Four Eagles Named to All-MAC Football Team

CLEVELAND, Ohio--The Eastern Michigan University football team placed four players on the 2005 All-Mid-American Conference teams voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches.

EMU junior placekicker Andrew Wellock (North Canton, Ohio-Green) was named to the All-MAC first team for the second consecutive year. EMU junior defensive end Kevin Howe (Fruitport, Mich.-Grand Haven) and senior strong safety Rontrell Woodruff (Southfield, Mich.-Lathrup) were selected as second-team All-MAC players and junior linebacker Michael Richardson (Indianapolis, Ind.-Ben Davis-Harper (Ill.) Junior College) was selected honorable mention.

Wellock, the runner-up for the 2004 Lou Groza Award as the top placekicker in the NCAA-Division I-A ranks, finished the 2005 season as one of the top kickers in the nation. He made 18-of-25 field goals, including tying the school record for longest field goal with a 52 yarder at Buffalo (Nov. 19). He is EMU’s career field-goal leader with 53 during his first three seasons.

Howe turned in an outstanding junior season, starting all 11 games at defensive end and recording 55 tackles. He is currently ranked second in the Mid-American Conference in sacks (10.5-for-69), and is fourth in tackles-for-loss (16-for-85 yards). In addition, Howe had 11 quarterback hurries, three passes broken up and three forced fumbles.

Woodruff was one of the top defensive backs in the MAC in 2005. He started all 11 games at strong safety and is currently second in the MAC in tackles with 110. He also had four passes deflected and one interception.

Richardson earned a starting berth in his first season for the Eagles after transferring from Harper (Ill.) Junior College. He is currently sixth in the MAC in tackles with 102 (9.3 per game). He turned in a 43-yard interception for a touchdown in the season finale at Buffalo (Nov. 19).

ALL-MAC

A total of 17 all-conference selections were repeat from 2004. Jennings and Miami offensive lineman Todd Londot were honored with their third consecutive selection to the All-MAC team. Northern Illinois center Brian Van Acker and runningback Garret Wolfe, Central Michigan defensive lineman Dan Bazuin, Western Michigan tight end Tony Scheffler, Eastern Michigan placekicker Andrew Wellock and Miami defensive lineman Marcus Johnson were repeat first-team selections from 2004.

Those named first-team this season after a second-team listing in 2004 are offensive linemen Doug Free and Ben Lueck of Northern Illinois, linebacker Justin Parrish of Kent State and defensive back Darrell Hunter of Miami.

Also honored for the second consecutive season as an all-MAC selection are quarterback Omar Jacobs and offensive linemen Kory Lichtensteiger of Bowling Green, center Todd Londot and linebacker John Busing of Miami, Akron runningback Brett Biggs and Toledo linebacker Keon Jackson. Miami led all institutions with 11 all-conference selections while Northern Illinois and Toledo had eight each. Seven MAC schools had at least five representatives on the team.

First Team All-MAC Offense Center - Brian Van Acker, Northern Illinois, Sr., Crystal Lake, Ill.# Lineman - Nate Bunce, Miami, Sr., Hamilton, Ohio Lineman - Doug Free, Northern Illinois, Jr., Manitowoc, Wis.^ Lineman - Ben Lueck, Northern Illinois, Sr., Oswego, Ill.^ Lineman - John Greco, Toledo, So., Youngstown, Ohio Tight End - Tony Scheffler, Western Michigan, Sr., Chelsea, Mich. Wide Receiver - Martin Nance, Miami, Maryland Heights, Md. Wide Receiver - Sam Hurd, Northern Illinois, Sr., San Antonio, Texas Wide Receiver - Greg Jennings, Western Michigan, Sr., Kalamazoo, Mich.#@ Quarterback - Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo, Sr., Pittsburgh, Pa. Runningback - Garrett Wolfe, Northern Illinois, Jr., Chicago, Ill.# Runningback - Kalvin McRae, Ohio, So., Decatur, Ga. Runningback - Trinity Dawson, Toledo, Sr., Tulsa, Okla. Placekicker - Andrew Wellock, Eastern Michigan, Jr., Canton, Ohio#

First Team All-MAC Defense Outside Linebacker - John Busing, Miami, Sr., Alpharetta, Ga.^ Outside Linebacker - Mike Alston, Toledo, Jr., Columbus, Ohio Inside Linebacker - Matt Muncy, Ohio, Jr., Miamisburg, Ohio Inside Linebacker - Ameer Ismail, Western Michigan, Jr., Holland, Mich. Down Lineman - Dan Bazuin, Central Michigan, Jr., McBain, Mich.# Down Lineman - Justin Parrish, Kent State, Sr., Landover Hills, Md.^ Down Lineman - Marcus Johnson, Miami, Sr., Youngstown, Ohio# Down Lineman - Quince Holman, Northern Illinois, Sr., Woodridge, Ill. Defensive Back - Darrell Hunter, Miami, Sr., Middletown, Ohio^ Defensive Back - Ray Smith, Northern Illinois, Sr., Crown Point, Ind. Defensive Back - Dion Byrum, Ohio, Sr., Matthews, N.C. Defensive Back - Keon Jackson, Toledo, Sr., East Chicago, Ill.^@ Punter - Chris Miller, Ball State, Fr., Libertyville, Ill.

