Notre Dame College football running back Jaleel McLaughlin has been named the Mountain East Conference (MEC) Male Athlete of the Year for 2019.
This is the second consecutive year that a Notre Dame student-athlete has won the award after Will Vorhees, men’s basketball, was honored last year. McLaughlin is the first sophomore and the first football player to win this award.
McLaughlin also was selected as the MEC Football Offensive Player of the Year Award and First Team All-MEC honors this season. He was runner-up for the Harlon Hill Award, received the National Offensive Player of the Year honor from D2Football.com and was recognized as First Team All-American by five outlets and First Team All-Region by two outlets.
“Jaleel is very deserving of this award, one of the hardest working players I have ever been around,” said Mickey Mental, Falcons football head coach. “His drive and passion to excel at a high standard is unmatched. Our program is very happy for him to be recognized as the top male athlete in this elite conference.”
Among active players in any of the NCAA divisions, McLaughlin is first in career rushing yards per game (169.2), career all-purpose yards per game (186.6) and career points per game (11.1).
Notre Dame’s starting running back led NCAA Division II in rushing yards, scoring, total touchdowns and all-purpose yards. McLaughlin also helped lead the Falcons to 12 total wins, a second consecutive MEC title and two wins in the NCAA Playoffs.
McLaughlin put together a historic season in 2019. He ran for 2,316 yards, recorded 146 kick return yards and totaled 64 receiving yards for a final number of 2,526 all-purpose yards. By the end of the season, he had totaled 33 touchdowns (30 rushing) and scored 198 total points, or 14.1 per game. McLaughlin rushed for over 200 yards in four separate games and scored at least three touchdowns in six games.
After playing 28 games over his first two seasons, the native of Marshville, N.C., already is at the top of the College’s career records in rushing touchdowns (48), rushing yards per game (169.2), all-purpose yards per game (186.6), total points scored (312) and touchdowns scored (52).
The MEC Male Athlete of the Year is selected by a vote of institutional administrators and the conference office.
July 2020
About Notre Dame College
For almost a century, Notre Dame College has educated a diverse population in the liberal arts for personal, professional and global responsibility. Founded by the Sisters of Notre Dame in 1922, the College has grown strategically to keep pace with the rapidly changing needs of students and the dramatic changes in higher education. But it has never lost sight of its emphasis on teaching students not only how to make a good living but also how to live a good life.
Today, the College offers bachelor’s degrees in 30 disciplines plus a variety of master’s degrees, certification programs and continuing and professional development programs for adult learners on campus and online. Notre Dame College offers NCAA Division II intercollegiate athletic programs for men and women and is located in a picturesque residential neighborhood just 25 minutes from the heart of Cleveland. Hallmarks of the Notre Dame experience include stimulating academics, personalized attention of dedicated faculty and staff, and small class sizes.
Notre Dame College is located at 4545 College Road in South Euclid. For further information contact pr@ndc.edu.