Mars Hill’s Kadyn Dawkins(Eastern Guilford HS) named South Atlantic Conference Freshman Basketball Player of the Year

The South Atlantic Conference Announces Men’s Basketball Annual Award Winners

ROCK HILL, S.C. (TheSAC.com) – Queens forward Jamari Smith was voted the 2021-22 South Atlantic Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Year, while Carson-Newman forward Bryant Thomas was voted the Conference’s Defensive Player of the Year, and Mars Hill guard Kadyn Dawkins was voted the SAC Freshman of the Year. In addition, Lincoln Memorial head coach Jeremiah Samarrippas was tabbed as the Coach of the Year, the Conference announced today.

Kadyn Dawkins(Eastern Guilford High School), a freshman from Greensboro, N.C., was the leading scorer for the Mars Hill Lions this season averaging 13.9 points per game. He also hauled in 2.6 rebounds per game with 2.5 assists per game. He finished the season ranked in the top-20 in the league in scoring, field goal percentage, and free throw percentage.

2021-22 South Atlantic Conference Men’s Basketball All-Conference

First Team

Jarren Cottingham, Wingate

Kenny Dye, Queens

Trenton Gibson, Tusculum

Chase Rankin, Lincoln Memorial

Caleb Robinson, Catawba

Jamari Smith, Queens

Second Team

TJ Brown, Newberry

Mekell Burries, Lincoln Memorial

Tripp Davis, Carson-Newman

Jordan Guest, Lincoln Memorial

Crosby James II, Anderson

Quandaveon McCollum, Newberry

Third Team

Alex Dahling, Lincoln Memorial

Parker Dortch, Anderson

Ben Gahlert, Limestone

Inady Legiste, Tusculum

TJ Nesmith, Lenoir-Rhyne

Bernard Pelote, Catawba

All-Freshman

Kadyn Dawkins, Mars Hill

Myles Jenkins, Anderson

Joel Pettiford, UVA Wise

Kris Robinson, Catawba

Matthew Sells, Lincoln Memorial

Player of the Year

Jamari Smith, Queens

Freshman of the Year

Kadyn Dawkins, Mars Hill

Defensive Player of the Year

Bryant Thomas, Carson-Newman

Coach of the Year

Jeremiah Samarrippas, Lincoln Memorial