Five Kats on 2008 All-SLC Preseason Squad
7/22/2008 1:00:00 AM | Football
FRISCO, Texas - Defensive end Chris Brown is a first team selection and kicker Taylor Wilkins, offensive lineman John Dirk, defensive lineman Eric Mikolajchak and linebacker Nolan Bucek are second team honorees on the 2008 All-Southland Conference preseason football team..
All eight Southland teams placed at least two student-athletes on the preseason teams. The teams are comprised of players voted All-SLC following last season as automatic selections. The remaining spots are nominated for and voted upon by the eight head coaches of the league.
Preseason favorite McNeese State leads all teams with eight first-team selections on the 2008 Preseason All-Southland Conference football squads and also has nine on the second unit for a total of 17.
Brown (6-3, 218) was No. 5 in the SLC with three sacks last year and 60 overall tackles. Dirk (6-3, 285) blocked for the league's number two passing attack. Wilkins (5-7, 151) totaled 75 points last year with 33 extra points and 14 of 18 field goals. Mikolajchak (6-4, 315) is a two-time all-SLC selection with 28 tackles including five for losses last year. Bucek (5-10, 194) led the Southland in total tackles in 2007 with 88.
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
POS NAME UNIVERSITY HT. WT. CL. HOMETOWN
QB Nathan Brown Central Arkansas 6-2 209 Sr. Russellville, Ark.
RB Jay Lucas Southeastern La. 5-11 220 Sr. Baton Rouge, La.
RB Byron Lawrence Northwestern State 5-8 197 Sr. North Little Rock, Ark.
FB Blake Burton Texas State-San Marcos 6-0 235 Sr. Hungerford, Texas
WR Cameron Luke Texas State-San Marcos 6-2 211 Sr. Klein, Texas
WR Quinten Lawrence McNeese State 6-1 180 Sr. Carencro, La.
TE Marquez Branson Central Arkansas 6-3 242 Sr. Starkville, Miss.
OL Eman Naghavi McNeese State 6-2 300 Sr. Katy, Texas
OL Brad Gordon Central Arkansas 6-1 295 Sr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Kyle Link McNeese State 6-6 295 Sr. Lake Charles, La.
OL Lane Freiwald Central Arkansas 6-7 317 Jr. Little Rock, Ark.
OL Lance Fremin McNeese State 6-1 300 Sr. Starkville, Miss.
PK Jeff Turner Southeastern La. 5-9 170 Jr. Houston, Texas
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL Taylor Scott Central Arkansas 6-3 206 Jr. Little Rock, Ark.
DL Vaalyn Jackson McNeese State 6-0 280 Sr. Sulphur, La.
DL Chris Brown Sam Houston State 6-3 218 Sr. Texarkana, Texas
DL Albert Smith Northwestern State 6-0 300 Jr. Matthews, La.
LB Allen Nelson McNeese State 6-1 210 Sr. Beaumont, Texas
LB Garrick Spain Nicholls State 6-0 205 Jr. Franklin, La.
DB Lardarius Webb Nicholls State 5-11 180 Sr. Opelika, Ala.
DB Gary Riggs Northwestern State 6-1 215 Jr. Jennings, La.
DB Tommy Connors Southeastern La. 6-0 195 Jr. Marrero, La.
DB Brandt Linde McNeese State 6-1 190 Sr. Mandeville, La.
DB Ladarius Key McNeese State 5-10 185 Sr. Monroe, La.
P Cody Samples Southeastern La. 5-9 180 Sr. Ripley, Miss.
RS Lardarius Webb Nicholls State 5-11 180 Sr. Opelika, Ala.
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
QB Derrick Fourroux McNeese State 6-1 187 Jr. Erath, La.
RB Karrington Bush Texas State-San Marcos 5-10 182 So. Whitewright, Texas
RB Toddrick Pendland McNeese State 5-10 167 Jr. Newton, Texas
FB Dante Austin Northwestern State 5-10 250 Jr. Galveston, Texas
WR Preston Echols Central Arkansas 6-0 202 Jr. Forrest City, Ark.
WR Steven Whitehead McNeese State 5-8 175 Sr. Slidell, La.
TE Wes Mangan McNeese State 6-4 245 Jr. Brenham, Texas
OL John Dirk Sam Houston State 6-3 285 Sr. Stephenville, Texas
OL Jeremy Ford Central Arkansas 6-1 284 Sr. Bastrop, La.
OL David Ballard McNeese State 6-4 300 Sr. Lake Charles, La.
OL Jeff Bowen Texas State 6-1 280 Sr. Richland Hills, Texas
OL Nigel Cormier Nicholls State 6-1 260 Sr. Lafayette, La.
PK Taylor Wilkins Sam Houston State 5-7 151 Jr. LaMarque, TexasS
ECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DL Kenneth Lundy McNeese State 6-1 260 Sr. Bogalusa, La.
DL Jairius Jarvis Nicholls State 6-5 220 Jr. Donaldsonville, La.
DL Tim Knicky Stephen F. Austin 6-4 235 Jr. Cedar Park, Texas
DL Eric Mikolajchak Sam Houston State 6-4 315 Sr. Houston, Texas
LB Nolan Bucek Sam Houston State 5-10 194 Sr. Houston, Texas
LB Jabara Williams Stephen F. Austin 6-3 250 So. Garrison, Texas
DB Lance Moore Nicholls State 6-1 190 Sr. Leakesville, Miss.
DB Wesley Eckles Northwestern State 6-0 185 Jr. Mansfield, La.
DB John Vigers McNeese State 6-1 200 Sr. Baton Rouge, La.
DB Marquis Powell Southeastern La. 5-9 207 Sr. Madison, Fla.
DB Will Thompson Texas State-San Marcos 5-10 174 Jr. Katy, Texas
P Blake Bercegeay McNeese State 6-2 178 Sr. Gonzales, La.
RS Steven Whitehead McNeese State 5-8 175 Sr. Slidell, La.
