Friday, June 29, 2012

Breaking News - Angelo State names Athletic Director

Johnson Named ASU Athletic Director
from ASU Sports Information
Sean Johnson, an athletics administrator with 28 years of experience at several institutions, including a two-year stint at Angelo State University as sports information director, has been named ASU's director of athletics, effective July 23.
             

ASU President Joseph C. Rallo announced the appointment.  As athletic director, Johnson will oversee ASU's NCAA Division II athletics programs in five men's and eight women's sports.  He succeeds Kathleen Brasfield, who retired at the end of May.
         
    “We look forward to welcoming Sean Johnson back to Angelo State as our athletic director,” Rallo said.  “His work at multiple institutions provides him a breadth of experience that will benefit ASU athletics as we build upon our successes in multiple sports and as we strive to be a model NCAA program in Division II and in the Lone Star Conference.  Additionally, he returns to ASU with a strong marketing and communications background that will benefit all sports as we work to strengthen the promotion of our athletic successes and create a game environment that will enhance our competitive reputation in the LSC and beyond,” Rallo said.             


Johnson comes to ASU from the University of North Dakota where he was senior associate athletic director for external affairs.  In that capacity, he managed external relations for the NCAA Division I FCS school.  His primary responsibilities included corporate sales, ticket sales, marketing, public relations, broadcasting, courtesy car program, trade agreements and football scheduling/game management.  He served as lead administrator for baseball and secondary administrator for football, men's basketball and men's ice hockey, one of the nation's premier programs.             


Rallo said the selection of the new athletic director was an extended process that spoke to the quality of the four finalists identified by the consultant and the advisory committee.              


“This was a strong field of candidates and a difficult decision for all involved,” Rallo said, “but one that will benefit Ram and Rambelle athletics for the foreseeable future.  With Sean Johnson at the helm, ASU will continue to produce winners in the classroom, on the field and in life.”            


Before his stint at North Dakota, Johnson worked as associate athletic director and sports information director at Texas A&M Kingsville from 2006-08.  He served from 2004-06 as associate athletic director at New Mexico State University after three years as the institution's assistant athletics director.  From 1997-2001 he was assistant athletic director over media relations at the University of North Texas.              


Johnson held posts as sports information director at the University of Idaho, 1995-97; Angelo State, 1993-95; University of Arkansas-Little Rock, 1988-93; University of Missouri-St. Louis, 1985-88; and Lincoln University, 1984-85.  He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Missouri-Columbia. 

Thursday, June 28, 2012

LSC Roundup 6-28


 
  Now available at your  favorite local store, or at 





and in non-LSC news....
Who's the host with the most? - San Antonio Express News
Aggies closing in on hiring new AD - San Antonio Express News
UT's Brown on board with paying players - San Antonio Express News


Offseason Of Change - ESPN.com 
Tuesday's playoff vote changed the landscape dramatically. What will it mean for the current BCS conferences?
Bloggers »
Ivan and Beano Listen
Fremeau: If there had been a playoff 

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

LSC Roundup 6-27


 
  Now available at your  favorite local store, or at 




COMMERCE, Texas – A&M-Commerce will add to its lengthy resume of football players that went on to play at the professional level as linebacker Bryn Roy has earned a roster spot with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Roy was the 34th player taken in the 2012 CFL Draft in May, selected in the fifth round by Montreal, and earned a spot on the Alouette's 42-man official roster.

"This was an incredibly tough decision for me to make, as I loved my time in Commerce and in Texas," said Roy. "At the end of the day, I knew I only had a limited window to pursue this dream of mine, and felt now was the time to do so. I did want to express my thanks and appreciation for all the people and teammates that made my time in Commerce so enjoyable, and I'm looking forward to following the Lions this year."

Roy, who came to A&M-Commerce last season following two years at Snow College, emerged as a key factor in the Lion defensive unit, playing in all 10 games with eight starts. He finished the year with 29 tackles, including 19 unassisted, with four tackles for loss and a pair of sacks. Roy notched a career-high seven tackles in the season finale at West Texas A&M, while posting six unassisted stops at Abilene Christian.

