CLINTON – Former Northwest and Mississippi College return specialists
Marcel Newson and
Cole Rotenberry have been selected as part of the Gulf South Conference All-Decade team, announced Tuesday afternoon.
Rotenberry received first team accolades while Newson earned an all-decade honorable mention since Mississippi College wasn't fully Division II eligible until his final season with the Choctaws.
Rotenberry earned first team All-GSC honors last season after leading the league in kickoff return average (28.5 ypr). He also returned a kickoff 92 yards for a score in a victory against Shorter in 2019. He was also the leading receiver for Mississippi College during the 2018-19 seasons, piling up 33 catches for 664 yards and six touchdowns. He caught all three of his touchdown passes in 2019 in a victory against Florida Tech.
Rotenberry and his twin brother, Turner, spent two seasons with Northwest from 2016-17. As a freshman, Rotenberry was sparingly as a receiver but did rack up 19 punt returns for 204 yards, including a career-best 54-yard return against East Central. The Batesville native broke free during his sophomore campaign in 2017, hauling in 55 receptions for 786 yards and a touchdown, while returning 13 punts for 105 yards, earning first team All-MACJC accolades.
A native of Coldwater, Newson was named a Division II All-American in 2016 by the American Football Coaches Association and was a two-time nominee for the C-Spire Conerly Trophy. He was also a first team All-GSC selection as a wide receiver and returner in 2016.
Newson remains MC's all-time leader in career receptions per game (5.11) and single-season receptions per game (6.33 - 2016). He also went down as the top Choctaw in career all-purpose yards per game (146.2) and single-season all-purpose yards per game (180.6-2016). Newson finished his career with 97 catches for 1509 yards and 13 touchdowns in just two seasons, also returning a kickoff and a punt for a touchdown in his career.
Despite his success as a receiver in Clinton, Newson actually played defensive back at Northwest from 2013-14, collecting 31 career tackles with an interception and a forced fumble. He remained best known for his skills on special teams however, tallying a program record 1,343 career yards on 56 kick returns. His 32 returns for 747 yards in 2014 are also the most in a single season.
The GSC All-Decade Awards factored in the contributions from the years 2010-19 and were jointly selected by institutional personnel, coaches and league administrators.
