[2009 GNAC All-Stars]
MONMOUTH, Ore. - Western Oregon University placed 16 football student-athletes on the 2009 Great Northwest Athletic Conference All-Star Team, with seven earning first team honors, Monday, Nov. 9.
Jose Escobedo, Jon Dowd, Caleb Singleton and Sean Fullerton were all unanimous selections by the conference coaches. Escobedo started the first six games of the season for the Wolves at right tackle and captured his second straight All-GNAC honor. Dowd earned the first of his two all-conference honors as a kick returner after averaging 24.2 yards per return. Singleton grabbed his place on the All-GNAC first team for the second straight season as he finished third in the conference with 8.3 tackles per game and was tied for sixth with three interceptions. Fullerton ended the year as the league leader in catches (6.7) and receiving yards (83.8) per game.
Joining them on the first team were quarterback Josh Riddell, running back DJ Jackson and defensive tackle Kalani Zoller. Riddell was second in the conference with 249.5 yards of total offense per game to acheive his first all-conference honor. Jackson upgraded his second team selection in 2008 to a first team selection this season as he was second in the GNAC in rushing. Zoller was a force in the middle for the Wolves with 26 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss.
WOU also placed 10 student-athletes on the all-conference second team; three on offense, six on defense and one on special teams. Levi Smith and Sitani Tupou represented WOU on the defensive line. Tupou recorded 12 tackles and 4.5 tackles for loss from his defensive tackle position while Smith had 25 tackles, six tackles for loss and two sacks from the defensive end. Senior linebackers John Breza and Gavin Romanick each earned their first All-GNAC honor as they finish second and fourth on the team in tackles and tied for the lead with 7.5 tackles for loss. Fellow seniors Andy Jackson and Miguel Gonzalez were all-conference selections out of the WOU defensive backfield. Gonzalez ended the season with a team-best four interceptions while Jackson was third on the team with 77 tackles.
Other Wolves' on the second team included wide receiver Justin Ore with 27 receptions and offensive linemen Chester Anonson and Jason Slowey.
Jon Dowd was the only member of the 2009 squad to earn multiple all-conference honors this season as he hauled in second team punter returner to go with his first team kick returner selection.
Western Oregon's seven first team selections were the second-most in the league behind Central Washington with 13. The Wildcats also swept the major awards. Wide receiver Johnny Spevak and linebacker Buddy Wood were named the 2009 Offensive and Defensive Players-of-the-Year, respectively as linebacker Prince Hall was voted the GNAC Newcomer-of-the-Year, quarterback Ryan Robertson the GNAC Freshman-of-the-Year and Blaine Bennett, who guided the Wildcats to a perfect 11-0 record, the GNAC Coach-of-the-Year.
The seven first team selections matched its total from last season and the 10 second team selections were two more than last season.