Prior to coming to Commerce, Roy was a two-year starter at Snow College in Ephraim, Utah, was a second team All-Conference selection for the Badgers after accumulating 75 tackles, four sacks and a pair of fumble recoveries as a sophomore, including a pair of sacks in his first collegiate start. Roy, along with A&M-Commerce teammates Tyler Rawlings and Travis Zacharie, helped lead Snow College to back-to-back conference championships.

A native of Dalemead, Alberta, Roy was a three year letterwinner at safety and wide receiver at Foothills Composite High School. A three-time all-region selection, he was named the regional MVP as a senior and was an All-Province selection at safety in leading Foothills to a pair of league championships.

Roy becomes the 13th Lion to suit up for a CFL franchise and the first since Antonio Wilson played for the Edmonton Eskimos in 2004. The Alouettes finished 10-8 in 2011 and advanced to the CFL playoffs where they fell to the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Division Semifinals. Montreal opens up its 2012 season on Sunday, July 1 at Calgary, which fittingly is just 45 minutes from Roy's hometown of Dalemead, Alberta.

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

LSC Roundup 6-26


Now available at your  favorite local store, or at
www.texasfootball.com



Three Texans earn preseason All-American recognition - TSU Football









BSN 2012 D2 Preseason All Americans (LSC Selections)

1st Team
QB Mitchell Gale - ACU
K   Morgan Lineberry - ACU

2nd Team
QB Brandon Kelsey - MSU
OL Ken Van Heule - MSU
DL Tyrell Higgins - WTAM
DB Deshaun Phillips - TSU
P   Kevin Van Voris - WTAM
LS Randall Arbuckle - MSU

3rd Team
WR Tayler Gabriel - ACU
LB Marquis Wadley - TSU
LB Jeremy Aguilar - TAMK
DB Devin Haywood - UIW

Honorable Mention
QB Dustin Vaughn - WTAM
RB Keidrick Jackson - MSU
RB Jonathan Woodson - TAMK
WR Robert Armstrong - TAMK
WR Clifton Rhodes - TSU
OL Justen Tyler - MSU

Monday, June 25, 2012

LSC picks 2012 Hall of Honor inductees


From the LSC Office

 RICHARDSON, Texas – The 2012 inductees to the Lone Star Conference Hall of Honor include a former football star and past track and field standout league officials announced on Monday.
      
Autry Beamon of Texas A&M-Commerce (formerly East Texas State) and Abilene Christian’s Delloreen Ennis-London compose the 2012 class of inductees for the LSC Hall of Honor, which recognizes outstanding individuals who have brought pride and honor to the conference through their contributions as an athlete or who have demonstrated a long-term commitment to the betterment of the conference as a coach or administrator.
      
The inductees were chosen by a panel of athletic administrators throughout the league.
      
“Autry and Delloreen are most deserving of this high honor. Today in the Lone Star Conference we talk of how the league has such rich tradition and how we are committed to being the very best at everything we do. Certainly Autry and Delloreen contributed greatly to those ideals,” said LSC Commissioner Stan Wagnon.
      
Each of the inductees will receive the LSC’s signature Hall of Honor award, a 15-inch custom-sculpted eagle figurine mounted on a cherry wood base. The awards for Beamon and Ennis-London are to be presented this fall with ceremonies at each recipient’s institution.
      
