24 Jul 2024 Bears earn top spot, six named to All-UAC Team

ARLINGTON, Texas — The University of Central Arkansas Bears were named Tuesday as the preseason favorite to win the second edition of the United Athletic Conference (UAC) football race during UAC Media Day at Texas Live.

The Bears also had a league-high of six players named to the preseason All-UAC team, including unanimous selections for senior defensive end/outside linebacker David Walker, senior quarterback Will McElvain and senior running back ShunDerrick Powell. Junior offensive lineman Will Diggins, senior linebacker Demetrias Charles and senior safety TaMuarion Wilson were also named All-UAC.

The Bears, who finished 7-4 overall and 4-2 in league play last season in the inaugural UAC season, drew five of the nine first-place votes and 77 total points in the coaches’ poll.

They were followed by Tarleton State (3 first-place votes, 74 points), Southern Utah (54), Eastern Kentucky (53), Austin Peay (1 first-place, 46), Abilene Christian (43), North Alabama (26), Utah Tech (19) and UAC newcomer West Georgia (13). 

Walker, from Stuttgart (Arkansas County), is a two-time conference Defensive Player of the Year in the UAC in 2023 and the ASUN in 2022. Despite being the only unanimous defensive selection on the preseason team, the Defensive Player of the Year choice was North Alabama defensive back Edwin White Schultz.

Walker led the UAC in tackles for losses and sacks a year ago and was named to three All-America teams.

McElvain, from Des Moines, Iowa, and Northern Iowa, will be in his third season at UCA and has passed for 5,029 yards in two seasons with the Bears. For his career, McElvain has thrown for 9,022 yards and 64 touchdowns. He completed 239 of 376 passes for 2,477 yards, with 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions last season.

Powell, from Hoxie (Lawrence County) and North Alabama, has rushed for more than 1,000 yards twice in his career, including 1,009 yards last season while battling injuries in his first season at UCA. He also had 1,508 yards for UNA in 2022 and was a finalist for the Walter Payton Award and was the Co-Offensive Player of the Year in the ASUN.
Diggins, a junior from Bryant (Saline County), was the ASUN Freshman of the Year two years ago and will be a three-year starter in UCA’s offensive line.

WIlson, a senior safety from Bryant (Saline County), has totaled 265 career tackles, including 15.5 tackles for loss, six interceptions, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Wilson was UCA’s third-leading tackler with 64 stops last season.

Charles, from Texarkana (Miller County), was the No. 2 tackler for the Bears the past two seasons, with 72 total stops a year ago and 87 total tackles in 2022. Charles had a career-high 17 tackles in a victory over Stephen F. Austin last season and had at least six tackles in eight of UCA’s 11 games.

UCA opens the 2024 season with consecutive road games at FBS Arkansas State on Aug. 31 in Jonesboro (Craighead County), and at Lindenwood on Sept. 7 in St. Charles, Mo.

The Bears’ first of five home games will be Sept. 14 when they host Austin Peay on “The Stripes.”