Thursday, December 12, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Dixie State tight end Joe Don Duncan has been invited to play in a pair of prestigious postseason games and has also been named to two NCAA Division II all-region teams.

On Friday  Duncan was one of eight GNAC players named to the 2013 Don Hansen All-Super Region III team.  Earlier he was the lone GNAC player named to the Daktronics regional team.

Duncan has received invitations to play in  the 2014 East-West Shrine Game Jan. 18, in St. Petersburg, Fla., and the 2014 Reese's Senior Bowl Jan. 25, in Mobile, Ala.  He will play in the latter contest.

Duncan was the third player in GNAC history invited to play in the East-West game joining Central Washington quarterback Mike Reilly and tight end Jared Bronson who each played in the 2008 game.
 
"It is a great honor for Joe Don to be invited to play in the Senior Bowl and East/West Shrine Game," DSU head coach Scott Brumfield said. "When you look at the significance of these invitations, it puts Joe Don on a elite level, competing against the best of the best representing the best programs in the nation.
 
"He is not only a great football player, but also a tremendous individual."
 
Duncan shattered his own school receiving record this past season.

Duncan, who led the GNAC with five 100-yard receiving games, corralled a team-high 71 grabs for 1,045 yards with 13 touchdowns. His yardage total led the conference.

He bested his single-season TD mark in game number seven on the year and became the first Dixie State receiver to eclipse reach the 1,000-yard barrier with 120 yards in the Storm's win at SFU. 

He finished his career as the leading receiver in GNAC history among tight ends with 135 catches, 1,994 yards and 22 touchdowns.  His reception total was one more than Western Oregon's Kevin Boss, who won a Super Bowl championship with the New York Giants in 2008.

"It's unbelievable," Duncan said about his bowl selections. "You hope after the season that the invitations come. With two great choices, I couldn't be more excited."

Duncan was first team selection to the Don Hansen all-region team and was a Daktronics second team honoree.

He was the lone GNAC player named to the Hansen first team.

Second team picks included running back Terrell Watson of Azusa Pacific, defensive end Kraig Akins of Western Oregon and Azusa Pacific safety Tyler Thornton.

Watson set GNAC single-season records this fall for rushing yards (1,812) and touchdowns (23).  Akins led the conference in tackles for loss (16) and ranked second in sacks (8).  Thornton finished third in tackles per game (10.0) and finished second in interceptions with five.

Named to the third team were Western Oregon quarterback Ryan Bergman, Central Washington running back Jordan Todd, CWU offensive lineman Mike Nelson and Simon Fraser kick returner Tore Corrado.

Bergman paced the conference in passing yards, averaging 293.2 yards per game.  Todd finished second in rushing with 1,213 yards.

Nelson, who became just the fourth player in GNAC history to earn first team all-league honors four times, was earlier voted the GNAC Offensive Lineman of the Year.

Corrado was the GNAC leader in kick returns, averaging 34.8 yards on 12 returns.

ALL-REGION TEAMS

Don Hansen: First Team - Joe Don Duncan, DSU (TE, 6-4, 270, Sr., Corona, CA).  Second Team - Terrell Watson, APU (RB, 6-2, 230, Jr., Oxnard, CA); Kraig Akins, WOU (DE, 6-2, 290, Jr., Springfield, OR); Tyler Thornton, APU (S, 5-8, 182, Jr., Bakersfield, CA).  Third Team - Ryan Bergman, WOU (6-2, 170, Jr., Issaquah, WA); Jordan Todd, CWU (RB, 5-6, 186, So., Bellevue, WA); Mike Nelson, CWU (OT, 6-4, 305, Sr., Carnation, CA); Tore Corrado, SFU (Return Specialist, 6-0, 174, Sr., Vancouver, BC).

Daktronics: Second Team - Joe Don Duncan, DSU (TE, 6-4, 270, Sr., Corona, CA).