Here’s a closer look at each of the 2012 inductees to the LSC Hall of Honor:
      
Autry Beamon, Texas A&M-Commerce, Football: Beamon continues to remain one of the most prolific players in the Lone Star Conference’s proud history. To this day, Beamon remains the only player in Lion history to be named a four-time first team All-LSC selection, earning the honor in each of his four seasons at defensive back. Beamon was a three-time Associated Press All-American, earning first team honors in 1973, while being named a four-time NAIA All-American, including first team recognition in 1973 and 1974. He concluded his career with 30 interceptions, which ranks first all-time in school history as well as among the LSC leaders, while his 535 interception return yards remains a conference career record to this day. Beamon also holds the LSC record for interception return yardage in a single game (122) and season (318). During his four seasons, Beamon helped lead the Lions to the conference championship in 1972, and played a critical role in helping East Texas State to the 1972 NAIA national championship. Following his playing days, Beamon was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings and went on to play seven seasons in the NFL, suiting up for the Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns as well. Beamon played in 100 career NFL games and tallied 13 interceptions for 132 yards, including a career-best six interceptions for the Seahawks in 1977. Beamon also played in Super Bowl XI at the Rose Bowl with the Vikings following the 1976 season. Born in Terrell and residing in Kaufman, Beamon was inducted to the A&M-Commerce Hall of Fame in 1985 and the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame in 2010. He was a teammate of LSC Hall of Honor inductee Harvey Martin as the two anchored the Lions’ defensive unit during the 1972 national championship run.  
      
Delloreen Ennis-London, Abilene Christian, Track & Field:  Ennis-London was inducted into the ACU Sports Hall of Fame in October 2009, and is perhaps the greatest female track and field athlete in Lone Star Conference history.  She is the only athlete to win all eight short hurdle national championships in a career (55 meters indoors and 100 meters outdoors, 1996-99 and also ran on the Wildcats’ national championship 4x100 relay teams in 1998 and 1999 to give her 10 career national championships.  In her post-ACU career, Ennis-London has been one of the top hurdlers in the world, making three Olympic teams and three times earning medals at the IAAF World Championships.  She finished fourth in the 100-meter hurdles final at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, before failing to make the final at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.  Ennis-London competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing where she finished fifth. In 2005, she finished second in the 100-meter hurdles final at the world championships before finishing third in the final in 2007 and third again in 2009.  In 2006, Ennis-London was named to the NCAA Division II women’s track and field Silver Anniversary Team as selected by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association. She still holds the NCAA Division II all-time best in the 100 hurdles with her time of 12.71 seconds. Ennis-London was a combined 34-6 in short hurdles races (55 meters, 60 meters and 100 meters) in her four years, and along with the eight NCAA Division II national championships, she also won 100-meter hurdles races at both the Texas Relays and the Penn Relays. 

LSC Roundup 6-25

Gale named pre-season MVP by magazine; Wildcats ranked No. 13 - ACU Football


Thursday, June 21, 2012

Lone Star Football Festival Game to be Televised

Lone Star Football Festival: MSU-A&M-C game to be played on national television

RICHARDSON, Texas – The national spotlight will be on the Midwestern State and Texas A&M-Commerce game at the 2012 Lone Star Football Festival presented by Firestone at Cowboys Stadium.
      
The Mustangs and Lions will play at 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 13, on the CBS Sports Network. The Lone Star Conference match-up was selected as one of the six games to be broadcast as part of the NCAA Division II and CBS Sports Network’s regular-season football television schedule.
      
The announcement stretches the Festival from a two-day event to a three-day affair including all nine LSC football teams.  Friday’s lineup now includes one LSC game and a high school contest, with Incarnate Word versus Eastern New Mexico at 3:30 p.m., followed by defending 5A state champion Southlake Carroll against Temple at 7:30 p.m.
      
On Saturday, the action starts at Noon with Angelo State in opposition to two-time NCAA Division II national champion Valdosta State from the Gulf South Conference, followed by a pair of conference clashes with Tarleton State against Abilene Christian at 4 p.m. and Texas A&M-Kingsville versus West Texas A&M at 8 p.m.
      
Admission to the event will be offered in daily tickets for Thursday, Friday or Saturday’s games along with an option for a three-day festival pass, with tickets to go on sale in early July.
      
