Four Wolverines Receive First Team All-Big Ten Honors
11/22/2005 12:00:00 AM | Football
PARK RIDGE, Ill. -- The Big Ten Conference Office announced today (Tuesday, Nov. 22) the 2005 all-conference football teams and individual award winners, with the University of Michigan placing seven players on the All-Big Ten first or second team. The Wolverines had four first-team performers and three second-team honorees.
A two-time All-Big Ten second team selection by the coaches the previous two seasons, senior wide receiver and co-captain Jason Avant (Chicago, Ill./Carver HS) collected consensus All-Big Ten first team honors from both the coaches and media.
Senior defensive tackle Gabe Watson (Novi, Mich./Southfield HS) also received first-team accolades from both panels after splitting recognition last year. He earned All-Big Ten first team honors from the coaches and picked up a second-team nod from the media in 2004.
Fifth-year senior right guard Matt Lentz (Ortonville, Mich./Brandon HS) and fifth-year senior left tackle Adam Stenavich (Marshfield, Wis./Marshfield HS) gained first team accolades from the media and were second-team selections by the coaches.
Fifth-year senior tight end Tim Massaquoi (Allentown, Pa./Parkland HS) and junior cornerback Leon Hall (Vista, Calif./Vista HS) earned second team honors from both the coaches and media. Massaquoi was a consensus first-team selection on both ballots last year, and Hall improved upon his honorable mention selection from one year ago.
Fifth-year senior left guard Leo Henige (Chesaning, Mich./Chesaning HS) was the third U-M offensive lineman to gain all-conference accolades, receiving second team honors from the media and honorable mention accolades from the coaches.
Senior tight end Tyler Ecker (El Dorado Hills, Calif./Oak Ridge HS), fifth-year senior cornerback Grant Mason (Pontiac, Mich./Orchard Lake St. Mary's HS), fifth-year senior defensive tackle and co-captain Pat Massey (Brecksville, Ohio/St. Ignatius HS), junior placekicker Garrett Rivas (Tampa, Fla./Jesuit HS) and junior rush linebacker LaMarr Woodley (Saginaw, Mich./Saginaw HS) earned honorable mention from both the coaches and media panels. Junior outside linebacker Prescott Burgess (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding HS) was an honorable mention selection by the coaches.
Senior wide receiver Carl Tabb (Ann Arbor, Mich./Huron HS) was named Michigan's recipient of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
All-Big Ten Notes:
-- Lentz, Stenavich and Watson finished their careers with back-to-back first team honors.
-- Three of Michigan's five offensive linemen earned All-Big Ten accolades.
-- Hall and Henige earned their first career All-Big Ten recognition.
-- Rivas has received honorable mention the past two seasons.
2005 All-Big Ten Conference Teams
As Selected by the Conference Coaches
| OFF. | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM |
| QB | Brett Basanez, Northwestern | Michael Robinson, Penn State |
| RB | LAURENCE MARONEY, Minnesota* | TYRELL SUTTON, Northwestern |
| RB | BRIAN CALHOUN, Wisconsin | TONY HUNT, Penn State |
| WR | Jason Avant, Michigan | Mark Philmore, Northwestern |
| WR | SANTONIO HOLMES, Ohio State | Brandon Williams, Wisconsin |
| C | Greg Eslinger, Minnesota | Nick Mangold, Ohio State |
| OG | Mark Setterstrom, Minnesota | Matt Lentz, Michigan |
| OG | Rob Sims, Ohio State | JORDAN GRIMES, Purdue |
| OT | LEVI BROWN, Penn State | Adam Stenavich, Michigan |
| OT | JOE THOMAS, Wisconsin | Zach Strief, Northwestern |
| TE | MATT SPAETH, Minnesota | Tim Massaquoi, Michigan |
| PK | Josh Huston, Ohio State | KYLE SCHLICHER, Iowa |
