ASWA: Quarterback Andrew Body Named Alabama Small College Athlete of the Year

Quarterback Andrew Body knows a little something about generating offense.

In high school in Corpus Christi, Texas, Body threw for 13,000 yards in his career — tied for third all-time in state history — and led an offense that averaged more than 55 points a game. He signed with Texas Southern and demonstrated his talent at the college level.

In 2024, he transferred to Alabama State and, last season, took over the Hornets’ offense, helping lead the team to its first 10-win season in 21 years. He earned Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) Offensive Player of the Year honors even though an injury during the season limited him to just eight games.

The awards didn’t stop there. Body was named the Stats Perform HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities) National Player of the Year and the BOXTOROW National Offensive Player of the Year.

The Alabama Sports Writers Association (ASWA) also recognized his contributions and will present Body with its Small College Athlete of the Year award this Sunday at its annual awards banquet at Jacksonville State University.

The banquet and convention are both presented by ALFA Insurance, the Mobile Sports Authority, the Panini Senior Bowl, the Paul W. Bryant Museum, the Alabama High School Athletic Association and Jacksonville State University.

“Andrew Body has exemplified what it means to endure,” Alabama State head coach Eddie Robinson Jr. said. “He has overcome numerous injuries and setbacks during his college career. He has never complained and leads by example in everything he does.”

Last season, Body completed 70.6 percent of his passes, throwing for 1,770 yards and 20 touchdowns. He was intercepted only once. He also rushed for 518 yards and four more scores. Against arch-rival Alabama A&M in the annual Magic City Classic, Body put on a show. He was responsible for six touchdowns in the game. In a loss to Jackson State, he tallied 442 total yards. He was named SWAC Offensive Player of the Week three times and HBCU National Player of the Week twice.

He led the SWAC in touchdown passes (20) and points responsible for (144) while finishing second in pass completion percentage (70.6).

Perhaps just as notable for Alabama State fans, Body returns for his senior season in 2026.

“Honestly, I would say the team camaraderie,” Body said when asked what stands out most about last season for him. “… So really just the relationships that we built outside of the field really transitioned directly to the field. God opened some doors. He closed some doors.”

He said he found Alabama State was the right fit for him in a number of ways.

“Throughout that process, it was a little stressful, just because I was coming off an injury that season as well,” Body said. “Really, Alabama State just gave me an opportunity, and I just kind of took it and ran with it. … I tell anybody in recruiting, you’ve got to go where you feel loved and where you're liked at the most, because you can't really go somewhere and they're not really showing you love. So I just went where the love was, where I felt like was right, and God then confirmed it, and I just stepped into it full-fledged.”

He said he is honored to be selected the ASWA Small College Athlete of the Year.

“I wouldn't say any award is bigger than anything else, because at the end of the day, it is a privilege to be able to get recognized and just be able to let people kind of just acknowledge the work that you put in,” Body said. “So, I wouldn't rank any award that I got this past season above any other, but I'm most definitely grateful and thankful because things like this, people kind of take for granted and kind of expect it. I don't take it for granted at all because I know this game can get taken away in the snap of a finger.”

Body said he was proud to be part of the first 10-win season for the Hornets in more than two decades, but he wants more for his team

“It's a blessing to be a part of, but it ain't good enough,” he said. “We didn't win the championship. We didn't get to the championship. So, winning 10 games is amazing and doing some history for the program, but the real history that I want to make is winning the championship.”

— Story by Tommy Hicks, Lagniappe

Small College Athlete of the Year

2025 Andrew Body
2024 Tommy Murr
2023 Ezra McKenna
2022 Chaney Johnson
2021 Micah Morgan
2020 Liam Welch
2019 Robert Shufford
2018 Nicole Federovitch
2017 Hary Satterwhite
2016 Jacob Tucker
2015 Jewell Ratliff
2014 Chloe Richards
2013 Deonica McCormick
2012 Jaime Smith
2011 Chloe Roberts
2011 Brett Munson
2009 Michael Johnson
2009 A.J. Milwee
2007 Jacary Atkinson
2005 Laura Bellinger
2005 James Hall
2004 Vanessa Ferretti
2003 Will Hall
2002 Douglas Hargett
2001 Bobby Wilson
2000 Tony Cappola
1999 Eric Campbell
1998 Sam Lee
1997 Ronda Price
1996 James Cason
1995 Roland McKinnon
1994 Ronald McKinnon
1993 Tyrone Rush
1992 Danny Lee
1991 Tim VanEgmond
1990 James Davis
1989 Barry Wagner
1988 Jeff Branson
1987 Mike Turk
1986 Stewart Lee
1985 Melvin Allen
1984 Darryl Smith
1983 Scott Whaley

Alabama Crimson Tide On SI/BamaCentral is the online home of the Alabama Sports Writers Association.

Sign up for our free newsletter and follow us on Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Threads, and Blue Sky for the latest news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google