A daily ticket for Thursday or Friday is $20 for adults and $10 for students.  Tickets for Saturday are $25 for adults and $10 for students.  The festival pass, which is good for admission all three days, is $35 for adults and $15 for students.  Seating will be general admission with children 1-year and older requiring a ticket. To be admitted with a student ticket, bearer must be between 1 and 18 years old or present valid college ID.
      
The 2011 Lone Star Football Festival drew an LSC attendance record 24,837 fans to a tripleheader of games, which included Midwestern State defeating Texas A&M-Commerce 63-17 in the Harvey Martin Classic, North Alabama stopping Abilene Christian 23-17, and West Texas A&M using a quick start to top Texas A&M-Kingsville 42-21.
 
2012 NCAA Division II Football Game of the Week TV Schedule
Sept. 6         Bowie State at Benedict
Sept. 13      Texas A&M-Commerce vs. Midwestern State
Sept. 20       Truman State at Central Missouri
Sept. 27       Wingate at Carson-Newman
Oct. 11        Wayne State (Mich.) at Saginaw Valley State
Oct. 18        New Haven at Stonehill

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

LSC Roundup 6-19

Get your ACU gear from the Ye Olde LSC Scoop Shoppe.


Golding announces three additions to 2012-13 roster

ABILENE – ACU men's basketball coach Joe Golding announced Monday that he has signed Frenship High School guard Tyler Rogers to a binding letter of national intent for the 2012-13 season.

Golding also announced the addition of walk-ons Caleb Carr of White Oak and Riley Payne of Idalou.  Those three join Lubbock Trinity Christian High School sensation Parker Wentz, Midland High shooting guard T.J. Brown  and Paris Junior College transfer Cornelius Cammock - all of whom announced their intentions to play for the Wildcats last fall – as the newest additions to the Wildcats' roster.

Golding said the Wildcats aren't finished with their recruiting for the 2012-13 season and that fans should expect a revamped roster for the upcoming season.




SAN ANGELO, Texas – Angelo State head football coach Will Wagner has announced changes to his coaching staff and has added Jay Eilers and Gary Salgado to his staff while naming Theron Aych as offensive coordinator.

Aych takes over offensive coordinator duties from Russell Gaskamp who left to take the helm at Oklahoma Panhandle State University. Aych is the assistant head coach and worked with the quarterbacks and wide receivers last season. Eilers will take over offensive line responsibilities and Salgado will coach defensive ends and be the special teams coordinator.

Eilers has 13 years of coaching experience both collegiately and in high school. He was the offensive line coach at Missouri Western State from 2006-2009 before being named head coach at Marshall High School in Marshall, Mo. He has coached one All-American, Roger Allan, and has mentored 12 student-athletes to all-conference selections during his career.

“Jay knows what it takes to be a champion,” Wagner said. “He was a part of the greatest turnaround at Northwest Missouri State University. He experienced going 0-11 to winning a national championship during his playing time there. He will bring an attitude and work ethic that will help us in reaching our goal of a LSC Championship. We are ecstatic to welcome Jay and his family to the Ram Family.”


Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball coach Lindsey Wilson has announced the signing of Lakeescia Griffin (So., G, 5-2, El Paso, Texas/Riverside HS/South Plains College) to play for the Zias in the upcoming 2012-13 season. Wilson looks to Griffin to bolster a team, which reached the Lone Star Conference tournament for the first time since the 2003-04 season.

Griffin registered a stellar senior campaign for the Rangers, garnering District 2-4A Defensive Player of the Year and making the El Paso Times All-City Second Team. She also was chosen as the Most Valuable Player of El Paso’s Southwest Shootout Tournament in back-to-back seasons. A First Team All-District 2-4A choice as a junior, she earned El Paso Times Honorable Mention All-City honors in 2009 and 2010. Griffin also was named District 2-4A Co-Offensive Player of the Year as a sophomore

Monday, June 18, 2012

LSC Roundup 6-18


KANSAS CITY - Former Midwestern State standout Zack Eskridge passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two more in his first Arena Football League start to lead the Kansas City Command to a 57-41 win over the San Jose SaberCats Sunday afternoon at the Sprint Center.