Second Team All-MAC Offense Center - Todd Londot, Miami, Sr., Utica, Ohio^ Lineman - Kory Lichtensteiger, Bowling Green, So., Van Wert, Ohio^ Lineman - Derrick Markray, Bowling Green, Jr., Detroit, Mich. Lineman - Jeff Jenerou, Central Michigan, Sr., Manistique, Mich. Lineman - Mark Kracium, Miami, Sr., New Craslile, Ohio Tight End - Jake Nordin, Northern Illinois, Jr., Lake Lilian, Minn. Tight End - Chris Hopkins, Toledo, Jr., Chicago, Ill. Wide Receiver - Domenik Hixon, Akron, Sr., Columbus, Ohio Wide Receiver - Charles Sharon, Bowling Green, Sr., Palatak, Fla. Wide Receiver - Ryne Robinson, Miami, Jr., Toledo, Ohio Quarterback - Omar Jacobs, Bowling Green, Jr., Delray Beach, Fla.# Running Backs - Brett Biggs, Akron, Sr., Bartow, Fla.^ Runningback - Brandon Murphy, Miami, Jr., Strongsville, Ohio Running Backs - Trovon Riley, Western Michigan, Sr., Kankakee, Ill. Placekicker - Todd Soderquist, Miami, Sr., College Grove, Tenn. Placekicker - Jason Robbins, Toledo, Sr., Sylvania, Ohio

Second Team All-MAC Defense Outside Linebacker - Brion Stokes, Akron, So., Charlotte, N.C. Outside Linebacker - Isaac Brown, Central Michigan, Jr., Saginaw, Mich. Inside Linebacker - Thomas Keith, Central Michigan, Jr., Franklin, Ga. Inside Linebacker - Anthony Jordan, Toledo, Sr., Whitehall, Ohio Lineman - Kiki Gonzalez, Akron, Sr., Elizabeth, N.J. Lineman - Blair Kramer, Ball State, Sr., Maumee, Ohio Lineman - Kevin Howe, Eastern Michigan, Jr., Fruitport, Mich. Lineman - Danny Muir, Kent State, Sr., Lanham, Md. Defensive Back - Terrill Mayberry, Bowling Green, Jr., Farmington Hills, Mich. Defensive Back - Rontrell Woodruff, Eastern Michigan, Sr., Southfield, Mich. Defensive Back - Joey Card, Miami, Jr., Canton, Ohio Defensive Back - Louis Delmas, Western Michigan, Fr., North Miami Beach, Fla. Punter - Josh Brazen, Kent State, Sr., Ada, Ohio

Honorable Mention Punter - Matthew Miller, Ohio, Sr., Westerville, Ohio Running Back - Ontario Sneed, Central Michigan, Fr., Decatur, Ill. Outside Linebacker - Michael Richardson, Eastern Michigan, Jr., Indianapolis, Ind. Inside Linebacker - Jay Rohr, Akron, Sr., Massilon, Ohio

Specialty Awards Coach of the Year - Bill Cubit, Western Michigan Offensive Player of the Year - Greg Jennings, Western Michigan Defensive Player of the Year - Dan Bazuin, Central Michigan Freshman of the Year - Tim Hiller, Western Michigan Special Teams Player of the Year - Jason Robbins, Toledo Vern Smith Leadership Award Winner - Bruce Gradkowski, Toledo, and Greg Jennings, Western Michigan

# a 2004 first-team all-MAC selection ^ a 2004 second-team all-MAC selection @ a 2003 second-team all-MAC selection

Note - The All-MAC team was voted on by the league's 12 head coaches. The specialty awards were voted on by the MAC News Media Association. The first-team and second team offense are comprised of 28 selections, the first-team and second team defense 26 selections, and honorable mention six selections for a total of 60 all-MAC student-athletes. Ties resulted in two tight ends and two placekickers on second team. The Vern Smith Leadership Award was voted by a panel comprised of league head coaches and a select group of media representatives.

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