FRANKFORT, Ky. — Seven Kentucky State football student-athletes earned 2026 Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Preseason All-Conference honors, including first-team selections Darius Cyprian and Lawrence McConnell.
 
The honors follow a 2025 season in which Kentucky State finished 9-3 overall and 7-1 in conference play. The Thorobreds won nine of their final 10 regular-season games, including a 55-0 victory at Lane, before closing the season in the NCAA DII Playoffs at Newberry.
 
Cyprian earned first-team recognition at wide receiver after playing in all 12 games and making seven starts. He caught 42 passes for a team-high 903 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 21.5 yards per reception and 75.3 receiving yards per game. Cyprian also returned four kickoffs for 89 yards and finished with 990 all-purpose yards.
 
His season was highlighted by a 254-yard, three-touchdown performance against Clark Atlanta, both individual game highs for Kentucky State in 2025.
 
McConnell was named to the first-team defense after appearing in all 12 games with seven starts. He finished second on the team with 70 tackles, including 44 solo stops, and added four interceptions for 81 return yards, three pass breakups, 1.5 tackles for loss, a half-sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
 
McConnell also scored a touchdown and totaled 81 interception return yards during the season.
 
Offensive lineman Adam Badwan, defensive lineman Jordan Diggins, linebackers Kendrick Curry and Elijah Henderson, and defensive back Tray Blackmon Jr. earned second-team recognition.
 
Badwan played in nine games and made seven starts along the Kentucky State offensive line. He was part of a unit that helped the Thorobreds average 386.5 yards and 34.3 points per game while producing 1,781 rushing yards and 2,857 passing yards.
 
Diggins appeared in 11 games with seven starts and recorded 33 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss and four sacks. His 10.5 tackles for loss ranked among the team leaders.
 
Curry played in all 12 games and made seven starts. He totaled 35 tackles, including 15 solo stops, with a half-tackle for loss and a half-sack.
 
Henderson appeared in nine games with one start and finished with 31 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks and one interception, which he returned 16 yards.
 
Blackmon played in all 12 games and made seven starts in the secondary. He recorded 37 tackles, seven tackles for loss, two sacks, one interception for 27 yards and five pass breakups. He also returned two punts for 35 yards and scored one touchdown during the season.
 
The seven honorees helped Kentucky State's defense produce 31 sacks, 79 tackles for loss and 16 interceptions in 2025. The Thorobreds outscored opponents 412-272 and held five opponents to 17 points or fewer.
 
Kentucky State was selected to finish fifth in the conference's 2026 predicted order of finish.
 
Follow KSU Sports   
For complete coverage of Kentucky State Athletics, follow the Thorobreds on social media @KYSUAthletics (X), @ksuthletics (Instagram), Kentucky State Athletics (Facebook) or visit the official home of Kentucky State Athletics at ksuthorobreds.com.