Eskridge connected on 12-of-23 passes for 183 yards including a pair of scoring strikes to Bret Smith and another to Jackie Chambers - all in the second half - and rushed for 17 yards on six carries including a pair of 1-yard TD plunges before halftime.

The win snapped a two-game skid for the Command who improved to 3-10 on the season while San Jose fell to 9-5.

Eskridge, who was starting for the injured Matt Gutierrez, had appeared in three prior games accounting for two receptions for 16 yards, but the former Harlon Hill Finalist had yet to attempt a pass coming into Sunday's start.

Eskridge enjoyed three stellar seasons at MSU after transferring in from TCU prior to the 2008 campaign.

He earned D2Football.com honorable mention All-America status and was the Daktronics Super Region 4 Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Mustangs to an NCAA II postseason appearance and to their first Lone Star Conference championship in 2009 when he set school single season records for passing yards (3,295), passing touchdowns (29), completion percentage (71.3), pass efficiency rating (180.2), completions (236) and passing yards per game (274.6).

Eskridge completed his career as MSU's leader with 6,953 passing yards, 64 TD passes, 570 completions, a 65.7 completion percentage and a 152.9 pass efficiency rating.


SALT LAKE CITY – The Arena Football League's Utah Blaze have been assigned former ACU Wildcat offensive lineman Neal Tivis, the team announced Thursday. Before landing with the Blaze, Tivis was invited to the Dallas Cowboys' rookie minicamp and participated in a tryout with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.

Neal Tivis is a big, strong offensive lineman,” said Blaze president and head coach Ron James. “He is a tough player with a great work ethic. We are excited to see what he can accomplish on the field this season.”

The 6-foot-5, 310 pound Tivis started every game over the past two seasons at offensive tackle for ACU, twice earning All-Lone Star Conference accolades. As a senior in 2011, he blocked for Division II's third-ranked passing attack (348.91 ypg) while ACU allowed the seventh-lowest average of sacks per game in the nation. He was recognized for these efforts with spots on the all-region second team and all-conference first team.

As a junior in 2010, Tivis started all 12 games for a nationally-ranked Wildcats squad, helping the team turn in a perfect 11-0 regular season record. With Tivis up front, Abilene Christian produced the country's second-ranked scoring offense (43.33 ppg) as well as the ninth-best passing offense (317.50 ypg).


Garza recognized after induction to LSC Hall ‎- Brownsville Herald

HARLINGEN — Chicago Bears offensive lineman Roberto Garza owes a debt a gratitude to former Texas A&M-Kingsville equipment manager Martin Cavazos.  Cavazos, also a Rio Hondo native, graduated a Bobcats player a few years prior to Garza.  So as Garza was about to prepare for life after high school, Cavazos urged the coaches at TAMUK to allow Garza to try out and walk on the Javelinas football team.

“He’d seen me play and knew of me,” Garza said of his relationship to Cavazos. He asked the coaching staff to look at me, and luckily they listened. No one was recruiting me out of high school so that was my only opportunity.”

Garza earned a backup role on the Javelinas’ offensive line and eventually earned the starting center spot.
Since then, Garza got drafted by the Atlanta Falcons in 2001 and later signed with the Chicago Bears in 2005.  He met his wife, Ashley Garza, at TAMUK and the Garzas now have two children. Ashley was a volleyball and track & field star.

On Friday, Garza was recognized by the Javelina Alumni Association for his induction into the Lone Star Conference Hall of Fame at a banquet at The Reese in downtown Harlingen.

“TAMUK gave me my life,” Garza said in front of a packed room. “I met my wife there and we have two kids. I played college football and that’s where my dream began.  I’ve been in the NFL 11 years now. It’s been a dream come true for me and I’m proud to represent Kingsville, the Valley and Rio Hondo.”

Garza reflected on the time that’s passed between his walk-on tryout and today.

