Four Cougars Named All-MWC

COLORADO Springs, Colo. (Nov. 30, 2010) - BYU senior safety Andrew Rich, senior defensive lineman Vic So'oto and junior offensive lineman Matt Reynolds were named All-Mountain West Conference First Team and junior running back JJ Di Luigi was named All-MWC Second Team as announced by the conference on Tuesday.

In addition, seven BYU players received All-MWC honorable mention. Senior wide receiver Luke Ashworth, senior kicker Mitch Payne, senior linebacker Shane Hunter and senior defensive back Brian Logan joined offensive linemen Jason Speredon, Terence Brown and Braden Hansen in receiving recognition.

"Our players honored are all very deserving,” said BYU head coach Bronco Mendenhall. “This recognition highlights their strong contributions to our football team.”

The first-team recognition is the second straight for Reynolds, an anchor at left tackle who started every game of his career for the Cougars, and has received top grades every game while giving up just one sack this season. Among offensive first-teamers, Reynolds is one of four repeat selections and the only junior on the squad.

Joining Reynolds as a two-year honoree is fellow team captain Rich, a second-team All-MWC selection last season. The senior safety leads BYU in tackles, solo tackles, assisted tackles, interceptions, forced fumbles, fumble recoveries and pass breakups.

Also on the defensive first team, So'oto earned his first all-conference award of his career. So'oto is first on the team and third in the conference in solo tackles-for-loss while also leading BYU in sacks and quarterback hurries.

Di Luigi, the Cougars' lone second-team selection and a first-year conference honoree, is second among all MWC players in receiving and rushing yards combined and was third in the conference in rushing yards per game and all-purpose yards per game.

BYU led all teams with seven honorable mentions, all of whom earned their first conference honors.

TCU quarterback Andy Dalton was chosen as the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year and TCU kick returner Jeremy Kerley earned the MWC Special Teams Player of the Year award, each for the second-straight season. The Horned Frogs swept the top three awards, with TCU’s Tank Carder named MWC Defensive Player of the Year

San Diego State running back Ronnie Hillman was named MWC Freshman of the Year while his coach, Brady Hoke, earned the MWC Coach of the Year award.

The All-MWC teams and individual award winners were selected by a vote of the league’s head coaches and a media panel.

2010 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL FIRST TEAM
Offense
Pos.  Player             Cl.   School
QB    Andy Dalton*#      Sr.   TCU
WR    Vincent Brown      Sr.   San Diego State
WR    DeMarco Sampson    Sr.   San Diego State
RB    Ronnie Hillman     Fr.   San Diego State
RB    Ed Wesley          So.   TCU
TE    Lucas Reed         So.   New Mexico
OL    Matt Reynolds*     Jr.   BYU
OL    Jake Kirkpatrick   Sr.   TCU
OL    Marcus Cannon*     Sr.   TCU
OL    Caleb Schlauderaff Sr.   Utah
OL    Zane Taylor        Sr.   Utah
PK    Joe Phillips       Sr.   Utah
PR/KR Jeremy Kerley**    Sr.   TCU
Defense
Pos.  Player             Cl.   School
DL    Vic So’oto         Sr.   BYU
DL    Guy Miller         Sr.   Colorado State
DL    Wayne Daniels#     Sr.   TCU
DL    Christian Cox      Sr.   Utah
LB    Miles Burris       Jr.   San Diego State
LB    Tank Carder        Jr.   TCU
LB    Tanner Brock       So.   TCU
DB    Reggie Rembert*    Sr.   Air Force
DB    Andrew Rich        Sr.   BYU
DB    Leon McFadden      So.   San Diego State
DB    Tejay Johnson      Sr.   TCU
P     Brian Stahovich    Jr.   San Diego State
*--Two-Time First-Team Selection
**--Three-Time First-Team Selection
#--Unanimous Selection
2010 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST FOOTBALL SECOND TEAM
Offense
Pos.  Player            Cl.    School
QB    Ryan Lindley      Jr.    San Diego State
WR    Jeremy Kerley     Sr.    TCU
WR    Jereme Brooks     Sr.    Utah
RB    Asher Clark       Jr.    Air Force
RB    JJ Di Luigi       Jr.    BYU
TE    Gavin Escobar     Fr.    San Diego State
OL    A.J. Wallerstein  Jr.    Air Force
OL    Chase Darden      Sr.    Air Force
OL    Paul Madsen       Jr.    Colorado State
OL    Trask Iosefa      Sr.    San Diego State
OL    Tony Bergstrom    Jr.    Utah
PK    Abel Perez        Jr.    San Diego State
PR/KR Shaky Smithson    Sr.    Utah
Defense
Pos.  Player            Cl.    School
DL    Rick Ricketts     Sr.    Air Force
DL    Cory Grant        Sr.    TCU
DL    Stansly Maponga   Fr.    TCU
DL    Josh Biezuns      Jr.    Wyoming
LB    Mychal Sisson     Jr.    Colorado State
LB    Carmen Messina    So.    New Mexico
LB    Chaz Walker       Jr.    Utah
DB    Colin Jones       Sr.    TCU
DB    Jason Teague      Sr.    TCU
DB    Brandon Burton    Jr.    Utah
DB    Chris Prosinski   Sr.    Wyoming
P     Pete Kontodiakos  So.    Colorado State
2010 HONORABLE MENTION
Air Force: Jon Davis, Jr., DB; Tim Jefferson, Jr., QB; Jonathan Warzeka, Jr., WR/KR; Anthony Wright, Jr., DB.
BYU: Luke Ashworth, Sr., WR; Terence Brown, Jr., OL; Braden Hansen, So., OL; Shane Hunter, Sr., LB; Brian Logan, Sr., DB; Mitch Payne, Sr., K; Jason Speredon, Sr., OL.
Colorado State: Ricky Brewer; Sr., LB; Weston Richburg, Fr., OL.
New Mexico: James Aho, Jr., K; Byron Bell, Sr., OL; Bubba Forrest, Jr., DB.
San Diego State: Ernie Lawson, Sr., DL; Jose Perez, Sr., DB; Andrew Preston, Sr., DB. 
TCU: Evan Frosch, Sr., TE; D.J. Yendrey, So., DL; Jimmy Young, Sr., WR, TCU. 
UNLV: Will Chandler, Jr., DB; Matt Murphy, Sr., OL. 
Utah: Brian Blechen, Fr., DB; Lamar Chapman, Sr., DB; DeVonte Christopher, So., WR; Matt Martinez, Jr., LB; Sealver Siliga, Jr., DL.
Wyoming: Alvester Alexander, So., RB; Nick Carlson, So., OL; Tashaun Gipson, Jr., DB; Brian Hendricks, Jr., LB; Gabe Knapton, Jr., DL; Austin McCoy, Jr., P.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Andy Dalton, Sr., QB, TCU
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tank Carder, Jr., LB, TCU
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Jeremy Kerley, Sr., KR/PR, TCU
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR
Ronnie Hillman, RB, San Diego State
COACH OF THE YEAR
Brady Hoke, San Diego State