Fowlkes Named SoCon Male Athlete of the Year

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S.C. — A year full of honors and accolades culminated for former Appalachian State University wide
receiver DaVon Fowlkes on Wednesday when he was named the Southern Conference’s 2004-05 Bob Waters Male Athlete of the
Year.

A Fort Wayne, Ind. native who graduated from Appalachian with a bachelor’s degree in information systems in December, Fowlkes
becomes just the fourth Mountaineer to receive the honor in the 58 years of the prestigious award. Rick Beasley, who saw many
of his receiving records surpassed by Fowlkes last season, garnered the award in 1979-80, while running back John Settle earned
the honor in 1986-87 and current St. Louis Rams’ linebacker Dexter Coakley claimed back-to-back Bob Waters Awards in 1995-96
and ‘96-97.

Fowlkes rewrote the Appalachian and Southern Conference record books in 2004 with 103 receptions, 1,618 receiving yards and
2,313 all-purpose yards. He led I-AA nationally in all three categories and fell just 94 yards shy of the national record of 1,712
receiving yards set by Delaware’s Eddie Conti in 1998.

Now a member of the NFL’s Indianapolis Colts, Fowlkes raked in the postseason honors following the sterling senior campaign.
Named the nation’s Offensive Player of the Year by I-AA.org and a consensus first-team all-American, Fowlkes also collected
SoCon Offensive Player of the Year and first-team all-conference accolades at both wide receiver and return specialist by the
league’s coaches and media. He finished third in balloting for the Walter Payton Award, given to the nation’s top player by The
Sports Network.

Fowlkes also earned national Player of the Week honors on three occasions, after racking up a SoCon-record 343 all-purpose
yards and an ASU record-tying four touchdowns at nationally ranked Northwestern State on Sept. 25, hauling in 15 receptions
for 202 yards to help lead the Apps to a 38-17 victory over No. 5 Wofford on Oct. 23 and catching a school-record 17 passes for a
SoCon-record 280 yards in a triumph over Elon on Nov. 6.

He closed his collegiate career as ASU’s all-time leader with 204 career receptions, while his 3,049 receiving yards and 25 touchdown
catches rank second on the school’s career lists. He is also the SoCon’s all-time leader with 1,276 career punt return yards.
Davidson basketball swingman Brendan Winters, who led the Wildcats to a 16-0 conference record, the SoCon South Division title
and a spot in the NIT, was the runner-up for the award. Randi Patterson of UNC Greensboro, who was the SoCon’s men’s soccer
Player of the Year and an all-American, finished third.

Fowlkes’ mother, Cryst, will receive the award on behalf of DaVon at Wednesday evening’s Southern Conference Honors Dinner in
Hilton Head Island, S.C. DaVon is unable to attend the ceremony due to his obligations with the Colts, who he signed a freeagent
contract with in April.

On the women’s side, Appalachian’s Stefanie Panzer finished third in SoCon Female Athlete of the Year voting. The 6-1 middle
blocker, who returns for her senior season in 2005, earned SoCon Player of the Year and honorable mention all-America recognition
after leading the Mountaineers to a 26-8 record and a SoCon North Division championship in ‘04.