“I remember walking to my first practice (at TAMUK) and thinking, “How am I going to compete with these guys?’ So I just worked hard.  Looking back on all those years, I got drafted by the Falcons, I’m playing with the Bears. I’m married with two kids. And it all happened because of the opportunity I got to play college football. Whenever you’re faced with an opportunity, you’ve got to step up and take advantage.”

Garza thanked coaches and different personnel from the TAMUK athletic department that influenced his life and career in the NFL.  He thanked Cavazos for helping get his foot in the door at TAMUK.

“My career started there,” Garza said. “Playing for Kingsville, I grew as a person and a football player. From how I worked out to how I prepare for games, I learned it at Kingsville.”

Finally Garza thanked his family. He addressed them in Spanish and choked up as he expressed his appreciation for their support.

“Muchas gracias por el apollo que me han dado,” Garza said, thanking his family for their support.


Friday, June 15, 2012

LSC Roundup 6-15

Three stories from George Vondracek on the candidates that have been on campus to interview for the AD position at Texas A&M-Kingsville
A&M-Kingsville AD candidate Chip Smith comfortable in small-school setting ‎
AD candidate Derrick Magee sees big future for A&M-Kingsville ‎
Dennis Toney interviews for A&M-Kingsville AD opening


Texas A&M Commerce Wide Receiver Kenzee Jackson transferring to Louisiana-Monroe, but add 2009 5A offensive player of the year Deric Davis.  Davis spent two years at Trinity Valley CC, redshirting in 2010, before backing up UTSA signee Tucker Carter.  In limited time, Davis threw for 177 yards with 3 TDs, and rushing for another 32 yards and 1 TD.  In his senior year of high school, he threw for 3,100 yards with 39 TDs and just 2 Ints.  He also rushed for 640 yards and 7 TDs.








LSC Commissioner’s Honor Roll announced - LSC Office

A total of 856 student-athletes were named to the Lone Star Conference Commissioner’s Honor Roll for the 2011-12 academic year league officials announced Thursday.

This is the second year that the Commissioner’s Honor Roll program is being announced after the conclusion of the spring academic term with student-athletes qualifying based on grade point average for the current academic year. Previously, the honorees qualified by cumulative GPA and were announced by sport at the end of each respective season.

Incarnate Word placed the highest number of student-athletes on the honor roll for the second straight year with 151 members. West Texas A&M was second with 135, while Angelo State ranked third with 93 honorees.

The final count contained 100 students with a flawless 4.0 GPA for the year. WTAMU topped the list of perfect marks with 21 individuals, while ASU had 16, and Texas A&M-Commerce 11. The sport of football had a good number of 4.0’s with 18, followed by softball (12), women’s soccer (11), women’s basketball (9) and women’s track & field (9).

To be eligible for the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, student-athletes must have a minimum 3.30 GPA for the current academic year and be active on the roster.

Click here for  a complete list of the Commissioner’s Honor Roll award winners, listed by institution: 

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Mustangs tabbed in top five by Preseason Mags

from the MSU Sports Information Department
WICHITA FALLS, Texas – The Midwestern State Mustangs have been slated as a top five team in the ranking of a pair of preseason magazines.
 
Midwestern, coming off a 10-0 regular season before falling in the second round of the NCAA Division II playoffs, is ranked fourth nationally by Lindy’s Sports College Football Preview and fifth by USA Today 2012 College Football.
 
Lindy’s has MSU behind defending national champion Pittsburg State in the top spot, with Minnesota-Duluth (the 2010 national champ) second and Northwest Missouri State third.  Defending runner up Wayne State (Mich.) is fifth, followed by Delta State (Miss.), Winston-Salem (N.C.), Colorado State-Pueblo, Grand Valley State (Mich.) and New Haven (Conn.) in the top 10.
 
Lindy’s, who picked a top 25, placed Lone Star Conference foe Abilene Christian 13th, with 2012 opponent West Alabama 14th.
 
