Postseason honors continue to roll in for the Lamar University football team as 13 Cardinals have been named to the 2024 Phil Steele All-Southland Conference teams announced publication officials Friday morning.
 
The list of Cardinals is highlighted by Khalan Griffin's first-team selection and includes two second-team nods, five third teamers and five on the fourth team.
 
The 13 selections are five more than what was voted on by the league's official team and includes a third and fourth team. It also includes a fairly even split among all three phases of the game with six offensive players, five on defense and two specialists.
 
The second team selections include Devyn Gibbs (tight end) and Jevale Roberson (offensive line). The third-team honorees include Eli Ripley (offensive line) and receivers Sevonne Rhea and Kyndon Fuselier, defensive linemen Caleb Williams and defensive back Kristian Pugh. The fourth-team selections consisted of Kortez Winslow (offensive line), Ken Savanah (linebacker), DeJuan Lewis (defensive back), Chase Leon (punter) and Lane Gilchrest (deep snapper).
 
Posting a career year in his final collegiate season, Griffin was one of just two Southland backs to rush for more than 1,000 yards this season and became just the fourth back in school history to reach the season milestone. Griffin recorded the third-best single-season rushing performance in program history ending the year with 218 carries for 1,158 yards (5.3 ypr) and seven touchdowns. He averaged better than 105 yard per game to rank 10^th nationally. All of this despite missing the last game of the season with an injury. Even with the injury, Griffin rattled off five games of at least 100 yards rushing which included a career-high 197 yards against Mississippi Valley State.
 
Riley, Roberson and Winslow combined to help block for one of the program's top running backs. In addition to helping produce the school's fourth 1,000-yard rusher, the trio also combined to help the Cards improve in total and rush offense compared to last season.

 
A junior from Mabank, Texas, Gibbs really came into his own this season. A strong-blocking tight end, Gibbs also provided the Cardinals with another pass-catching threat. He finished fourth on the team with 17 receptions for 163 yards (9.6 ypr) and four scores. His four TD receptions were the second-best mark on the team.
 
A local product from nearby Nederland, Texas, Fuselier turned himself into a dual threat for the Red and White. Not only one of the top receivers in the league, he also became one of the top return threats this season. Fuselier played in all 12 games earning nine starts and tied for team-high honors with 31 receptions for 513 yards and two touchdowns. His final TD catch of the season will go down as one of the most memorable in program history. Down to their final play at rival McNeese and already having what appeared to be a game-winner wiped off the board, Fuselier got to the goal line and jumped in the air to haul in a pass to win the game with no time on the clock. 


A compliment to Fuselier, Rhea was another playmaker at receiver in the Cardinals' arsenal. A senior from Houston, Texas, Rhea has been one of the top deep-ball threats in the league during his time with the Red and White. Following a junior season that was slowed by a rash of injuries, Rhea bounced back this past season to tie for team-high honors with 31 catches for 553 yards and six touchdowns. Rhea averaged nearly 18 yards per reception.

Pugh is a local product who put together his best season as a junior. Playing in all 12 games earning 11 starts, Pugh finished third on the team with 72 tackles, which ranked among the league's top 20. He also made 44 solo stops. Pugh ranked among the league's top 15 with seven pass breakups. He also picked off a pass and recovered a fumble.
 
Williams was a preseason All-America selection entering the season and lived up to the hype. A native of Houston, Williams served as a run-stopper in the middle of the Cardinals defensive line. Having played in and started every game this season, Williams finished among the team's leaders in tackles, tackles for losses and sacks. 
 
A junior from Pearland, Lewis led the Cardinals with 76 tackles, including 36 solo stops, and one for a loss. Lewis tied for the Southland lead with four interceptions. He was also credited with a pass deflection, forced fumble and a quarterback hurry.
 
Lewis outpaced Savanah by one tackle for team-high honors in 2024. Among Savanah's 75 stops 30 were unassisted. He also led the team in tackles for loss and sacks on the year.
 
A candidate for all-conference honors, Gilchrest has served as the team's deep snapper for each of the past two seasons. Arguably the league's most accurate long snapper during that stretch, Gilchrest falls in a line of strong long snappers since the program's return which has included multiple all-conference selections and former All-Americans.
 
A native of Australia, Leon was one of the recipients of Gilchrest's accuracy. In Leon's rookie season with the Cardinals, he finished third in punting average 45.4 yards per punt and was named Southland Conference Special Teams Player of the Week in the second week of the season. He boomed 15 punts of at least 50 yards and landed 12 inside the opponent's 20-yard line.