Tuesday, December 17, 2013

PORTLAND, Ore. - Central Washington offensive lineman Mike Nelson (6-4, 305, Sr., Carnation, WA - Mount Si HS) and Dixie State tight end Joe Don Duncan (6-4, 270, Sr., Corona, CA - Notre Dame) have been selected to the  NCAA Division II All-American team by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Nelson was one of five offensive linemen selected to the team. A four-year starter at offensive tackle for the Wildcats -- Nelson started every game in the Crimson and Black from 2010 through 2013 -- he was also a four-time first-team all-Great Northwest Athletic Conference selection during his career.

"This is a great honor for Mike," CWU interim head coach and long-time offensive line coach John Picha said. "He has worked hard to play the game well and he is very deserving of all of the honors he has gotten.

"Mike has been a special player for us," Picha added. "To be a lineman who is selected as a team captain for three years, a first-team all-conference player four times, plus the award of All-American speaks to how talented of a student-athlete he has been for our program."

Nelson becomes the first Wildcat player since linebacker Adam Bighill in 2010 to earn All-American honors.

He is the fifth CWU player and along with Duncan the seventh and eighth GNAC players overall to be selected to the AFCA Division II All-American team, the most prestigious of all the Division II All-American teams.

Nelson joins Bighill, linebacker Buddy Wood (2009), wide receiver Johnny Spevak (2008), and punter Joe Smith (2003) as CWU honorees.

Other GNAC players previously selected include defensive back Caleb Singleton of Western Oregon and offensive lineman Taylor Boggs of Humboldt State.  They were both selected in 2010.

The All-American award is the third for Duncan who was a first team pick on the D2football.com and the Don Hansen team in 2011 before redshirting last season.

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

Duncan, who will play in the Senior Bowl, 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 ring with the New York Giants in 2008.