Grand Island, Neb. – January 26, 2010 -- College Fanz™ Sports Network has announced the 2009 NAIA Football All-American team, as voted on by the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) football coaches and the College Fanz Football Game of the Week broadcast team. This is the ninth annual edition of the NAIA Football All-American team, which began in 2002 with Jason Dannelly and the Victory Sports Network (now part of College Fanz).College Fanz is the world’s largest online college sports community launched by ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen.

Lorenzo Brown, quarterback of the University of Sioux Falls, was named the Offensive Player of the Year while teammate Trevor Holleman, defensive back, was the Defensive Player of the Year.

“This year’s team is as solid as ever,” said Jason Dannelly, Director of College Relations for College Fanz. “The only difference this season was really the number of people that got to witness these great players because of the College Fanz NAIA Game of the Week broadcasts. Forty-three of the first and second team All-Americans appeared this season on our College Fanz Game of the Week broadcasts.”

Lorenzo Brown won the College Fanz Offensive Player of the Year award for the first time, while a student-athlete from Sioux Falls has now won the award three times. The 6-0, 200 lb. signal caller joins 2007 USF quarterback Chad Cavender as an award winner. Cavender won the award twice. Brown averaged 271 yards per game of total offense and 56 total touchdowns this season while completing 68 percent of his passes.

“Brown was the complete quarterback this season,” said Dannelly. “Through the air or on the ground, he was able to get into the end zone. His athleticism made him the toughest player to defend against in all of the NAIA.”

Sioux Falls Cougar defensive back Trevor Holleman captured the College Fanz Defensive Player of the Year honors after a year of big plays and even harder hits. Holleman finished the season with 49 solo tackles, 26 assisted tackled and seven interceptions.

“Holleman is just a complete defensive leader. He makes big plays, makes big hits when needed and instructs one of the best defenses in the country. There is no one else a coach would want to have in that position,” Dannelly said.

Coach of the Year honors went to Brian Ward of McPherson College in McPherson, Kan. Ward, a McPherson Alumnus, led the Bulldogs to their first ever college football postseason appearance this year finishing with a 9-2 record. Ward has just finished his third season with the Bulldogs.

“Brian Ward has done an outstanding job in building his alma mater into a team that is competitive nationally,” said Dannelly. “He’ll be the first to tell you they still have a long way to go before they get to their ultimate goal, but it is apparent after this season that Ward is one of the NAIA’s finest coaches.”

For the second year in a row, the University of Sioux Falls’ defensive coordinator Chuck Morrell has garnered the Assistant Coach of the Year honors. Morrell’s defense was one of the best in the NAIA again this past season, ranking first in scoring defense (10.5 points per game) and total defense (210.5 yards per game).

“Morrell is one of college football’s best defensive minds,” said Dannelly. “His squads are consistently at the top of the NAIA every season.”

The complete list of the College Fanz 2009 NAIA Football All-American team appears below.

