Dec. 25, 2002

Western Washington University punter Michael Koenen, a sophomore from Ferndale, was named to the second team of the Associated Press Little All-America selections for 2002 announced Tuesday.

It is the third straight year that the Vikings have had a player named to the squad. Strong safety Erik Totten, now a member of the NFL Pittsburgh Steelers, was a second-team pick in both 2000 and 2001.

Just two other Western players have received more than honorable mention on the AP team. They were cornerback Orlondo Steinauer in 1995 and linebacker Everett Tiland in 1950. Both were second-team selections.

The AP team consists of players from NCAA Division II and III and the NAIA.

The 5-foot-10, 180-pound Koenen, who was named a first-team D2Football.com All-American earlier this month, led NCAA II nationally in punting with a school-record 44.9 average, booting one a school-record 73 yards. Five went for touchbacks and 16 were inside the 20-yard line.

Koenen was a first-team choice on both the D2Football.com and Daktronics West Region all-star teams, and earned Great Northwest Athletic Conference first-team all-star honors as a punter and placekicker.

As a placekicker, Koenen led Western in scoring for the second straight year with 61 points. He made 9-of-17 field goals and converted 34-of-35 extra points.

Western finished 6-4 last fall.

National Champions Dominate 2002 AP Little All-America Team

National champions Grand Valley State and Mount Union dominated The Associated Press' Little All-America team Tuesday with a total of five players selected to the squad.

Grand Valley State (14-0), the Division II national champs, led the way with three All-Americans - quarterback Curt Anes, wide receiver David Kircus and offensive tackle Dale Westrick.

Mount Union (14-0), Division III champs for the third year in a row, was represented by record-setting running back Dan Pugh and cornerback Chris Kern.

Led by the Grand Valley State trio, there were eight repeaters from the 2001 team. The others were linemen - Chris Booker of Delta State, J.D. Sheldon of Augustana (Ill.) and Seth Wand of Northwest Missouri State on offense, and Aaron McConnell of Pittsburg State and Steve Wilson of King's (Pa.) on defense.

Anes, the Harlon Hill Trophy winner as the division's top player, threw for 3,692 yards and 47 touchdowns; Kircus caught 77 passes for 1,341 yards and 35 TDs. Anes and Kircus helped the Lakers cap their perfect season with a 31-24 victory over Valdosta State in the Division II title game on Dec. 14.

Last year, Anes missed the title game with a knee injury and Grand Valley State lost to North Dakota 17-14.

The other running back was Ian Smart of C.W. Post, who was D-II's leading rusher with 2,023 yards. He also scored 30 touchdowns. Smart finished his career with 95 touchdowns and 570 points, both NCAA records.

Pugh, the Gagliardi Trophy winner as D-III's top player, ran for 2,047 yards and 31 TDs and then capped his career with a 253-yard, four-touchdown effort in last week's title game - a 48-7 rout of Trinity (Texas). The 6-foot, 203-pound senior finished the season with an all-divisions record 41 TDs - two more than Barry Sanders in 1988.

Kern had 53 tackles and a team-high four interceptions for the Purple Raiders, who allowed just 13.3 points a game.

The other receivers were Ben Nelson of St. Cloud State and Brian Potucek of Central Washington. Joining the four offensive line repeaters was Reggie Wells of Clarion (Pa.).

Wide receiver Blake Elliott of St. John's (Minn.) was the all-purpose player. Besides a remarkable 120 catches for 1,484 yards and 22 TDs, the junior scored three rushing touchdowns and returned two punts for scores.

Henrik Juul-Nielson of Nebraska-Kearney, who made 20 of 24 field goals, was the kicker.

Anthony Dunn of Northern Colorado and Mike Clay of Texas A&M-Kingsville were the other defensive linemen. The linebackers were Khalid Abdullah of Mars Hill, Todd McComb of Catawba and Jamie Spielman of Wisconsin-Stout.

Dontaye McCoy of Emporia State, Drayton Florence of Tuskegee and Marvin Jackson of Chadron State rounded out the secondary.

Sean McNicholas of Edinboro was the punter, He averaged 42.2 yards on 58 punts.

The team, chosen from players in Divisions II and III and the NAIA, features 21 seniors, three juniors and one sophomore (Potucek).

The 2001 Little All-America team had two repeaters from the 2000 team; the 2000 team had three repeaters from '99.

2002 AP LITTLE ALL-AMERICA Team

By The Associated Press

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback - Curt Anes, Grand Valley State, 6-2, 215, senior, Kentwood, Mich.

