PORTLAND, Ore. – The list of 2017 Central Washington University football honors just got a whole lot bigger as the Wildcats landed 21 players on the Great Northwest Athletic Conference team, highlighted by four specialty awards selections.
Senior linebacker
Kevin Haynes leads the group with his second-straight Defensive Player of the Year award after collecting 84 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and 12.0 tackles for loss. Haynes leads the CWU defense that ranks third nationally, and lead the nation in sacks. Haynes becomes the second GNAC player to win the award twice and earns the ninth DPOY in school history.
Bo Banner collected 10.0 of the teams 58 sacks on the season and earns Defensive Lineman of the Year, becoming the third Wildcats to win the award and the first since Tovar Sanchez in 2014.
Junior quarterback
Reilly Hennessey took home Newcomer of the Year after throwing for 2,286 yards and 26 touchdowns. Hennessey also ran for 588 yards and four touchdowns, ranking 16
th nationally in touchdowns responsible for. This is the second straight newcomer award won by the Wildcats with Uso Olive earning the crown last season.
"Each of these players are deserving of the awards they earned and we are thankful the rest of the league was able to see the impact they had on our football team," CWU Head Coach
Ian Shoemaker said regarding Haynes, Banner, and Hennessey. "Everyone in our program should take pride in these accomplishments. Although the awards are handed out to individuals, it is truly a group effort."
Shoemaker himself took home some hardware as he was named GNAC Coach of the Year after leading the Wildcats to their first GNAC Title since 2012, and its first NCAA Playoff appearance since 2009. The Wildcats undefeated season is just the third in conference history, joining the 2009 and 2002 squads.
"I am honored and humbled by this award, and like I mentioned before, this accomplishment will be shared amongst us all," Shoemaker said. "We have an unbelievably talented staff that has worked tirelessly to get us to where we are. 11-0 is no easy task, and our coaching staff, from top to bottom, has been dialed in all season and dedicated to seeing this program take off. But at the end of the day, none of this is possible without student-athletes who are just as dedicated as the coaching staff. We have a very special group, and we all realize how important each person is to the success of our team."
Haynes, Banner, and Hennessey each earned All-GNAC First-Team honors and are joined by seven other teammates.
Offensively, left tackle
James Moore, left guard
Nicholas Streubel, and tight end
Kyle Self were each named first-team participants. Self is no stranger to the all-GNAC team, as the senior has now been chosen in each of his four seasons, however, this is his lone first-team selections. Moore lands on the first-team for the second-consecutive season, and his third all-conference nod of his career. Streubel, who missed all of last season due to injury, makes his first appearance on the list.
The All-GNAC First-Team defense is littered with Crimson and Black as the Wildcats totaled six selections including Banner and Haynes. Safety
Jackson Huerta earned his second-straight selection, while
Tyler Hasty,
Nicholas Aumua, and
Christian Penny join the team for the first time.
Hasty and Huerta had 91 tackles, 18 pass breakups and 10 interceptions combined, while Aumua and Penny combined for 19.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Second-team selections on the offensive end went to
Austin Pernell,
Nate Rauda,
Samuel Sanchez, and
Luke Asbjornsen, all of whom earn all-GNAC for the first time.
As for second-team defense,
Billy Greer leads the list for the Wildcats. Greer led the GNAC with 11.0 sacks and ranks fifth nationally with 1.22 sacks per game. He is joined by
Sean Elledge,
Max McIntosh and
Darien Williams. Elledge and McIntosh were both second-team performers a year ago, and Williams moves up after earning honorable mention last season.
The final three Wildcats on the list were named honorable mention all-GNAC, and they include:
Reggie Long,
Justin Peterson and
Elisha Pa'aga.
| Position |
Name |
All-GNAC Team/Awards |
Hometown |
High School |
| LB |
Kevin Haynes |
1st/Defensive Player of the Year |
Battle Ground, Wash. |
Battle Ground |
| DL |
Bo Banner |
1st/Defensive Lineman of the year |
Bellingham, Wash. |
Sehome |
| QB |
Reilly Hennessey |
1st/Newcomer of the Year |
Camas, Wash. |
Camas |
| DL |
Nicholas Aumua |
1st Team |
Auburn, Wash. |
Auburn Mountainview |
| DL |
Christian Penny |
1st Team |
Pasco, Wash. |
Chiawana |
| DB |
Tyler Hasty |
1st Team |
Bellevue, Wash. |
Bellevue |
| DB |
Jackson Huerta |
1st Team |
Covington, Wash. |
Kentwood |
| OL |
James Moore |
1st Team |
Tacoma, Wash. |
Bethel |
| TE |
Kyle Self |
1st Team |
Vaughn, Wash. |
Peninsula |
| OL |
Nicholas Streubel |
1st Team |
Oak Harbor, Wash. |
Coupeville |
| RB |
Austin Pernell |
2nd Team |
Kent, Wash. |
Kent Meridian |
| WR |
Nate Rauda |
2nd Team |
Ballard, Wash. |
Ballard |
| TE |
Samuel Sanchez |
2nd Team |
Poulsbo, Wash. |
O'Dea |
| OL |
Luke Asbjornsen |
2nd Team |
Graham, Wash. |
Graham-Kapowsin |
| DL |
Billy Greer |
2nd Team |
Tacoma, Wash. |
Wilson |
| DB |
Darien Williams |
2nd Team |
Tacoma, Wash. |
Lincoln |
| DB |
Max McIntosh |
2nd Team |
Puyallup, Wash. |
Rogers |
| LB |
Sean Elledge |
2nd Team |
Monroe, Wash. |
Glacier Peak |
| OL |
Reggie Long |
Honorable Mention |
Sammamish, Wash. |
Skyline |
| DL |
Elisha Pa'aga |
Honorable Mention |
Tukwila, Wash. |
Eastside Catholic |
| WR |
Justin Peterson |
Honorable Mention |
Marysville, Wash. |
Lakewood |
