Aug. 17, 2005

BELLINGHAM, Wash. - Western Washington University senior wide receiver Andy Olson and senior offensive center Loren Winter have been named 2005 www.College Sports Report.com Preseason All-Americans. Olson was a second-team pick and Winter a third-team choice.

Olson, a senior from Chehalis (W.F. West HS graduate), was an honorable mention D2football.com All-American, first-team D2football.com and second-team Football Gazette Northwest Region all-star and unanimous first-team Great Northwest Athletic Conference all-star in 2004.

Winter, a senior from Bothell (Juanita HS graduate), was an honorable mention D2football.com Northwest Region and first-team GNAC all-star last season, starting all 10 games.

Olson, who was named a Don Hansen's Football Gazette Preseason All-American for the second time two weeks ago, enters the season with a school and GNAC record string of touchdown catches in nine consecutive games (two in seven of those contests). He ranks No.3 among Western career leaders in both touchdown catches (27, 3 short of record) and receptions (150, 31 short of record), and No.4 in receiving yards (2,480, 788 short of record).

Last year, Olson set school and league records by making 15 touchdown catches, having 68 receptions overall for 1,075 yards. He ranked No.9 nationally in receiving yards per game (107.5 avg.), breaking his own GNAC record, and No.12 in receptions per game (6.8).

Western, which holds its second scrimmage Friday (6:30 p.m.) at Civic Stadium, opens the season on Aug. 27 (7 p.m. MT) at Mesa State.