Photo by Leah Kelly/Courtesy of McNeese Athletics
Press Release by McNeese Athletics
LAKE CHARLES – McNeese defensive lineman Phillip Bradford, offensive lineman William Bressi, and punter Fabrizio Pinton were named to the 2025 All-Southland Conference Football First Team while offensive lineman Cody Brackeen earned Second Team honors, the league office released on Tuesday.
The Cowboys won four of their last six games, including capturing the Battle of the Border trophy in a 21-19 season finale win at Lamar. That victory finished McNeese’s conference record at 4-4, marking the first time since 2019 the Cowboys finished .500 or above in league play for the season. Overall, McNeese compiled a 5-7 record but was 5-5 minus the two FBS games.
Bradford, a junior from Monroe, had a breakout season for the Cowboys. He tied a single-season school record with two interceptions returned for a touchdown. He led the conference and ranked seventh in the nation with 15.5 tackles for a loss on the season and led the Cowboys while ranking third in the league with 5.5 sacks. He totaled 40 tackles, three pass break-ups, five quarterback hurries and recovered a fumble while playing in all 12 games.
In his first season with the Cowboys, Pinton led the conference and ranked 15th in the nation in punting with a 43.8 average which is tied as the second-best average in school history. His punting led McNeese to a school-record 40.39 net punting average for the season. The senior from The Woodlands saw 16 punts downed inside the 20, second-most in the conference and booted seven kicks that traveled 50 yards or more.
Bressi and Brackeen anchored an offensive line that helped the team provide the league’s No. 1 rushing attack with 2,329 yards and a 194.1 per game average. That also ranked McNeese No. 20 in the FCS. The Cowboys scored 23 rushing touchdowns, 16th-most in the nation while the 4.85 yards per carry ranked as the 22nd-highest average in the country.
Bressi, a senior from Forney, Texas, started all 12 games for the Cowboys and played a total of 758 snaps out of 808 on the season, a 94 percent rate. He ranked second on the team with 30 knockdown blocks. He was a key part of an offense that rushed for 300 yards or more in a game three times on the season.
Brackeen led the Cowboys with 773 snaps played which was 96 percent of the total snaps on the season. The senior from Springtown, Texas started all 12 games and recorded a team-high 35 knockdown blocks. He was part of an offense that averaged 201.1 yards per game rushing in league.
2025 Southland Conference Football Individual Superlative Winners
Player of the Year: Kaleb Proctor, Southeastern
Offensive Player of the Year: Sam Vidlak, SFA
Defensive Player of the Year: KK Reno, Southeastern
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Erik Gray, SFA
Newcomer of the Year: Eddie Lee Marburger, UTRGV
Freshman of the Year: Tony Diaz, UTRGV
Coach of the Year: Colby Carthel, SFA
2025 Southland Conference Football First Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| QB | Sam Vidlak* | SFA | Sr. | Applegate, Ore. |
| QB | Eddie Lee Marburger* | UTRGV | R-Sr. | MIssion, Texas |
| RB | Xai’Shaun Edwards | HCU | R-Fr. | League City, Texas |
| RB | Jerrell Wimbley | SFA | Sr. | Houston, Texas |
| TE/HB | Devyn Gibbs | Lamar | Jr. | Tomball, Texas |
| WR | Jalen Walthall | UIW | R-Sr. | Missouri City, Texas |
| WR | Kylon Harris | SFA | Sr. | Reserve, La. |
| WR | Tony Diaz | UTRGV | R-Fr. | San Marcos, Texas |
