Thursday, January 23, 2020

BROOKFIELD, Ill. – After emerging as the top running back in the GNAC, Central Washington junior running back Michael Roots leads a total of 11 selections from the conference to the Don Hansen Football Committee All-Super Region 4 Team.

Selected to the first team as an all-purpose player, the First Team All-GNAC running back finished fifth in Division II with 1,515 total rushing yards and was eighth nationally with an average of 137.7 rushing yards per game. The top scorer in the conference, Roots ranked 30th in Division II with 8.4 points per game.

Roots was joined by three of his Central Washington teammates. Senior center Nicholas Streubel earned second-team honors while senior defensive end Billy Greer and senior cornerback Tyren Sams were named to the third team.

Also selected to the second team was Western Oregon senior offensive tackle Joseph Gonzales and junior defensive tackle Blayne Burnett. Elected to the third-team offense was Wolves’ senior quarterback Ty Currie, Simon Fraser senior wide receiver Rysen John and Azusa Pacific senior tight end Lucas Widmer. The third-team defense includes Cougars’ sophomore defensive tackle Alex Benter and Wolves’ senior linebacker Nate Proctor.

Streubel and Gonzales shared the GNAC Offensive Lineman of the Year award. Streubel anchored a CWU offensive line that protected an offense that ranks eighth in Division II with 504.7 yards per game. Gonzales was the lynch-pin in a WOU line that helped the Wolves finish 18th in Division II with 465.8 yards per game.

Burnett, the GNAC Defensive Lineman of the Year, finished the season with 41 tackles, four tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Currie, the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year, led the GNAC with 2,397 passing yards, 292.2 total offense yards per game and a 152.1 pass efficiency rating. He finished fifth in Division II with 17.12 passing yards per completion and 16th with 160 points responsible for. Proctor led the Western Oregon defense with 70 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.

Greer, the GNAC Defensive Player of the Year, finished with 41 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Sams, meanwhile, piled up 34 tackles on the season with a team-high five interceptions and ranked 18th in Division II with 0.5 interceptions per game.

Widmer finished with seven receptions for 76 yards, averaging 10.86 yards per catch. Benter finished with 26 total tackles and three sacks.

John led the GNAC and finished 25th in Division II with an average of 86.1 receiving yards per game. His 10 receiving touchdowns also ranked 10th in Division II.