Nov. 29, 2010
ST. LOUIS -- Thirteen members of the University of Northern Iowa football team earned all-Missouri Valley Football Conference honors, the league announced Monday. Five Panthers earned first-team honors, three were named to the second team, and five more were selected honorable mentions.
Seniors Austin Zlab and Billy Hallgren were each first-team selections on the offensive side. Zlab served as UNI’s starting center, helping the Panthers put together the MVFC’s top-rated rushing offense, the ninth-best in the country. Hallgren became UNI’s all-time leading scorer this season after connecting on 17 field goals and 33 extra points on the season.
Defensively, Jamar Thompson each earned first-team honors. Boothby, a junior defensive lineman, led the MVFC with 9.5 sacks on the season, ranking 16th nationally. He also notched 16.0 tackles for loss, second in the league. Thompson, a senior linebacker, led the Panthers with 99 tackles on the year. He also tallied 4.5 tackles for loss and an interception.
Sophomore return specialist Carlos Anderson also picked up first-team honors after leading the MVFC with 27.20 yards per kickoff return, along with two returns for touchdowns.
Junior quarterback Tirrell Rennie earned second-team honors, and he finished second in Offensive Player of the Year voting. Rennie became the first UNI quarter back to rush for 1,000 yards, finishing with 1,291 yards and 14 touchdowns rushing on the season. He also threw for 1,526 yards on the year.
Junior linebacker L.J. Fort and sophomore defensive back J.J. Swain were each named to the second team. Fort was second on the team with 92 tackles, 11.5 of them coming for a loss. He notched three interceptions on the season. Swain broke up two passes and finished with 37 tackles on the year.
Honorable mentions included Anderson, Schuylar Oordt.
Anderson received honorable mention honors as a running back, finishing the year with 974 yards and two touchdowns rushing. Bernard, a sophomore punter, averaged 42.4 yards per kick, including eight punts of 50 or more yards. Branch, a junior defensive lineman, tallied 37 tackles, 5.5 of them for a loss. He also finished the year with 2.5 sacks. Conley, a junior linebacker, finished the year with 6.0 sacks, 69 tackles, and 12.0 tackles for loss. He also finished with an interception and five passes broken up. Oordt, a senior tight end, had 24 catches on the year, three of them for touchdowns.