USA Today placed the Mustangs fifth in their top 10 rankings, keeping Pitt State, Minnesota-Duluth and Northwest Missouri as the top three and moving Grand Valley to fourth.  Colorado State-Pueblo is sixth, followed by Missouri Western, West Alabama, Abilene Christian and California (Pa.).
 
The magazines highlight returning senior quarterback Brandon Kelsey, who finished fourth in the Harlon Hill Award voting as a junior, and junior running back Keidrick Jackson, as a key reason the Mustangs are expected to have a great season.
 
Kelsey, who threw for 1,951 yards last season while rushing for 967, was the Lone Star Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2011.  Jackson led the LSC in rushing with 1,044 yards or 94.9 per game.
 
Offensive tackle Ken Van Huele, a 6-4, 320 pound senior from Hurst/L.D. Bell, was chosen to Lindy’s first team preseason All-America team.  He helped anchor an offensive line that saw the Mustangs lead the LSC in scoring offense (48.6 points per game), total offense (531.9 yards a game), rushing offense (323.5 ypg) and pass efficiency offense (161.2 rating).
 
Kelsey and Jackson were both named second team preseason All-America by Lindy’s.
 
The LSC was also represented on Lindy’s list by ACU’s Mitchell Gale, who was the first team quarterback and preseason MVP. Texas A&M-Kingsville’s Jonathan Woodson who was tabbed second team all-purpose player and Tarleton State’s Marquis Wadley was chosen second team linebacker.
 
Midwestern opens the season on Saturday, Sept. 8 at Tarleton State, with the Mustangs first game at Memorial Stadium on Sept. 29 against Incarnate Word.


USA TODAY COLLEGE SPORTS DIVISION II TOP 10
RankTeam2011 Record
1.Pittsburg State13-1
2.Minnesota-Duluth11-3
3.Northwest Missouri State11-3
4.Grand Valley State8-3
5.Midwestern State10-1
6.Colorado State-Pueblo11-1
7.Missouri Western State9-3
8.West Alabama8-4
9.Abilene Christian8-3
10.California (Pa.)10-3
    
2012 Lindy's Sports Preseason Top 25
RankTeam2011 Record
1Pittsburg State (Kan.)13-1
2Minnesota-Duluth11-3
3Northwest Missouri11-3
4Midwestern State10-1
5Wayne State (Mich.)12-4
6Delta State (Miss.)11-3
7Winston-Salem State (N.C.)13-1
8Colorado State-Pueblo11-1
9Grand Valley State (Mich.)8-3
10New Haven (Conn.)11-2
11Valdosta State (Ga.)6-4
12North Alabama9-3
13Abilene Chrsitian (Texas)8-3
14West Alabama8-4
15Washburn (Kan.)10-3
16North Greenville (N.C.)11-3
17Nebraska-Kearney10-2
18Elizabeth City State (N.C.)8-4
19Kutztown (Pa.)11-2
20Hillsdale (Mich.)8-3
21California (Pa.)10-3
22St. Cloud State (Minn.)9-3
23Missouri Western9-3
24Mars Hill (N.C.)8-3
25Humboldt State (Calif.)9-1

2012 Lindy's Preseason All America Team
Most Valuable Player
Mitchell Gale, Abilene Christian

Offensive Player of the Year
Daronte McNeill, Elizabeth City State
Defensive Player of the Year
Nate Dreiling, Pittsburg State
Newcomer of the Year
Rod Woodson, North Alabama


