SAC Places 11 on 2003 Football Gazette All-America Team

PITTSBURG, Kan. --- Eleven football players from the South Atlantic Conference have been named to the 2003 Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division II All-America team.

Four players earned All-America First Team honors at five positions. Tusculum's Ricardo Colclough, the SAC Defensive Player of the Year, was named First Team All-American at both cornerback and return specialist.

Joining Colclough on the First Team were Tusculum senior offensive lineman Alan Dunn, as well as Catawba offensive guard Cole Bean and defensive end Khanis Hubbard.

Tusculum center Felix Perez was named to the Second Team, as was Carson-Newman guard Reggie Perkins.

Wingate defensive end John Bowman and punter Chris Brewer were both named to the Third Team.

Earning Honorable Mention honors were Carson-Newman tight end Leonard Weaver, Mars Hill defensive lineman Tellex Lanham and Tusculum wide receiver Kevin Wolcott.

Colclough, a 6-0, 180-pound senior from Sumter, S.C., earns his sixth All-American honor this season, making him the most decorated football player in Tusculum history. He has been recognized by AFCA, Associated Press Little All-America, Dopke.com, D2Football.com and Daktronics. He recorded 59 tackles (37 solo) with 24 passes defended including 11 interceptions. Colclough's passes defended and interception totals this season ranks third in NCAA Division II. In addition, he averaged 29.1 yards per kick return with two touchdowns and 14.2 yards per punt return with one touchdown en route to first team All-South Atlantic Conference and All-South Region First Team honors at both positions. For his efforts, he was named SAC Defensive Player of the Year and was a national finalist for the Harlon Hill Trophy, which honors the Division II National Player of the Year. Colclough is slated to play in the Senior Bowl later this month.

Dunn, a 6-7, 315-pound offensive tackle from Chattanooga, Tenn., earns his sixth All-American honor for the past two seasons and fourth this year. Last Friday, he was presented the 2003 Jim Langer Award, which honors the Division II Offensive Lineman of the Year. The award is presented in conjunction with the Cactus Bowl All-Star Game. Dunn is a two-time recipient of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which is awarded to the top offensive lineman or blocking back in the SAC, including this year. He is a three-time All-SAC First Team selection and was tabbed to the CoSIDA Academic All-District IV Second Team.

It has been quite a season for Perez, moving to center in his final collegiate campaign. The 6-1, 290-pound native of Lancaster, Calif., was named to Football Gazette All-South Region First Team and was tabbed to the All-South Atlantic Conference Second Team.

Wolcott earns his fourth All-American honor this year after being named to the Dopke.com D2Football.com and Daktronics squads. The Crossville, Tenn. product enjoyed the finest season ever by a Tusculum wideout. The 6-3, 200-pounder led the nation with a school record 92 receptions and was the 2003 NCAA II Statistical National Champion in that category. He also established a school mark with 1,159 receiving yards (1st in SAC, 10th in NCAA II). His season tallies were the third best in conference history. Wolcott garnered First Team All-SAC accolades and established career records in receptions (200), receiving yards (2,357) and touchdown catches (12). His yardage total is the ninth most in conference history. He was also named to the All-South Region football teams by Daktronics and Football Gazette.

Reggie Perkins (Rome, Ga.) was named to the second team at offensive guard. This is the fifth time Perkins has been named to an All-American team for his performance in 2003. He was named an All-American by the Associated Press, D2Football.com and Dopke.com and Daktronics. Perkins was one of the leaders on the Eagles' offensive line in 2003 which allowed C-N to lead the nation in rushing yards per game at 320 yards.

Tight end Leonard Weaver (Melbourne, Fla.) was an honorable mention All-American selection. Weaver became and important part of the Eagles' passing game in 2003 as he caught 13 passes for 373 yards and five touchdowns. He averaged 28.7 yards per reception for C-N. He was a first-team All-SAC selection for the Eagles at tight end.

In December, Brewer was named to the 2003 All-South Region first team, selected by Don Hansen's Football Gazette. Bowman earned 2003 All-South Region second team honors. The All-America honor is the first for Bowman. Brewer was named to the Daktronics, Inc., NCAA Division II All-America football second team on January 8, 2004.

Earlier this winter, Bowman was also named to the Daktronics All-South Region first team. Bowman earned first team All-South Atlantic Conference honors in 2003. He was fourth in the NCAA in pass sacks (1.2 sacks per game) and 33rd in tackles for loss (1.5 tackles for loss per game) this season. Bowman led the nation in sacks for the majority of the regular season. A two-time SAC Player of the Week honoree (Aug. 30 and Sept. 6), Bowman's 2003 statistics include 66 total tackles with 45 solo tackles and 21 assists. Bowman had 17 tackles for loss (-88), 15 quarterback sacks (-80), two forced fumbles and two pass break-ups. He led the SAC in quarterback sacks.

Brewer was named first team All-South Atlantic Conference as a punter and a place kicker. He made both the Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division II All-America team and the Daktronics, Inc., NCAA Division II All-America football team as a punter.

The staff at Don Hansen's Football Gazette named Brewer NCAA Division II special teams Player of the Week six times this year. In addition, Brewer was named D2Football.com special teams Player of the Week one time.

A four-time SAC special teams Player of the Week, Brewer hit a South Atlantic Conference record 89-yard punt versus Lenoir-Rhyne College on Oct. 11, 2003. Brewer led the South Atlantic Conference in punting average (42.3 yards per punt). Brewer was 11th in the NCAA Division II in punting. Also, he topped the SAC charts with 27 punts inside the 20.

The 2003 season was Brewer's first season of full-time punting duty. Brewer had not punted in college prior to this season. He had 85 punts for 3597 yards (42.3 yards per punt) with four touchbacks and 20 punts of 50 yards or better. He also handled Wingate's place-kicking duties in 2003. As a place kicker this season, Brewer led the SAC in total field goals with 10. In addition, he was second in the league in kick scoring with 62 points. Brewer made 10-of-13 field goals this season and 32-of-33 extra points. In 2003, Brewer had 28 touchbacks (out of 56 kick-offs). He spent the 2002 season as Wingate's primary kick-off man. He had three field goals in 2002.

The 2003 season marks the 16th year Don Hansen's Football Gazette has selected an NCAA Division II All-America team. A recognized authority on small college football, the national publication selected All-Region teams with the first-team and second-team All-Region players from each of the four geographic regions (Northeast, South, Midwest, West) making up the national ballot. A 21-member national panel selected the 2003 Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA Division II All-America teams.

A total of 134 players earned some form of Football Gazette All-America honor. Players from 58 of the 148 football-playing schools in Division II earned Football Gazette All-America accolades. National champion Grand Valley State, along with three other schools - North Alabama, Tarleton State and Winona State - led the way with five players each named to the Football Gazette All-America teams.