Football

Bears’ Walker picks up top FCS national defensive award

UCA’s top defensive player will have another honor after winning conference honor joining Montana State QB as top FCS players

Published

3 months ago

January 2, 2025

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David Walker (Ted McClenning | AllBears+ Images)

CONWAY, Ark. — Central Arkansas senior David Walker was named FCS National Defensive Player of the Year on Thursday by the Division I Football Championship Subdivision Athletics Directors Association (FCS ADA).

Walker was joined by Montana State quarterback Tommy Mellott, who was the Offensive Player of the Year.

Walker, a 6-foot-2, 260-pound defensive end from Stuttgart, Ark., was the United Athletic Conference (UAC) Defensive Player of the Year, his third consecutive conference player of the year honor. Walker is one of three finalists for the Buck Buchanan Award, given annually to the top defensive player in the FCS subdivision. He was also a finalist in 2022.

Walker led the United Athletic Conference in tackles for loss (23.0) and sacks (10.5), setting the UCA career records in both categories with 31.0 sacks and 60.0 tackles for loss. For the season, Walker had 69 total tackles, forced four fumbles and recovered one and has six pass breakups.

Information from UCA Sports is included in this story.

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GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL RANKINGS
Following is the overall Top 10 girls high school basketball teams in Arkansas and the top five in Classes 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending January 5. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and last week's rankings:
OVERALL		Record	Pts	Prv
1.	Conway (19)	27-1	199	1
2.	Farmington (1)	23-1	180	2
3.	Green Co. Tech	24-2	134	3
4.	Springdale Har-Ber	23-4	128	4
5.	Fort Smith Northside	21-4	108	5
6.	Springdale	23-3	105	6
7.	Pulaski Academy	28-0	89	7
8.	Mountain Home	23-4	41	9
9.	Little Rock Central	18-6	39	8
10.	Vilonia	19-7	21	—
Others receiving votes: North Little Rock 17, Dover 11, Little Rock Christian 10, Valley View 8, West Side Greers Ferry 5, Marion 2, DeQueen 1, Nashville 1

CLASS 6A
1.	Conway (20)	28-1	100	1
2.	Springdale Har-Ber	23-4	67	2
3.	Fort Smith Northside	21-4	57	3
4.	Springdale	23-3	52	4
5.	Little Rock Central	18-6	19	5
Others receiving votes: North Little Rock 5.

CLASS 5A
1.	Farmington (20)	23-1	100	1
2.	Green Co. Tech	24-2	77	2
3.	Mountain Home	23-4	45	3
4.	Vilonia	19-7	34	4
5.	Little Rock Christian	21-4	23	5
Others receiving votes: Valley View 19, Marion 2.

CLASS 4A
1.	Pulaski Academy (20)	28-0	100	1
2.	DeQueen	26-1	80	2
3.	Nashville	20-7	54	3
4.	Watson Chapel	20-4	38	4
5.	Arkadelphia	17-6	125	—
Others receiving votes: Forrest City 7, Stuttgart 4, Brookland 3, Pottsville 1, Pea Ridge 1.

CLASS 3A
1.	Dover (20)	18-0	100	1
2.	Lamar	27-2	76	2
3.	Dumas	25-1	57	3
4.	Mountain View	22-7	31	4
5.	Harding Academy	20-2	14	—
Others receiving votes: Fouke 9, Elkins 4, Bergman 3, Centerpoint 3, Melbourne 1, Salem 1, Manila 1.

CLASS 2A
1.	Quitman (8)	27-1	83	1
2.	Riverside (6)	29-3	76	2
3.	Barton (6)	29-1	68	3
4.	Izard County	23-4	32	4
5.	Sloan-Hendrix	29-4	15	—
Others receiving votes: Poyen 14, Dierks 13, Cutter-Morning Star 1.

CLASS 1A
1.	West Side Greers Ferry (20)	32-3	100	1
2.	Earle	22-6	78	2
3.	Marked Tree	24-6	39	3
4.	Taylor	26-4	36	4
5.	Rural Special	27-6	32	5
Others receiving votes: Scranton 10, Jasper 4, Wonderview 1.

BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL RANKINGS
Following is the overall Top 10 boys high school basketball teams in Arkansas and the top five in Classes 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A and 1A as voted by a panel of sports media from around the state for the week ending January 5. Ranking is given with first-place votes received, records, total points and last week's rankings:
OVERALL		Record	Pts	Prv
1.	Springdale (15)	25-3	193	1
2.	Benton (3)	24-3	170	3
3.	Jonesboro (2)	23-3	167	2
4.	Little Rock Mills	26-1	139	4
5.	Bryant	17-9	118	5
6.	Maumelle	21-6	75	7
7.	Valley View	22-3	43	6
8.	Forrest City	22-2	40	8
	Fayetteville	19-7	40	9
	Harrison	23-5	40	10t
	Springdale Har-Ber	16-9	40	10t
Others receiving votes: Nettleton 14, North Little Rock 8, Little Rock Christian 8, Farmington 3, Bergman 1, Conway 1.

CLASS 6A
1.	Springdale (17)	25-3	97	1
2.	Jonesboro (3)	23-3	83	2
3.	Bryant	17-9	56	3
4.	Springdale Har-Ber	16-9	30	5
5.	Fayetteville	19-7	25	4
Others receiving votes: North Little Rock 9, Bentonville 1, Conway 1.

CLASS 5A
1.	Benton (20	24-3	100	1
2.	Maumelle	21-6	72	3
3.	Valley View	22-3	39	2
4.	Harrison	23-5	38	4
5.	Little Rock Christian	21-5	23	5
Others receiving votes: Nettleton 12, Farmington 11, Sylvan Hills 4, Marion 1.

CLASS 4A
1.	Little Rock Mills (20)	26-1	100	1
2.	Forrest City	22-2	78	2
3.	Magnolia	16-1	53	3
4.	Morrilton	19-7	27	4
5.	Little Rock Hall	18-6	25	5
Others receiving votes: Dardanelle 8, Joe T. Robinson 5, Blythevile 2, Brookland 1, Camden Fairview 1.

CLASS 3A
1.	Bergman (20)	32-2	100	1
2.	Lamar	24-3	73	2
3.	Osceola	19-6	53	3
4.	Subiaco Academy	20-4	30	5
5.	Elkins	26-4	18	4
	Lincoln	24-4	18	—
Others receiving votes: Melbourne 4, Dumas 2, Newport 2.

CLASS 2A
1.	England (18)	26-3	90	1
2.	Cedar Ridge (1)	24-5	65	2
3.	Riverside (1)	30-6	59	3
4.	Izard County	21-9	46	4
5.	Ozark Catholic	32-4	23	5
Others receiving votes: East Poinsett County 13, Mount Vernon-Enola 2, Sloan-Hendrix 1, Hackett 1.

CLASS 1A
1.	Earle (20)	17-3	100	1
2.	Marked Tree	22-5	70	2
3.	Nevada County	25-7	50	3
4.	County Line	25-5	34	4
5.	Jasper	25-7	13	5t
Others receiving votes: Brinkley 10, Clarendon 8, Dermott 7.

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Bears’ Walker picks up top FCS national defensive award

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Bears’ Walker picks up top FCS national defensive award

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Bears’ Walker picks up top FCS national defensive award

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