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 TEAMOffense
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
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