SLIPPERY ROCK — The Slippery Rock University football program made history in 2014 — and celebrated it Sunday.

The annual Rock Football Banquet was held at the Robert M. Smith Student Center.

“The 2014 season will go down in history as the year the PSAC championship came back home to The Rock,” SRU coach George Mihalik said.

SRU won the PSAC football title game for the first time in 40 years. Numerous awards were dished out at the banquet to commemorate that season.

By player vote, running back Shamar Greene was named SRU's Offensive MVP while freshman defensive end Marcus Martin was named Defensive MVP. The two were high school teammates at West Mifflin.

Greene rushed for 1,482 yards — second highest single-season total in Rock history — and averaged 6.1 yards per carry.

“Shamar is obviously a great running back, but he's an even better person,” Rock assistant coach Frank Bongivengo said. “He will continue to do great things.”

Greene was a three-time PSAC West Player of the Week in 2014. Martin was a two-time selection. Martin also set the school's single-season sack record with 16 and had 22.5 tackles for loss.

“We had to red-shirt him (in 2013) and that just gave him the drive and determination to do more,” Rock defensive coordinator Shawn Lutz said. “Marcus is so hungry and driven. ... He wins every day.”

Martin shared credit for his award with the entire defense.

“Half of my sacks were coverage sacks,” he said. “And I was freed up to get to the quarterback because other guys were tying up blockers. No way did I do this by myself.”

Martin was presented a commemorative football in recognition of his sack record.

Special teams MVP was place-kicker Mike Wainauskis, who made a school-record 53 PATs in 2014 and booted 10 field goals.

Drew Scales received the Hoffman Homecoming MVP, accumulating 246 all-purpose yards against Seton Hill, including a 91-yard kick return for a touchdown to begin the game.

Scales' 685 yards in kickoff returns was second-most in program history for a single season.

Two Butler County products received special awards. Knoch graduate and sophomore receiver Alex Strezeski received the Dr. Richard McLachlan Award for commitment and pride in the program. Mars graduate and senior linebacker Austin Miele, the team's leading tackler, received the Robert DiSpirito Award for Rock pride.

Miele became the first player in Rock football history to be named first team all-conference at two positions. He was first team as a safety in 2013.

“The coaches here pushed me to my limits,” Miele said. “I'll always be grateful for that.”

Also winning special awards were offensive lineman Bill Whitaker and linebacker Levi Sager (dedication and hard work), Mike Grata (dedication to weight room), Brett Crenshaw and Cory Tucker (intense competitors), Kirk Nypaver (Coaches Award for performance on the field and classroom) and Sam Funk (James McElhaney Award for modesty, loyalty and kindness).

“Much of this game is about sacrifice,” Crenshaw said. “Shamar came along at running back, so I moved to special teams. Our tight ends were hurt, so I stepped in there.

“I didn't even know the plays. It didn't matter. You do what you have to do to win.”

Lutz recalled SRU's victory at Indiana, which came after consecutive losses left the team in danger of falling out of the Western Division race.

“We were definitely at a crossroads heading to IUP,” Lutz said. “Our running game controlled the line of scrimmage, our defense produced eight sacks and four interceptions.”

The team didn't lose another game until bowing to West Chester in the first round of the NCAA Division II playoffs.

“Three PSAC West titles in four years for these seniors isn't bad,” Mihalik said. “We still haven't won that national championship. But we'll get that done.”