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ST. LOUIS — Highlighted by a four-time all-conference player and a league offensive player of the year finalist, Missouri State landed seven players on the All-Missouri Valley Football Conference Team, announced by the league on Monday.
Coach Ryan Beard’s 2023 honorees were: first-team selections Raylen Sharpe (WR, Allen, Texas) and Grant Burkett (P, Joplin, Mo.); second-teamers Todric McGee (S, Wichita, Kan.) and Jacardia Wright (RB, Decatur, Ill.); and honorable mention standouts Caden Bolz (LS, Overland Park, Kan.), Devin Goree (DL, Denton, Texas) and Hutson Lillibridge (OL, St. Louis, Mo.).
It is Burkett’s fourth-time on the All-MVFC squad, including his third straight year as a first-team honoree, while Bolz is an All-MVFC selection for the second season in a row. Likewise, Burkett, Bolz and Wright were on the 2023 Preseason All-MVFC team in August.
Sharpe finished fourth in the MVFC Offensive Player of the Year voting, also voted on by the league’s head coaches, communications personnel and media representatives.
A synopsis of Missouri State’s All-MVFC selections (alphabetical):
Caden Bolz (LS, Jr. Overland Park, Kan.)
Bolz was perfect on 93 long-snap opportunities this season, including 43 extra point tries, 37 punts and 13 field goal attempts … Primary snapper for the Bears the last four seasons … Earned All-MVFC honorable mention distinction in 2022 and was a Phil Stele Preseason All-America honoree in 2023 as well as a Preseason All-MVFC honoree.
Grant Burkett (P, Jr., Joplin, Mo.)
Burkett’s 43.97 season punting average led the MVFC and (currently) ranks 6th nationally, while his 44.1 career average leads all active FCS punters … Led the Bears to a No. 9 national ranking in net punting (41.08), while booting 11 punts of 50-plus yards this season on 35 total attempts … Posted a 49.2 average at No. 1 SDSU (11/18) with two 50+ kicks in season finale in Brookings … Also averaged 48.4 yards on 5 punts vs. Murray State (10/21/23) and 48.0 yards on 2 punts vs. NDSU (10/7/23) at home … FCS Punter of the Year Award finalist … All-MVFC punter in 2020, 2021 and 2022 and an AP All-America honoree in 2021 and 2022.
Devin Goree (DL, Jr., Denton, Texas)
Goree played in all 11 games with 36 total tackles and 12 solos stops … He led the team with 8.5 tackles for loss, 5.5 sacks, 9 quarterback hurries on the season … Ranks 9th in MVFC and 64th nationally in sacks per game (0.50) … Earned MVFC Defensive Player of the Week after posting 8 tackles vs. Murray (10/21/23) with 2.5 sacks … Also racked up 7 tackles vs. UNI (11/11/23) with 3 QB hurries and posted 3.0 sacks at Western Illinois (10/14/23).
Hutson Lillibridge (OL, So., St. Louis, Mo.)
The Tulane transfer made an immediate impact on the Bears offensive line, starting the first 5 games at center and the last 6 games at right guard … He averaged a 97 percent assignment grade, 94 percent effort grade and 86 percent technique grade on the season … He also recorded 10 knock-down blocks as well as 6 touchdown blocks.
Todric McGee (S, So., Wichita, Kan.)
Became Missouri State’s first player to eclipse 100 tackles in a season since 2021 with 102 total stops and 59 solo tackles (both team highs) in 11 games … Is the MVFC leader in solo tackles per game (5.36), which ranks 13th nationally, while he is currently 2nd in Valley in total tackles per game (9.27) which is 22nd among all FCS defenders … He also posted a pair of interceptions, 8 passes defended, 2 fumble recoveries, and a pair of quarterback QB hurries on the season with five games with double-figure tackles … He logged a season-best 15 tackles at UT Martin (9/9/23) with 3 pass breakups, then matched that with 15 tackles vs. Illinois State (11/4/23) with 9 solo stops … Brought down 13 ball carriers vs. NDSU (10/7/23) with a TFL and PBU … Also had 12 stops at Kansas (9/1/23) with 10 solos and fumble recovery.
Raylen Sharpe (WR, Jr., Allen, Texas)
Sharped pulled in a school-record 73 receptions in 2023 for 991 yards and 7 touchdowns … His receiving yardage ranks No. 2 in MSU single-season history … Averaged league-best 99.1 receiving yards per game, which is No. 3 in FCS, while his 7.3 receptions per game is also tops in the MVFC and No. 5 nationally … He matched another school-record with six 100-yard receiving games on the season, including 11 receptions for 160 yards and 2 TDs vs. UNI (11/11/23) … Recorded 13 catches for 153 yards and a touchdown vs. NDSU (10/7/23) … Snagged 7 receptions for 142 yds and a TD at UT Martin (9/9/23) … Earned MVFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for Illinois State game (11/4/23) with 7 catches for 105 yards and a pair of TDs … Also ranks 30th nationally in all-purpose yards per game (110.8), which is 2nd in the Valley.
Jacardia Wright (RB, Jr., Decatur, Ill.)
Wright ranks 5th in the MVFC with 69.6 rushing yards per game, while his 4.7 yards per carry rank 6th … In 10 games, Wright tallied 147 rushing attempts for 696 yards and 6 touchdowns … He also finished 5th in the MVFC in all-purpose yards per game (96.70) and 14th in total touchdowns (7) … He had a season-best 22 carries for 163 yards and a pair of touchdowns in win at Western Illinois (10/14/23) … He carried 19 carries for 77 yards and 2 touchdowns vs. Illinois State (11/4/23).
