BOCA RATON, Fla. – Junior LaJohntay Wester has been named the 2023 American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year and picks up AAC first team honors for both wide receiver and return specialist. Wester’s teammates Chaz Neal, Evan Anderson and Jarron Morris were also honored, as announced by the AAC today.
Wester’s regular-season efforts led the nation, as well as the AAC, wire-to-wire in receptions per game and finished the season No. 2 nationally in punt return TDs. He led the AAC in all-purpose yards (1,520), receiving yards (1,168), receiving yards per game (97.3), and in punt returns for a TD. The Palmetto, Florida native rewrote the FAU record book in the process. (See below for full list of FAU Records)
Neal picked up second team honors after guiding a starting offensive line unit that was one of nine nationally to start each of the 12 regular-season games. Neal closed out his collegiate career by seeing action in 54 games, both at Florida Atlantic (35 games played) and Florida State (19).
Two Owls, both defensive, were honored as third team AAC selections. Junior nose tackle Evan Anderson, who played and started in every 2023 contest, tallied 58 tackles on the year, including 5.5 for a loss of 18 yards,3.5 of which were credited as sacks. Anderson also earned three hurries, a pass breakup, a fumble recovery, and the Orlando native also blocked one kick.
Newcomer defensive back Jarron Morris, a graduate transfer, made the best of his time at Florida Atlantic leading the defense in tackles for a loss (7.5-23 yards), interceptions (3-72 return yards including a pick-six), pass breakups (six), and forced fumbles (two), and he led much of the season in total tackles (85) but was just edged out for total tackles in the final game.
ETCHED IN THE RECORD BOOKS
LaJohntay Wester in the FAU Record Books
| Career | Rank | Total | Record |
| Pass Reception Yards | #1 | 2,703 | |
| Pass Receptions | #1 | 252 | |
| Pass Reception TDs | #1 | 21 | |
| Receptions Per Game | #1 | 5.6 | |
| All-Purpose Yards | #2 | 3,841 | 4,961 |
| Touchdowns Scored | #4 | 24 | 67 |
| Punt Return Yards | #2 | 632 | 822 |
| Punt Returns | #3 | 57 | 80 |
| Punt Return TDs | #T2 | 1 | 2 |
| Average Yards/punt return | #3 | 11.1 | 15.60 |
| Single Season | Rank | Total | All-Time Record |
| Pass Reception Yards | #1 | 1,168 | Third in history to record, 1,000+ (1,168) |
| Receptions | #1 | First in history to tally more than 100 (108) | |
| Pass Reception TDs | #4 | 8 2Xs | 9 |
| Rec./game (10 games) | #1 | 9.0 | |
| All-Purpose Yards | #5 | 1,520 | 2,118 |
| Punt Return Yards | #3 | 278 | 311 |
| Punt Return TDs | #T1 | ||
| Average Yards/punt ret. | #1 (2023) | 19.9 | |
| #5 (2022) | 10.46 | ||
| Single Game | Rank | Total | All-Time Record |
| Most Passes Caught | #2 | 14 | 15 |
| #3 | 13 | 15 | |
| #T4 | 12 2Xs | 15 | |
| Most Receiving Yards | #1 | 219 (11 rec) | |
| Most TD receptions | #2 | 3 3Xs | |
| Most TDs Scored | #T4 | 4 | 5 |
| Longest Punt Returns | #3 | 67 | 75 |
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