Running backs - Dan Pugh, Mount Union, 6-0, 203, senior, Norwalk, Ohio; Ian Smart, C.W. Post, 5-9, 190, senior, North Babylon, N.Y.

Receivers - David Kircus, Grand Valley State, 6-3, 185, senior, Imlay City, Mich; Ben Nelson, St. Cloud State, 6-2, 180, senior, Andover, Minn.; Brian Potucek, Central Washington, 6-0, 185, sophomore, Tacoma, Wash.

Linemen - Chris Booker, Delta State, 6-1, 283, senior, Clarendon, Ark.; J.D. Sheldon, Augustana (Ill.), 6-5, 295, senior, Harvard, Ill.; Seth Wand, Northwest Missouri State, 6-7, 325, senior, Springfield, Mo.; Reggie Wells, Clarion (Pa.), 6-4, 310, senior, Library, Pa.; Dale Westrick, Grand Valley State, 6-4, 290, senior, Grand Ledge, Mich.

Place-kicker - Henrik Juul-Nielson, Nebraska-Kearney, 6-4, 225, senior, Hvidovre, Denmark

All-purpose - Blake Elliott, St. John's (Minn.), 6-1, 212, junior, Melrose, Minn.

DEFENSE

Linemen - Mike Clay, Texas A&M-Kingsville, 6-2, 270, senior, Houston; Anthony Dunn, Northern Colorado, 6-4, 257, senior, Manassa, Colo.; Aaron McConnell, Pittsburg State, 6-3, 303, junior, Midwest City, Okla.; Steven Wilson, King's, 6-2, 230, senior, Yardley, Pa.

Linebackers - Khalid Abdullah, Mars Hill, 6-3, 230, senior, Jacksonville Beach, Fla.; Todd McComb, Catawba, 6-1, 215, senior, Thomasville, N.C.; Jamie Spielman, Wisconsin-Stout, 6-2, 230, senior, Menomonie, Wis.

Backs - Drayton Florence, Tuskegee, 6-0, 190, senior, Ocala, Fla.; Marvin Jackson, Chadron State, 6-0, 180, junior, Cheyenne, Wyo.; Chris Kern, Mount Union, 6-0, 205, senior, Fairbault, Minn.; Dontaye McCoy, Emporia State, 6-1, 211, senior, Wichita, Kan.

Punter - Sean McNicholas, Edinboro, 6-4, 220, senior, Kirtland, Ohio

SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback - Leonard Guyton, Carson-Newman

Running backs - Robert Campbell, Findlay; Duron Croson, Fort Valley State

Receivers - Casey Fitzsimmons, Carroll (Mont.); Nik Lewis, Southern Arkansas; Ryan Soule, Hartwick

Linemen - Daryl Agpalsa, Linfield; Phil Bogle, New Haven; Larry Kinnard, Mount Union; Michael Lomas, Northeastern State; Conor Riley, Nebraska-Omaha

Place-kicker - Daniel Chappell, Pittsburg State

All-purpose - Kevin Curtin, Winona State

DEFENSE

Linemen - Troy Bowers, Clarion; Matt Campbell, Mount Union; Mike Condello, Brockport State; Tommy Edwards, Arkansas Tech.

Linebackers - Shan Housekeeper, Georgetown (Ky.); Preston Meyer, Mary Hardin-Baylor; Cabel Rohloff, Northern Colorado.

Backs - Rico Cody, Fort Valley State; Marquis Floyd, West Georgia; Scott Mackey, Grand Valley State; Pete Mendez, Kutztown

Punter - Michael Koenen, Western Washington

THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE

Quarterback - Roy Hampton, Trinity (Texas)

Running backs - Mike Miller, Nebraska-Kearney; David Russell, Linfield

Receivers - Carmelo Ocasio, Indiana (Pa.); Mike Oliva, Cal-Davis; Ryan Short, Wabash

Linemen - Alan Dunn, Tusculum; Kevin O'Malley, St. Norbert; Forest Vance, Cal-Davis; Walter Wigfall, Texas A&M-Kingsville.

Place-kicker - Christopher Reed, Muhlenberg

All-purpose - R.J. Abercrombie, California (Pa.)

DEFENSE

Linemen - Charles Alston, Bowie State; Jacques Cesaire, Southern Connecticut; Roderick Green, Central Missouri; Jeremy Hood, St. John's (Minn.)

Linebackers - Dan Holland, Mansfield; Jeremiah Taylor, Bridgewater (Va.); Eric Walker, Missouri Western

Backs - Greg Albuno, Bentley; Scott Farley, Williams; Ray Lions, Linfield; Jeff Thomas, Redlands

Punter - Scott Verhalen, East Texas Baptist