College Fanz 2009 NAIA Football First-Team All-American

Pos Name School Yr Ht WT Hometown OL Brian Rohles Minot State Sr 6-4 275 Manteca, California OL Kyle Staudt Sioux Falls Sr 6-5 300 Charles City, Iowa OL Jeff Hynes Lindenwood Sr 6-1 288 Florissant, Missouri OL TJ Wendt Sioux Falls Sr 6-2 300 Harrisburg, South Dakota OL Matt Renfro Saint Xavier Sr 6-4 285 Rockford, Illinois WR Corey Schultz Ottawa Sr 6-3 180 Quenemo, Kansas WR Jerod Elmore MidAmerica Nazarene Sr 6-3 200 Edwards, Mississippi WR Beau Kildow Morningside Sr 5-10 170 Omaha, Nebraska RB Denodus O’Bryant Lindenwood Fr 5-9 180 Washington, Missouri RB A.J. Cooley Shorter Sr 6-1 230 Bowdon, Georgia RB Jake Peterson Morningside Sr 5-11 200 Armstrong, Iowa TE Byron Gettis McKendree Jr 6-3 265 Cahokia, Illinois QB Lorenzo Brown Sioux Falls Sr 6-0 200 Bristol, Connecticut ATH Bill McKeon Saint Xavier Sr 5-11 210 Joliet, Illinois DL Wacey Coleman Black Hills State Sr 6-2 235 Gillette, Wyoming DL Merlin Benefield Missouri Valley Sr 6-0 265 Harvey, Louisiana DL Lantz Mathers NW Oklahoma State Sr 6-2 255 New Orleans, Louisiana DL Mike Hartley Sioux Falls Sr 6-2 255 Rapid City, South Dakota LB Mike Lally Saint Xavier Sr 6-2 225 Oak Lawn, Illinois LB P.J. Hughes Cumberlands Sr 6-0 200 Montezuma, Georgia LB Jake Duren MidAmerica Nazarene Jr 6-1 225 Denver, Colorado LB Logan Lollis Shorter Sr 6-3 235 Lyons, Georgia DB Trevor Holleman Sioux Falls Sr 6-2 200 New Holland, South Dakota DB Brian Abshire Cumberlands Sr 6-1 200 St. Cloud, Florida DB Pagel Williams Taylor Sr 5-8 175 Chicago, Illinois DB Derion Williams Dickinson State Jr 6-2 175 Henderson, Nevada K Ben Hansen Azusa Pacific Sr 5-9 170 Milpitas, California P Brian Nickel Montana Tech Fr 6-1 196 Helena, Montana RS Stephen Harrison McPherson Sr 6-2 175 Jackson, Mississippi Coach of the Year: Brian Ward, McPherson College Assistant Coach of the Year: Chuck Morrell, Sioux Falls Defensive Coordinator Offensive Player of the Year: Lorenzo Brown, Sioux Falls Defensive Player of the Year: Trevor Holleman, Sioux Falls
College Fanz 2009 NAIA Football Second-Team All-American Pos Name School Yr Ht WT Hometown OL Nick Hegger McKendree Sr 6-3 285 Aviston, Illinois OL Quintin Borders Union Jr 6-6 320 Lexington, Kentucky OL Casey Hayes McPherson Sr 6-3 305 Walnut Creek, California OL Josh Breske Black Hills State Sr 6-5 285 Pierre, South Dakota OL Alex Pfannensteil Carroll College Sr 6-1 275 Gresham, Oregon WR Roderick Jefferson Lambuth Jr 6-6 232 Batesville, Mississippi WR Jason Lovett UVa-Wise Sr 5-11 188 Spotsylvania, Virginia WR Clarence Anderson Ottawa So 5-9 150 Wichita, Kansas RB Daniel Carter Saint Francis (Ind.) Sr 5-6 165 Indianapolis, Indiana RB Ryan Lowmiller Sioux Falls Sr 5-11 210 Crystal Lake, Illinois RB Nate Guillory NW Oklahoma State Jr 5-10 195 Houston, Texas TE Bubba Bartlett Carroll Jr 6-2 240 Rathdrum, Idaho QB Ethan Haller Ottawa Sr 6-0 200 Anaheim, California ATH Maurice Mansfield Hastings College Sr 5-10 191 Denver, Colorado DL Dale Woods William Penn Jr 6-2 250 Southaven, Mississippi DL James McCartney Bethel College (Kan.) Sr 6-1 320 Hesston, Kansas DL Jordan Highley Friends Sr 6-2 250 Ft. Scott, Kansas DL Chris White Marian Sr 6-2 220 Indianapolis, Indiana LB Jared Hudgins Southwestern Assemblies Jr 6-2 210 Odessa, Texas LB Chad Schira Montana-Western Sr 6-2 240 Dillon, Montana LB Thomas Dolan Carroll College Jr 6-3 225 Billings, Montana LB Logen Wright Lindenwood Sr 6-3 227 New Hampton, Missouri DB Quinn Cunningham Friends Sr 6-2 200 Salina, Kansas DB Moa Moa Pale Pale Missouri Valley Sr 5-11 200 Everett, Washington DB Max Virus Peru State So 6-2 200 Lincoln, Nebraska DB Pat Geary Saint Xavier Jr 5-10 175 Mokena, Illinois K Braden Wieking Sioux Falls Fr 6-0 195 Sioux Falls, South Dakota P Mike Skvor Malone Sr 6-0 170 Long Beach, California RS James Hannah-White Saint Ambrose So 5-10 180 Lafayette, Indiana
