Walker Among Elite 25 on AFCA's All-America Team

WACO, Texas -- University of Michigan senior wide receiver Marquise Walker (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger HS) was named to the American Football Coaches Association's 2001 All-America Team released today (Thursday, Dec. 6). Walker was one of 25 players (11 offense, 11 defense, 3 specialists) selected for the honor by the national coaches association.

Walker

A 6-3, 213-pound receiver, Walker started all 11 regular-season games and caught a Michigan school-record 81 passes for 1,043 yards and 11 touchdowns. For his efforts, he was awarded the Bo Schembechler Award as the Most Valuable Player of the 2001 Michigan football team. Walker proved to be an invaluable component to the Michigan special teams, returning a team-high 23 punts for 206 yards and also blocking two punts, one of which resulted in a safety and the other leading to an eventual field goal.

Walker also succeeded in climbing to the top of many of U-M's receiving lists this season. He now holds the school record for most career receptions with 171, most receptions in a season with 81 and most consecutive games with at least one catch (35), and he twice had a school-record 15 receptions in a game (Washington and Ohio State). In addition, the senior is currently fifth in career receiving yards (2,169) and lists seventh in career receiving touchdowns (17).

Walker leads the No. 17-ranked Wolverines into the Florida Citrus Bowl on Jan. 1, 2002. Michigan will be playing in its 27th straight bowl game and is looking for its fifth straight bowl victory. Michigan's opponent, which will hail from the Southeastern Conference, will be determined this Sunday (Dec. 9).

Following is a list of Walker's 2001 honors and awards:

Bo Schembechler Most Valuable Player
American Football Coaches Association All-America first team
The Sporting News All-America second team
CNN/Sports Illustrated All-America honorable mention
All-Big Ten Conference first feam -- Coaches and Media
College Football News All-Big Ten first team
Biletnikoff Award (semifinalist)
ABC Player of the Game vs. Ohio State (Nov. 24)
ABC Player of the Game vs. Illinois (Sept. 29)
ABC Player of the Game at Washington (Sept. 8)
Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week vs. Purdue (Oct. 13)

2001 AFCA Coaches' All-America Team

Pos.	OFFENSE	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
WR	Jabar Gaffney, Florida	6-1	197	So.	Jacksonville, Fla.
WR	Marquise Walker, Michigan	6-3	213	Sr.	Syracuse, N.Y.
TE	Dan Graham, Colorado	6-3	245	Sr.	Denver, Colo.
OL	Bryant McKinnie, Miami (Fla.)	6-9	336	Sr.	Woodbury, N.J.
OL	Terrence Metcalf, Mississippi	6-4	315	Sr.	Clarksdale, Miss.
C	LeCharles Bentley, Ohio State	6-2	300	Sr.	Cleveland, Ohio
OL	Mike Williams, Texas	6-6	345	Sr.	The Colony, Texas
OL	Eric Heitmann, Stanford	6-4	295	Sr.	Katy, Texas
QB	Eric Crouch, Nebraska	6-1	200	Sr.	Omaha, Neb.
RB	Lucas Staley, BYU	6-1	218	Jr.	Tualatin, Ore.
RB	William Green, Boston College	6-1	215	Sr.	Atlantic City, N.J.

Pos.	DEFENSE	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
DL	Julius Peppers, North Carolina	6-6	290	Jr.	Bailey, N.C.
DL	Dwight Freeney, Syracuse	6-2	250	Sr.	Bloomfield, Conn.
DL	John Henderson, Tennessee	6-7	290	Sr.	Nashville, Tenn.
DL	Wendell Bryant, Wisconsin	6-4	302	Sr.	St. Louis, Mo.
LB	Rocky Calmus*, Oklahoma	6-3	238	Sr.	Jenks, Okla.
LB	Jermaine Petty, Arkansas	6-2	257	Sr.	Inman, S.C.
LB	LeVar Fisher, N.C. State	6-2	233	Sr.	Beaufort, N.C.
DB	Roy Williams, Oklahoma	6-1	221	Jr.	Union City, Calif.
DB	Ed Reed, Miami (Fla.)	6-0	198	Sr.	St. Rose, La.
DB	Quentin Jammer, Texas	6-1	200	Sr.	Angleton, Texas
DB	Tank Williams, Stanford	6-3	225	Sr.	Bay St. Louis, Miss.

Pos.	SPECIALISTS	Ht.	Wt.	Cl.	Hometown
P	Travis Dorsch, Purdue	6-6	222	Sr.	Bozeman, Mont.
PK	Damon Duval, Auburn	6-1	186	Jr.	Chattanooga, Tenn.
RS	Bernard Berrian, Fresno State	6-2	190	Jr.	Winton, Calif.

American Football Coaches Association Site

Contact: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423

University of Michigan Athletics

Players Mentioned

Marquise Walker

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