Newberry Ranked 13th In Street And Smith’s Football Yearbook

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - The 2007 issue of Street and Smith's College Football Yearbook was released today, and the Newberry College football team has received multiple honors in the magazine. The Indians are ranked in the Top 25 in Division II and senior offensive lineman Heath Benedict has been named a preseason first team All-American by the publication.

Catawba College defensive lineman Ron Ellington, the 2006 SAC Defensive Player of the Year, was also listed as a preseason All-American.

The Indians are ranked 13th in the preseason NCAA Division II poll, making them the fourth-highest Southeast Region team in the poll, as well as the only South Atlantic Conference team in the Top 25. Other Southeast Region teams ranked are the University of North Alabama (No. 4), Delta State University (No. 8), Elizabeth City State University (No. 12) and Valdosta State University (No. 22).

Heath Benedict

Ron Ellington

This is the second preseason Top 25 ranking for the Indians, who are ranked No. 17 in Lindy's College Football Preview.

Heath Benedict, a senior offensive lineman from Greer, S.C., was the 2006 winner of the South Atlantic Conference's Jacobs Blocking Trophy, which is awarded to the league's best offensive lineman. A three-year starter, Benedict was a first team all-Southeast Region selection by three separate publications, while earning one first team All-American selection.

This is the second preseason first team all-American honor in 2007 for Benedict, as he was also tabbed as one of the best linemen in Division II by Lindy's College Football Preview.

The Indians begin the defense of their first-ever South Atlantic Conference championship on September 1, as Newberry hosts Chowan University.

The Street and Smith's College Football Yearbook preseason Top 25 and preseason all-American teams follow:
Street and Smith's NCAA Division II Top 25
1. Grand Valley State University
2. Northwest Missouri State University
3. University of North Dakota
4. University of North Alabama
5. University of Nebraska-Omaha
6. Chadron State College
7. Shepherd University
8. Delta State University
9. West Texas A&M University
10. Bloomsburg University
11. University of South Dakota
12. Elizabeth City State University
13. Newberry College
14. Northwood University
15. Midwestern State University
16. West Chester University
17. Bryant University
18. Missouri Western State University
19. Abilene Christian University
20. Pittsburg State University
21. Wayne State University
22. Valdosta State University
23. Winona State University
24. California University of Pennsylvania
25. Edinb

Street and Smith's Preseason All-Americans
Offense:
QB Zach Miller (Jr.) University of Nebraska-Omaha
RB Joique Bell (So.) Wayne State University
RB Danny Woodhead (Sr.) Chadron State University
RB Xavier Omon (Sr.) Northwest Missouri State University
OL Brandon Barnes (Sr.) Grand Valley State University
OL Christian Morton (Sr.) University of South Dakota
OL Ben Hochstein (Sr.) University of Nebraska-Omaha
OL Heath Benedict (Sr.) Newberry College
OL Tim McCutcheon (Sr.) Califorinia University of Pennsylvania
WR Weston Dressler (Sr.) University of North Dakota
WR Ashton Gronewold (Sr.) University of Missouri-Rolla
WR Brahin Bilal (Sr.) Bloomsburg University
RS Brandon Toles (Sr.) Southern Connecticut State University
PK David Chudzinski (Sr.) Wayne State University

Defense:
DL Travis Carpenter (Sr.) Abilene Christian University
DL Ron Ellington (Sr.) Catawba College
DL Andre Bernardi (Jr.) North Greenville University
DL Jake Visser (Jr.) Ferris State University
LB Michael Eubanks (Sr.) Delta State University
LB Jared Brock (Jr.) West Texas A&M University
LB Anthony Adams (Sr.) Grand Valley State University
LB Lateef Ferguson (Sr.) West Chester University
DB Brandon Carr (Sr.) Grand Valley State University
DB Josh Jones (Jr.) University of Minnesota-Moorhead
DB Kendall Ricketts (Sr.) Central Missouri State University
DB Quincy Skinner (Sr.) Arkansas Tech University
P Wayne Durham (Jr.) Adams State College