awards during the annual Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) preseason meeting in Norfolk, Va.

A 6-3, 235-pound linebacker, Pough was voted the 2012 MEAC Defensive Player of the Year.  The native of Orangeburg, S.C., is coming off an outstanding season, recording 120 tackles, including 21 for losses and three sacks.

Joining Pough on the All-MEAC first team were sophomore quarterback Greg McGhee and offensive tackle Cory Gwinner.  McGhee, 6-3, 200, was the 2011 MEAC Rookie of the Year after completing 182 of 321 passes for 1,784 yards and TDs while adding 388 yards rushing and four TDs.

Gwinner, a 6-6, 310-pound red-shirt senior from Ypsilanti, Mich., rebounded from an injury that kept him all of last season to have an outstanding campaign.  His blocking was a key to Howard's dramatic improvement on offense.

DeCarlos Knight was named to the second team after an outstanding season.  A 5-10, 180-pound red-shirt senior from Nashville, Tenn., recorded 46 tackles, including 3.5 for losses, intercepted two passes, forced two fumbles and blocked two kicks.

Pough was later named the College Sports Madness (CSM) MEAC Pre-Season Defensive Player of the Year.  McGhee was also named to the CSM first team while junior placekicker Parker Munoz and red-shirt sophomore Toavan Sheats were named to the third team.  Munoz, who hails from San Diego, Calif., finished second on the team in scoring with 36 points.  He converted on 15-of-17 PATS and 7-of-15 on field goals.

Sheats, a 6-4, 245-pound red-shirt sophomore defensive end came on strong last year in a reserve capacity with 13 tackles, 7.5 resulting in losses and four sacks.

And finally, Pough was named a candidate for the prestigious Buck Buchanan Award, presented to the top defensive player in the FCS.  Pough is among 20 players named as a candidate.  It marked the second-straight year that he has been a candidate.

Pough has now collected 277 total tackles in his career, including 62 for losses 21 QB hurries.

He has a chance to break the FCS career record for total tackles and tackles for losses.

For more information on Howard University "Bison" Football visit the official athletics website at www.howard-bison.com.

-HU-