College Fanz 2009 NAIA Football Honorable Mention Offensive Line: Clint McGovern – Jamestown College, Cale Fischer – NW Oklahoma State, Nick Newborn – Shorter College, Joe Leccesi – Saint Xavier, Kyle Pettit – Georgetown College, Tyler Lloyd – Morningside, Alex Saporita – Benedictine, Eli Stephenson - Cumberland U., Troy Cogdill – McKendree, Jake Ryba – Doane, Ayrron Polk – Langston, Tyler Card - Southern Virginia, David Lambeers - Rocky Mountain, Brenden Carragher - Saint Francis, Ind., Clint Benge-Baker Quarterback: Chris Ware – Eastern Oregon, Anthony Kropp – Saint Xavier, Philip Staback – Lindenwood, Tyler Hurl – MidAmerica Nazarene, Kasey Peters – Rocky Mountain. Runningback: Brandon Baldwin – Southern Oregon, Clinton Blossomgame – Walsh, Aaron Lefitte – McPherson, Fred Byers Jr. - Univ. of the Cumberlands, Richie Bryant - Baker, Joe Beimfohr - McKendree, Carlos Ross - Langston, Cohleach Holmes - Univ. of the Cumberlands, Jerome Messam - Graceland, Skyler Knuchel - Montana Tech Tight End: Kyle Reichelderfer - Ohio Dominican, Taylor Burnett – Ottawa, Juan Redmon - MidAmerica Nazarene, Scott Lebrun-Univ. of Sioux Falls Wide Receiver: Rudy Flemming – Lindenwood, Brian Guisti - Rocky Mountain, Octavis Parker - Texas College, Mike Maher - Saint Xavier, Jason Fiske - Saint Francis, Ill., Levi Sutton - Rocky Mountain, Johnny Lester - Minot State, Stephen Harrison - McPherson, Cody Wallinger - Peru State, Conor Walsh - Benedictine Defensive Back: Titus Bland - Grand View, Mike Buckley - Morningside, Nick Ekanam - SAGU, Rashad Taylor - Lambuth, Jeff McNally - Eastern Oregon, Antonio Greer - McKendree, Donavon Evans - Saint Francis, Ind., Tom Lunzman - SD Mines, Ken Mitchell - Kansas Weleyan, Brian Williams – Walsh, Nick Schickel - Georgetown, Kyler Crawford - Central Methodist, Derrick Butler - Langston, Shelton Thigpen – McPherson, Brandon Gould - Lindenwood Defensive Line: Alex Wright - Cumberlands, Kevin Lambert - McKendree, Stephen Whited – Saint Francis (Ind.), Stephen Burns – Montana Tech, Ben Haugen - Morningside, Mike Ogrin - Carroll, Trey Faulkner - Southern Nazarene, Derek Phillips - Peru State, Sean McCormick - Bethel, Matt Fraley - Central Methodist, Dominique Turner - Langston, Craig Zurliene – McKendree Linebacker: Brett Nickolite - Morningside, Jeff Paulson - McPherson, Everett Brill - SD Mines, Sean Thom -Faulkner, Mackenzie Hemje - Hastings, Jay York - Azusa Pacific, Heath Bohannon - McKendree, Mike Keyser - Dickinson State, Carl Thomas - Saint Francis, Ind., Ross Diehl - Ottawa, Forest Sainsbury - Black Hills State, Cameron Willkomm – Graceland, Dominic Studzinski – Sioux Falls Kicker: Halley Ferrell – Lindenwood, Tom Lynch – Saint Xavier, Eric Hronek – MidAmerica Nazarene Punter: Ethan Hunke – Nebraska Wesleyan, Thomas Akers – Eastern Oregon, Chris Heale – Missouri Valley, Ernesto Lacayo – Hastings College Return Specialist: Kevin Brooks – Southern Nazarene, Kenji Holloway – Benedictine, Brian Williams – Walsh University, Jordan Delbaugh – Nebraska Wesleyan ---###---