First Team Offense
Pos.PlayerClassSchool
QBMitchell GaleSr.Abilene Christian
RBJoe GlendeningSr.Hillsdale
RBDaronte McNeillSr.Elizabeth City State
WRChris BowdenSr.Wingate
WRCharles JohnsonSr.Grand Valley State
TEJoe Don DuncanSr.Dixie State
OLMacon AllanSr.Missouri Western
OLGarth HeikkinenSr.Minnesota-Duluth
OLTim LelitoSr.Grand Valley State
OLKen Van HeuleSr.Midwestern State
OLRod WilliamsSr.Northwest Missouri
APJohn BrownJr.Pittsburg State
KDerek KoonJr.Truman
First Team Defense
Pos.PlayerClassSchool
DLDavid BassSr.Missouri Western
DLJonas CelianSr.West Virginia Wesleyan
DLTim GreenSr.Lincoln (Pa.)
DLTom  HerdSr.New Haven
LBJordan CampbellSr.N.M. Highlands
LBNate DreilingJr.Pittsburg State
LBCody FlemingSr.Shippensburg
DBAaron CornettSr.Wayne State (Mich.)
DBAlex DinolfiSr.Kutztown
DBRontez MilesSr.California (Pa.)
DBRichie SchumacherSr.Truman
PTaylor AccardiSr.Colorado Mines
Second Team Offense
Pos.PlayerClassSchool
QBBrandon KelseySr.Midwestern State
RBJames FranklinJr.Northwest Missouri
RBKeidrick JacksonJr.Midwestern State
WRDeJuan BeardJr.Washburn
WRIsaiah VoegeliSr.Merrimack
TEDavid PawelekSr.Colorado Mines
OLLogan FreemanSr.Central Missouri
OLBrett FrydendahlSr.Humboldt State
OLMike NelsonJr.Central Washington
OLRyan SchraederSr.Valdosta State
OLLamar YoungSr.Delta State
APJonathan WoodsonSr.Texas A&M-Kingsville
KRockne BalmonteSr.Northern Michigan
Second Team Defense
Pos.PlayerClassSchool
DLBrad DavisSr.Elizabeth City State
DLVauchard GoodridgeJr.Clark Atlanta
DLHoward JonesJr.Shepherd
DLBrandon WilliamsSr.Missouri Southern
LBCody BloomJr.Ashland
LBJesse RobertsonSr.West Virginia Wesleyan
LBMarquis WadleyJr.Tarleton State
DBDerek LohmannSr.Emporia State
DBSam KuckSr.Nebraska-Kearney
DBMarvin MatthewsSr.St. Cloud State
DBBryce PeilaSr.Western Oregon
PRandy WeichSr.Wayne State (Neb.)



By BRAD KEITH
Stephenville Empire-Tribune

Former Tarleton State running back Derrick Ross may not have made his way back to the NFL, but he's been dominant in the Arena Football League this season, including earning a recent National Guard MVP of the week honor.

Ross set franchise records with 84 rushing yards and five touchdowns to lead Philadelphia Soul past the Orlando Predators, 79-48. The five TDs are the most by any player in a game this season, according to a release from AFL Communications.

Ross, 28, became just the 10th player in AFL history to rush for 1,000 career yards, doing so faster than any player in the league's history - 29 games - according to the release.

The former Texan posted the two best single-game rushing totals in Tarleton history, gaining 269 yards against Western New Mexico on Sept. 10, 2005 and 260 against N.M. Highlands on Aug. 26, 2004. He also had the two best rushing seasons at Tarleton - 1,560 yards in 2005 and 1,512 in 2005 when he played in just nine games. His 3,072 rushing yards are second on Tarleton's career list behind Ricky Bush, who galloped for 3,389 yards from 1979-82.

Ross joined the Kansas City Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in the summer of 2005. He spent one season with the team, then was the NFL Europe MVP for the Cologne (Germany) Centurions the next summer. He returned to the Chiefs in 2006 only to be cut in training camp.

The Huntsville native who ran for Blinn College (junior college) before joining the Texans, is in his second season with the Soul. He has also spent time with the Winnipeg Bombers and Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League and was the 2010 Indoor Football League rookie of the year while with the San Angelo Stampede Express.









Lone Star Conference

Angelo State University

Cameron University

Eastern New Mexico University

MSUMustangs.com

Texas A&M-Commerce

Tarleton State University

Texas A&M-Kingsville

Texas Woman's College

University of Texas of the Permian Basin

West Texas A&M University

Western New Mexico