Eagle octet earns CSC Academic All-District honors
GREENWOOD, Ind. – Carson-Newman’s football program had a program-record eight student-athletes recognized for their efforts on the field and in the classroom as members of the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
GREENWOOD, Ind. – Carson-Newman's football program had a program-record eight student-athletes recognized for their efforts on the field and in the classroom as members of the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District Team.
The eight honorees are the most-ever for the program and mark a fourth consecutive year where C-N has had at least six players recognized.
Carson-Newman's eight representatives are b-back Josh Adams, offensive lineman Henry Bertucci, linebacker Isaac Bohleber, a-back Cam Ferguson, wide receiver Cade Meeks, tight end Kade Parker, linebacker Brady Weatherly and quarterback Zane Whitson.
Meeks earns the honor for a third consecutive season, while Ferguson, Bohleber, Parker and Whitson are all two-time honorees.
Adams appeared in all 10 games as a reserve b-back for C-N with one start. He carried the ball 12 times for 37 yards on the year, topping out with a 20-yard day against UVA Wise.
Bertucci was partly responsible for C-N leading the SAC in rushing for a second straight year. The Eagles averaged 245.7 yards per game on the ground – 10th best nationally. Furthermore, C-N was tops in the SAC in fewest sacks allowed and seventh nationally (0.8 per game), while ranking fourth in the league in fewest tackles for loss allowed (4.50 per game). Bertucci helped clear the way for eight different players to rush for at least 100 yards on the year. He started all 10 games at right tackle for C-N.
Bohleber appeared in all 10 games for C-N with a start on senior day against Tusculum. Bohleber closed up shop on his C-N career with a career-best in tackles and the Tennessee Sportswriters Association state defensive player of the week honor in that start. The senior turned in a 10-tackle performance in Carson-Newman's 26-0 Senior Day shutout of Tusculum. The Knoxville, Tenn.-product had the only double-digit tackle day by an Eagle all season in the win. Five of his stops were of the solo variety, while he also logged a half tackle for loss. The Eagles limited the Pioneers to 189 yards of offense en route to their first shutout since 2022 and their first over Tusculum since 2005. Bohleber finished the year with 22 tackles and 1.5 stops for loss.
Ferguson was third on the team in all-purpose yardage in 2025. He amassed 500 yards, 159 on the ground, 91 through the air and 250 on kick returns. Ferguson found the end zone twice, both times catching passes. He snagged a nine-yard TD against West Virginia State and had a 32-yarder against UVA Wise. His long reception was 37 yards against Catawba. On the ground, he topped out at 63 yards rushing on eight carries at Newberry.
Meeks appeared in all 10 games for C-N with starts in four contests. Meeks was third on the team in receiving yards, catching seven passes for 164 yards and two scores. He had a long TD of 45 yards. Meeks topped out at 64 yards against Lenoir-Rhyne.
Parker appeared in all 10 games as a tight end and special teamer for C-N. He caught two passes for 37 yards in the opener against West Virginia State.
A reserve linebacker for the Eagles, Weatherly finished the year with 21 tackles in nine games. Weatherly was most active in the Eagles' finale when he produced a career-best eight tackles in the Eagles' shutout win over Tusculum
A two-time SAC Player of the Week honoree on the year, Whitson was the team's leading rusher. He accounted for 583 yards on the ground and eight rushing TDs – averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Through the air, he completed 27-of-47 passes for 503 yards and six scores. Whitson was hyper efficient with what he did with the football in a 35-14 Homecoming win over UVA Wise. The senior signal-caller scored five touchdowns on 12 total offensive attempts while rushing for 133 yards and passing for 61. He scored three rushing touchdowns and two via the air. The three rushing TDs are the first hattrick of rushing scores for the program since Antonio Wimbush found the end zone three times against Tusculum in the regular season finale of 2019. The five totals TDs are the most since Derrick Evans scored a school record five rushing touchdowns at Lenoir-Rhyne in 2017. Whitson carried the ball nine times for 133 yards for his second career 100-yard rushing performance and the 386th all-time 100-yard rushing performance in school history. He was 2-for-3 through the air for the two scores and 61 yards. He finished with 194 yards of total offense. The Dobyns-Bennett product scored on rushing touchdowns of one, 60 and four yards. His passing touchdowns went for 29 yards to Don Bradley and 32 yards to Cam Ferguson. He also earned player of the week honors after beating Lenoir-Rhyne. Whitson is Carson-Newman's first quarterback to be named offensive player of the week by the conference office in more than 10 years, since De'Andre Thomas on Sept. 29, 2014. Thomas was recognized with player of the week honors three times in his career. Whitson was instrumental in guiding Carson-Newman to a 24-7 win over No. 19/17 Lenoir-Rhyne. The Dobyns-Bennett product became the first C-N QB to rush for more than 150 yards in a game since 2019. Derrick Evans was the last to do so, accomplishing the feat against Catawba on Oct. 12, 2019. Whitson tallied 177 yards on the ground with two touchdowns on 22 carries. Whitson turned in the 46th all-time 100-yard rushing performance by a C-N QB. Whitson had exactly 300 yards of total offense when factoring in his 7-of-9 day through the air for 123 yards passing. He completed a 45-yard pass to Cade Meeks for a third TD on the day. The senior's 63-yard fourth quarter run following a second lightning delay sealed the game for the Eagles.