| OL | Erik Gray | SFA | Jr. | Amarillo, Texas |
| OL | William Bressi | McNeese | Sr. | Forney, Texas |
| OL | Chimdia Nwaiwu | SFA | Jr. | Aledo, Texas |
| OL | Reggie Brooks | Lamar | Sr. | Wylie, Texas |
| OL | Knox Boyd | Lamar | Sr. | Denton, Texas |
| PK | Ben Woodard | Lamar | Sr. | Plano, Texas |
| P | Fabrizio Pinton | McNeese | Sr. | The Woodlands, Texas |
| LS | Tug Sanford | SFA | Jr. | Allen, Texas |
2025 Southland Conference Football First Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| DL | Kaleb Proctor | Southeastern | Sr. | Oak Grove, La. |
| DL | Ky Thomas | SFA | Gr. | Elkhart, Texas |
| DL | Phillip Bradford | McNeese | Jr. | Monroe, La. |
| DL | Aaron Austin | SFA | Sr. | Crowley, Texas |
| LB | Jaydon Southard | SFA | Sr. | Wichita Falls, Texas |
| LB | KK Reno | Southeastern | Sr. | New Iberia, La. |
| LB | Declan Williams | UIW | Sr. | Hamilton, Texas |
| DB | Charles Dmemings | SFA | Sr. | Mesquite, Texas |
| DB | Kristian Pugh | Lamar | Sr. | Beaumont, Texas |
| DB | Tyran Chappell | HCU | R-Fr. | Denton, Texas |
| DB | Jalen Mayo | SFA | R-Jr. | Hampton, Va. |
| DB | Ty Marsh | Nicholls | R-Sr. | Dallas, Texas |
| KR | Brandon Hayes | Southeastern | Sr. | Hattiesburg, Miss. |
| PR | Bugs Mortimer | SFA | R-Jr. | Fort Lauderdale, Fla. |
2025 Southland Conference Football Second Team All-Conference Offense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| QB | EJ Colson | UIW | R-Fr. | Byron, Ga. |
| RB | Deantre Jackson | Southeastern | Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| RB | Miequle Brock Jr. | Nicholls | So. | Pensacola, Fla. |
| TE/HB | Cade Collier | Southeastern | R-Sr. | Mobile, Ala. |
| WR | Jaylon Domingeaux | Southeastern | Jr. | Lafayette, La. |
| WR | Devin Matthews | East Texas A&M | So. | Seguin, Texas |
| WR | Christian Jourdain | East Texas A&M | Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| OL | Holden Karekowsky | Southeastern | R-Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| OL | Kortez Winslow | Lamar | So. | Houston, Texas |
| OL | Nick Hughes | UTRGV | R-Fr. | San Antonio, Texas |
| OL | Traveon Newsome | UIW | Gr. | Acres Home, Texas |
| OL | Cody Brackeen* | McNeese | Sr. | Springtown, Texas |
| OL | Jadin Jones* | East Texas A&M | Sr. | Killeen, Texas |
| PK | Carlos Alvarado | SFA | R-So. | Lecheria, Venezuela |
| P | Nathaniel Wallace-Dilling | UTRGV | R-Jr. | Grandview Heights, Ohio |
| LS | Cade Collier | Southeastern | R-Sr. | Mobile, Ala. |
2025 Southland Conference Football Second Team All-Conference Defense
| Pos. | Name | School | Class | Hometown |
| DL | Ian Box | UTRGV | R-Jr. | Seguin, Texas |
| DL | Joshua Randall | Southeastern | R-Sr. | New Orleans, La. |
| DL | Peyton Christian | Lamar | Jr. | Oak Grove, La. |
| DL | Elijah Fields | SFA | Jr. | Houston, Texas |
| LB | Jake Dalmado | Nicholls | Jr. | Mandeville, La. |
| LB | Koby-Sebasyen King | East Texas A&M | Sr. | Houston, Texas |
| LB | Kyree Anderson | East Texas A&M | Sr. | Cypress, Texas |
| DB | Ian Conerly-Goodly | Southeastern | Sr. | Covington, La. |
| DB | Paul Omodia | Lamar | Jr. | Kilgore, Texas |
| DB | Ethan Lee | Nicholls | Sr. | Thibodaux, La. |
| DB | Aaron Sears | SFA | Jr. | Tyler, Texas |
| DB | Laurence Sullivan Jr. | Nicholls | R-Sr. | Vicksburg, Miss. |
| KR | Richard Reese* | SFA | Sr. | Bellville, Texas |
| KR | LaDamian McDowell* | Lamar | Fr. | New Orleans, La. |
| PR | Kyndon Fuselier | Lamar | Sr. | Nederland, Texas |
* = Denotes tie
