PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- For the sixth consecutive season, the Elon Phoenix football team has seen at least one of its members place in the top 20 in the balloting for the Walter Payton Award which is presented annually to the top player at the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level.  This season, senior wide receiver Aaron Mellette placed eighth in the voting.

Mellette, who earned one first-place vote, was a first-team All-Southern Conference selection by both the league's coaches and media members.  The Sanford, N.C., native concluded the season with a league-leading 108 points and 18 receiving touchdowns.  The TD catches are tied for the second-most ever in a single season in SoCon history.  In his senior year, Mellette caught 97 passes for 1,398 yards.  He led the SoCon and ranked second nationally in both receptions per game (8.82) and receiving yards per game (127.09).  He eclipsed 100 receiving yards in eight of Elon's 11 contests, including matching career-highs with 237 yards and three touchdowns against Appalachian State.  Mellette posted a six-game span in which he caught at least two touchdowns.

For his career in the maroon and gold, Mellette posted 4,254 receiving yards, 304 receptions, 44 touchdown catches and 23 100-yard games.  All of those numbers rank second in both Elon and Southern Conference history.

Since 2007, Elon has had at least one player in the top 20 of the final voting.  In 2007, wide receiver Terrell Hudgins placed 11th while quarterback Scott Riddle was 20th.  Hudgins finished 15th in 2008 before being the runner-up for the award in 2009.  In 2010, Riddle was 13 and last season Mellette finished fifth.

The top three candidates – Old Dominion quarterback Taylor Heinicke, Stony Brook running back Miguel Maysonet and Wofford fullback Eric Breitenstein – will attend the annual FCS Awards Banquet in Philadelphia, Pa., on Dec. 17 where the winner of the 26th Walter Payton Award will be announced.

Remaining Payton Votes (4-20)
4. Erik Lora, Eastern Illinois (7 first-place votes, 164 points)
5. Gavin McCarney, Colgate (15, 158)
6. Casey Brockman, Murray State (8, 139)
7. Zach Zenner, South Dakota State (4, 134)
8. Aaron Mellette, Elon (1, 88)
9. DeNarius McGhee, Montana State (3, 87)
10. Jimmy Garoppolo, Eastern Illinois (3, 84)
11. Wynrick Smothers, Central Arkansas (2, 77)
12. Shakir Bell, Indiana State (1, 57)
13. Timothy Flanders, Sam Houston State (2, 49)
14. Jamal Jackson, Appalachian State (1, 33)
15. Brad Sorensen, Southern Utah (0, 24)
16. Deonte Williams, Cal Poly (0, 22)
17. Zach Bauman, Northern Arizona (1, 19)
18. Terrance West, Towson (0, 13)
19. Matt Denham, Eastern Kentucky (0, 8)
20. Jamaine Cook, Youngstown State (1, 7)