clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

2022 All-MAC Teams and Individual Awards Revealed

Ohio QB Kurtis Rourke and Eastern Michigan DE Jose Ramirez headline the 2022 award winners.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL: NOV 16 Eastern Michigan at Kent State Photo by Frank Jansky/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The 2022 All-MAC teams and individual awards were revealed by the conference on Wednesday, three days prior to the annual MAC Championship Game in Detroit.


Individual Awards

The individual awards were voted on by the MAC’s 12 head coaches:

  • Vern Smith Leadership Award (MAC MVP): Kurtis Rourke, QB, Ohio
  • MAC Offensive Player of the Year: Kurtis Rourke, QB, Ohio
  • MAC Defensive Player of the Year: Jose Ramirez, DE, Eastern Michigan
  • MAC Special Teams Player of the Year: Alex McNulty, K, Buffalo
  • MAC Freshman of the Year: Sieh Bangura, RB, Ohio
  • MAC Coach of the Year: Tim Albin, Ohio

All-MAC Teams

The MAC released First, Second, and Third team selections:

2022 All-MAC First Team

Pos. Player College
Pos. Player College
QB Kurtis Rourke Ohio
RB Carson Steele Ball State
RB Marquez Cooper Kent State
WR Alex Adams Akron
WR Devontez Walker Kent State
WR Dante Cephas Kent State
WR Sam Wiglusz Ohio
TE Brady Hunt Ball State
OL Sidy Sow Eastern Michigan
OL Marcellus Marshall Kent State
OL Nolan Potter Northern Illinois
OL Hagen Meservy Ohio
OL Nick Rosi Toledo
DL Karl Brooks Bowling Green
DL Thomas Incoom Central Michigan
DL Jose Ramirez Eastern Michigan
DL Desjuan Johnson Toledo
LB Bubba Arslanian Akron
LB Shaun Dolac Buffalo
LB Dallas Gant Toledo
LB Zaire Barnes Western Michigan
DB Marcus Fuqua Buffalo
DB Donte Kent Central Michigan
DB Quinyon Mitchell Toledo
DB Maxen Hook Toledo
K Alex McNulty Buffalo
P Mitchell Tomasek Eastern Michigan
KR Jaylon Jackson Eastern Michigan
KR Keegan Wilburn Ohio

2022 All-MAC Second Team

Pos. Player College
Pos. Player College
QB Dequan Finn Toledo
RB Samson Evans Eastern Michigan
RB Sean Tyler Western Michigan
WR Jayshon Jackson Ball State
WR Odieu Hiliare Bowling Green
WR Mac Hippenhammer Miami (OH)
WR Jerjuan Newton Toledo
TE Christian Sims Bowling Green
OL Ethan Crowe Ball State
OL Jamezz Kimbrough Central Michigan
OL Brian Dooley Eastern Michigan
OL Rusty Feth Miami (OH)
OL Sam Allan Kent State
DL Devonte O'Malley Northern Illinois
DL Jamal Hines Toledo
DL Andre Carter Western Michigan
DL Braden Fiske Western Michigan
LB Clayton Coll Ball State
LB James Patterson Buffalo
LB Ryan McWood Miami (OH)
LB Dyontae Johnson Toledo
DB Amechi Uzodinma Ball State
DB Nic Jones Ball State
DB Nico Bolden Kent State
DB C.J. Brown Northern Illinois
DB Nate Bauer Toledo
K Nathanial Vakos Ohio
P Dom Dzioban Miami (OH)
KR Ta'ron Keith Bowling Green
KR Ja'Shaun Poke Kent State

2022 All-MAC Third Team

Pos. Player College
Pos. Player College
QB DJ Irons Akron
QB Collin Schlee Kent State
RB Harrison Waylee Northern Illinois
RB Sieh Bangura Ohio
WR Shocky Jacques-Louis Akron
WR Quian Williams Buffalo
WR Tanner Knue Eastern Michigan
WR Hassan Beydoun Eastern Michigan
TE Joel Wilson Central Michigan
OL Anthony Whigan Akron
OL Gabe Wallace Buffalo
OL Desmond Bessent Buffalo
OL Deiyantei Powell-Woods Central Michigan
OL Logan Zschernitz Northern Illinois
DL Zayin West Kent State
DL Michael Kennedy Northern Illinois
DL James Ester Northern Illinois
DL Jack McCrory Ohio
LB Kyle Moretti Central Michigan
LB Matthew Salopek Miami (OH)
LB Keye Thompson Ohio
LB Corvin Moment Western Michigan
DB Jordan Riley Ball State
DB John Saunders Jr. Miami (OH)
DB Tariq Drake Ohio
DB Keni-H Lovely Western Michigan
K Jesus Gomez Eastern Michigan
P Luke Elzinga Central Michigan
KR Jalen Walker Miami (OH)
KR De'Javion Stepney Central Michigan

All-MAC Breakdown by Team - Total (First, Second, Third)

  • Toledo - 10 (5, 5, 0)
  • Kent State - 9 (4, 3, 2)
  • Eastern Michigan - 9 (4, 2, 3)
  • Ohio - 9 (4, 1, 4)
  • Ball State - 8 (2, 5, 1)
  • Central Michigan - 8 (2, 1, 5)
  • Buffalo - 7 (3, 1, 3)
  • Northern Illinois - 7 (1, 2, 4)
  • Miami (OH) - 7 (0, 4, 3)
  • Western Michigan - 6 (1, 3, 2)
  • Akron - 5 (2, 0, 3)
  • Bowling Green - 4 (1, 3, 0)

Additional Notes

  • Toledo leads all teams in First Team selections with 5 and overall selections with 10. Toledo also tied for the lead in total selections in 2021 with 11. Four Rockets from last year’s All-MAC teams were selected again in 2022.
  • Kurtis Rourke is the first Ohio player to win the Vern Smith Leadership Award recognizing the top player in the MAC. He is the first Ohio player to win MAC Offensive Player of the Year since quarterback Kareem Wilson won in 1996.
  • Jose Ramirez is the first Eastern Michigan player to win MAC Defensive Player of the Year.
  • Alex McNulty is the first Buffalo player to win MAC Special Teams Player of the Year.
  • Sieh Bangura is the first Ohio player to win MAC Freshman of the Year since safety Javon Hagan won in 2016. Hagan is the most recent defensive player to win the award.
  • Tim Albin is the first Ohio head coach to win MAC Coach of the Year since his predecessor Frank Solich won in 2006. Solich also won the award in his second year at the helm with a 9-3 record headed into the MAC Championship Game.
  • Eastern Michigan guard Sidy Sow and Kent State wide receiver Dante Cephas are the only players to receive First Team All-MAC honors in both 2021 and 2022.
  • Eastern Michigan guard Sidy Sow and Buffalo inside linebacker James Patterson are the only active players named All-MAC on three occasions. Sow was Third Team in 2020 and First Team in 2021 and 2022. Patterson was First Team in 2020 and 2021 and Second Team in 2022.
  • Seven of Toledo’s 11 defensive starters made either the All-MAC First Team or Second Team.
  • All four quarterbacks to qualify for the 2022 All-MAC teams are first time selections.