MAC Announces 2024 Postseason Football Awards & All-Conference Teams

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced the All-MAC Teams & Specialty Award selections for the 2024 football season today, Dec. 5. All of the awards were voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches.

Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was tabbed the winner of the 43rd Vern Smith Leadership Award as the top player in the MAC as well as the Offensive Player of the Year. Ohio Bobcats’ Head Coach Tim Albin was selected as the Head Coach of the Year, while Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year. Ball State kick returner Malcom Gillie was selected as the Special Teams Player of the Year while Cardinals’ quarterback Kadin Semonza earned Freshman of the Year honors, rounding out the specialty award selections.

Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. was tabbed the winner of the 43rd Vern Smith Leadership Award as the top player in the MAC as well as the Offensive Player of the Year. Ohio Bobcats’ Head Coach Tim Albin was selected as the Head Coach of the Year, while Buffalo linebacker Shaun Dolac was tabbed as the Defensive Player of the Year. Ball State kick returner Malcom Gillie was selected as the Special Teams Player of the Year while Cardinals’ quarterback Kadin Semonza earned Freshman of the Year honors, rounding out the specialty award selections.

In the Bobcats’ four years under Albin, they’ve recorded three consecutive nine-win regular seasons, two consecutive 10-win seasons and have earned a bid to the MAC Championship twice, with their second appearance slated for Saturday (Dec. 7). Ohio has been bowl-eligible three of the last four season, winning both bowls they attended to match the conference record. 

Fannin is the first tight end in FBS history to be named an overall Player of the Year for a conference. He is only the second tight end in FBS history to be named a league’s Offensive Player of the Year. Additionally, Fannin is the sixth Falcon to win the honor all-time and the first since Matt Johnson in 2015. BGSU ranks No. 2 all-time in Vern Smith Leadership Award winners with six. Fannin is the 10th Falcon to be named MAC Offensive Player of the Year and the first since Johnson in 2015. No other MAC school has as many MAC Offensive Player of the Year winners as BGSU.

Fannin is a finalist for the John Mackey Award and was the only tight end to be a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award. Fannin ranks No. 2 in the nation with 1,342 receiving yards and leads all tight ends nationally in 21+ offensive categories, including receptions (100), yards after catch (750), first downs (64), broken tackles (31), and receiving touchdowns (9). According to Pro Football Focus, Fannin has the nation’s highest overall grade (95.7) and ranks No. 1 in pass routes grade (96.1) among all receivers. Nationally, he is additionally ranked No. 2 in receptions, No. 1 in broken tackles, No. 2 in first downs, and No. 2 in yards after catch. 

Fannin ranks second all-time in FBS history for single-season receiving yards by a tight end. He needs just 11 yards to surpass the FBS record of 1,352 yards, set by Texas Tech’s Jace Amaro in 2013. Fannin set the regular-season receiving yards record by a tight end at Ball State in game No. 11, while Amaro set the current record in his bowl game. 

With 100 receptions this season, Fannin is third all-time in single-season catches by a tight end. He needs 12 more receptions to break the record held by Rice’s James Casey. Per Pro Football Focus, Fannin’s run-blocking grade of 73.2 is tops among the nation’s pass-catching tight ends, including fellow Mackey Award finalists Colston Loveland (Michigan, 54.3) and Tyler Warren (Penn State, 48.0).

Dolac is the second UB player ever named MAC Defensive Player of the Year, joining Khalil Mack who earned the award in 2013. Dolac finished the regular season with eye-popping defensive numbers. He leads the nation with 159 tackles (two shy of the single-season school record) and has added 16.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks and five interceptions. This season alone, he was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week a program-record five times.

Gillie, a senior, was Ball State’s only first-team selection, earning distinction as an All-MAC kickoff returner. His 25.6 yards per kickoff return were tops in the MAC and 11th nationally. He returned a 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Western Michigan, and he had other long returns of 49, 46 and 37 yards. He was named as one of 15 FBS candidates on the midseason Jet Award Watchlist honoring the nation’s top kick returner. As a receiver, he had 19 catches for 267 yards and two touchdowns.

Semonza completed his first full college season while throwing for 2,904 yards and completing 64.4 percent of his passes. His 25 touchdown passes were the most by a Cardinals quarterback since NFL draft pick Keith Wenning threw 35 TDs in 2013.

