ST. LOUIS - Stetson Football is proud to celebrate the remarkable achievements of multiple standout athletes, including Ronnel Johnson and Andrew Martin, who have earned Offensive Rookie of the Year and Defensive Rookie of the Year honors, as announced by the Pioneer Football League earlier this week,

Johnson, a native of Locust Grove, Georgia, made a significant impact in his debut season, catching 19 passes for 388 yards and three touchdowns. Despite not debuting until Week 4 against Butler, Johnson caught a pass in his first three games and closing his freshman season with impressive 100-yard receiving performances against Davidson and San Diego, including two touchdown receptions against the Toreros.

Martin, another Georgia product, became the third Hatters defender to claim Freshman Defensive Player of the Year honors and the first since defensive back JJ Henderson in 2017. Martin recorded 62 tackles, four tackles for loss, and a sack in nine games this season, with notable performances including a season-high 14 tackles against Marist. 

In addition to Johnson and Martin's achievements, defensive back Rassie Littlejohn repeated his 2022 First Team All-PFL selection, earning another spot on the All-PFL first team. Littlejohn played in all 11 games, accumulating 86 tackles— the second most on the team— and cemented his legacy in the program by setting a record at Stetson with 17 career interceptions. He showcased his versatility with four interceptions on the season, including a 30-yard pick-six against Butler, along with four games of 10+ tackles, 4 QB hurries, and notable plays like forcing a fumble and returning another one for 33 yards against Montana State.

Joining Littlejohn on the All-PFL honors, graduate linebacker Nicholas Lerew secured a spot on the second team with a stellar season. Lerew led the team with a total of 127 tackles, including four games of 10+ tackles, a sack, three tackles for a loss, three QB hurries, and a forced fumble. His season began with a bang as he racked up 16 tackles in the thrilling overtime win against St. Thomas (Fla.).

Rounding out the postseason award winners, Edward Hernandez was named to the 2023 Academic All-PFL for his outstanding academic achievements, recording a 4.0 GPA during the season. Hailing from Austell, GA, Hernandez contributed 46 total tackles on the season, two tackles for a loss of 5 yards, and seven tackles in back-to-back games against Marist and Presbyterian. He also recovered a fumble in the season finale against San Diego, highlighting his defensive abilities even further. Hernandez's achievements also include being a two-time PFL honor roll recipient in the past, adding to the Hatters' success both on and off the field.
 

About Stetson University Athletics: Stetson University's Athletics Program is driven by a shared purpose. It is what inspires, motivates and binds us together. More than a task, a reason for being. THE HATTER PURPOSE is to create and provide an experience of a lifetime through teamwork and relationships to achieve excellence. This purpose is achieved through five Core Values: Communication, Integrity, Excellence, Value People and Commitment. To learn more about the HATS program and our Core Values, visit GoHatters.com/HATS.

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