The Ohio Bobcats will take on the Miami RedHawks in the MAC Football Championship Game this Saturday, Dec. 7 at 12 p.m. ET. The game will be aired live on ESPN.2024 MAC Football Postseason Specialty Awards & All-Conference Teams
Coach of the Year:  Tim Albin, Ohio
Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner:  Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
Offensive Player of the Year: Harold Fannin Jr., TE, Bowling Green
Defensive Player of the Year:  Shaun Dolac, LB, Buffalo
Special Teams Player of the Year: Malcolm Gillie, KR, Ball State
Freshman of the Year:  Kadin Semonza, QB, Ball State

2024 All-MAC First Team Offense
Quarterback – Brett Gabbert, Miami
Offensive Lineman – Alex Wollschlaeger, Bowling Green
Offensive Lineman – Reid Holskey, Miami
Offensive Lineman – J.J. Lippe, Northern Illinois
Offensive Lineman – Addison West, Western Michigan
Offensive Lineman – Jacob Gideon, Western Michigan
Tight End – Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green
Wide Receiver – Javon Tracy, Miami
Wide Receiver – Coleman Owen, Ohio
Wide Receiver – Jerjuan Newton, Toledo
Wide Receiver – Junior Vandeross III, Toledo
Running Back – Terion Stewart, Bowling Green
Running Back – Jaden Nixon, Western Michigan
Placekicker – Dom Dzioban, Miami

2024 All-MAC First Team Defense
Down Lineman – CJ Nunnally, Akron
Down Lineman – Brian Ugwu, Miami
Down Lineman – Devonte O’Malley, Northern Illinois
Down Lineman – Bradley Weaver, Ohio
Linebacker – Joseph Sipp Jr., Bowling Green
Linebacker – Shaun Dolac, Buffalo
Linebacker – Red Murdock, Buffalo
Linebacker – Matt Salopek, Miami
Defensive Back – Jordan Oladokun, Bowling Green
Defensive Back – Raion Strader, Miami
Defensive Back – Nate Valcarcel, Northern Illinois
Defensive Back – Maxen Hook, Toledo
Punter – Avery Book, Akron

2024 All-MAC First Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Malcolm Gillie, Ball State
Kickoff Return Specialist – Jacquez Stuart, Toledo

2024 All-MAC Second Team Offense
Quarterback – Parker Navarro, Ohio
Offensive Lineman – Jon Mucciolo, Ball State
Offensive Lineman – Brayden Swartout, Central Michigan
Offensive Lineman – John Champe, Northern Illinois
Offensive Lineman – Logan Zschernitz, Northern Illinois
Offensive Lineman – Parker Titsworth, Ohio
Offensive Lineman – Carson Heidecker, Ohio
Tight End – Tanner Koziol, Ball State
Wide Receiver – Adrian Norton, Akron
Wide Receiver – Oran Singleton, Eastern Michigan
Wide Receiver – Chrishon McCray, Kent State
Wide Receiver – Reggie Virgil, Miami
Running Back – Keyon Mozee, Miami
Running Back – Anthony Tyus III, Ohio
Placekicker – Jesus Gomez, Eastern Michigan

2024 All-MAC Second Team Defense
Down Lineman – Kobe Stewart, Buffalo
Down Lineman – Corey Suttle, Miami
Down Lineman – Roy Williams, Northern Illinois
Down Lineman – Darius Alexander, Toledo
Linebacker – Bryan McCoy, Akron
Linebacker – Jordan Kwiatkowski, Central Michigan
Linebacker – James Djonkam, Eastern Michigan
Linebacker – Ty Wise, Miami
Defensive Back – Donte Kent, Central Michigan
Defensive Back – DJ Walker, Ohio
Defensive Back – Avery Smith, Toledo
Defensive Back – Tate Hallock, Western Michigan
Punter – John Henderson, Bowling Green

2024 All-MAC Second Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – Donte Kent, Central Michigan
Punt Return Specialist – Bryson Hammer, Toledo

2024 All-MAC Third Team Offense
Quarterback – Connor Bazelak, Bowling Green
Offensive Lineman – Ethan Crowe, Ball State
Offensive Lineman – Taran Tyo, Ball State
Offensive Lineman – Trevor Brock, Buffalo
Offensive Lineman – Tyler Doty, Buffalo
Offensive Lineman – Ethan Spoth, Toledo
Tight End – Blake Bosma, Western Michigan
Wide Receiver – Cam Pickett, Ball State
Wide Receiver – Victor Snow, Buffalo
Wide Receiver – Terry Lockett, Eastern Michigan
Wide Receiver – Luke Floriea, Kent State
Running Back – Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo
Running Back – Marion Lukes, Central Michigan
Placekicker – Upton Bellenfant, Buffalo

2024 All-MAC Third Team Defense
Down Lineman – Brandon Berger, Ball State
Down Lineman – Anthony Hawkins, Bowling Green
Down Lineman – Dion Crawford, Buffalo
Down Lineman – Skyler Gill-Howard, Northern Illinois
Linebacker – Shay Taylor, Ohio
Linebacker – Blake Leake, Ohio
Linebacker – Daniel Bolden, Toledo
Linebacker – Donald Willis, Western Michigan
Defensive Back – Paul Lewis III, Akron
Defensive Back – Jacorey Benjamin, Bowling Green
Defensive Back – Eli Blakey, Miami
Defensive Back – JaVaughn Byrd, Northern Illinois
Punter – Ethan Duane, Buffalo

2024 All-MAC Third Team Specialists
Kickoff Return Specialist – DaShawn Martin, Kent State
Kickoff Return Specialist – Coleman Owen, Ohio