| | ||
| DEF. | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM |
| DL | Gabe Watson, Michigan | Victor Adeyanju, Indiana |
| DL | Mike Kudla, Ohio State | Anthony Montgomery, Minnesota |
| DL | Tamba Hali, Penn State* | Barry Cofield, Northwestern |
| DL | Scott Paxson, Penn State | QUINN PITCOCK, Ohio State (tie) Rob Ninkovich, Purdue (tie) |
| LB | Chad Greenway, Iowa | Abdul Hodge, Iowa |
| LB | A.J. Hawk, Ohio State | Tim McGarigle, Northwestern |
| LB | PAUL POSLUSZNY, Penn State | Bobby Carpenter, Ohio State |
| DB | Nate Salley, Ohio State | Jovon Johnson, Iowa |
| DB | DONTE WHITNER, Ohio State | Leon Hall, Michigan |
| DB | ASHTON YOUBOTY, Ohio State (tie) Calvin Lowry, Penn State (tie) | Eric Smith, Michigan State |
| DB | Alan Zemaitis, Penn State | |
| P | KEN DEBAUCHE, Wisconsin | Steve Weatherford, Illinois |
* denotes unanimous first team selection
HONORABLE MENTION: ILLINOIS: Ryan Matha; IOWA: Antwan Allen, Ed Hinkel, KENNY IWEBEMA, MARCUS PASCHAL, ALBERT YOUNG; MICHIGAN: PRESCOTT BURGESS, TYLER ECKER, Leo Henige, Grant Mason, Pat Massey, GARRETT RIVAS, LaMARR WOODLEY; MICHIGAN STATE: Domata Peko, JERRAMY SCOTT, Stefon Wheeler; MINNESOTA: TONY BRINKHAUS, Keith Lipka, GARY RUSSELL; NORTHWESTERN: MARQUICE COLE, Herschel Henderson; OHIO STATE: Marcus Green, ANTONIO PITTMAN, Anthony Schlegel, TROY SMITH; PENN STATE: JAY ALFORD, DEON BUTLER, Chris Harrell, JEREMY KAPINOS, Matthew Rice; PURDUE: DORIEN BRYANT, Mike Otto, SEAN SESTER, Brandon Villarreal; WISCONSIN: Jason Pociask, JOE STELLMACHER.
Offensive Player of the Year: Michael Robinson, Penn State
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Greg Eslinger, Minnesota
Defensive Player of the Year: A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Tamba Hali, Penn State*
Freshman of the Year: Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern
2005 All-Big Ten Conference Teams
As Selected by the Media
| OFF. | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM |
| QB | Brett Basanez, Northwestern | Michael Robinson, Penn State |
| RB | LAURENCE MARONEY, Minnesota | ALBERT YOUNG, Iowa |
| RB | BRIAN CALHOUN, Wisconsin | TYRELL SUTTON, Northwestern |
| WR | Jason Avant, Michigan | JAMES HARDY, Indiana |
| WR | SANTONIO HOLMES, Ohio State | DORIEN BRYANT, Purdue |
| C | Greg Eslinger, Minnesota | Nick Mangold, Ohio State |
| OG | Matt Lentz, Michigan | Leo Henige, Michigan |
| OG | Mark Setterstrom, Minnesota | Rob Sims, Ohio State |
| OT | Adam Stenavich, Michigan | Zach Strief, Northwestern |
| OT | JOE THOMAS, Wisconsin | LEVI BROWN, Penn State |
| TE | MATT SPAETH, Minnesota | Tim Massaquoi, Michigan |
| PK | Josh Huston, Ohio State | KYLE SCHLICHER, Iowa |
| | ||
| DEF. | FIRST TEAM | SECOND TEAM |
| DL | KENNY IWEBEMA, Iowa | Victor Adeyanju, Indiana |
| DL | Gabe Watson, Michigan | JAY ALFORD, Penn State |
| DL | Mike Kudla, Ohio State | Matthew Rice, Penn State |
| DL | Tamba Hali, Penn State* | Rob Ninkovich, Purdue |
| LB | Chad Greenway, Iowa | Abdul Hodge, Iowa |
| LB | A.J. Hawk, Ohio State | Tim McGarigle, Northwestern |
| LB | PAUL POSLUSZNY, Penn State | Bobby Carpenter, Ohio State |
| DB | Jovon Johnson, Iowa | Leon Hall, Michigan |
| DB | Nate Salley, Ohio State | MARQUICE COLE, Northwestern |
| DB | ASHTON YOUBOTY, Ohio State | Calvin Lowry, Penn State |
| DB | Alan Zemaitis, Penn State | RODERICK ROGERS, Wisconsin |
| P | KEN DEBAUCHE, Wisconsin | Steve Weatherford, Illinois |
* denotes unanimous first team selection
HONORABLE MENTION: INDIANA: Kyle Killion; IOWA: Antwan Allen, Brian Ferentz, Ed Hinkel, MITCH KING; MICHIGAN: TYLER ECKER, Grant Mason, Pat Massey, GARRETT RIVAS, LaMARR WOODLEY; MICHIGAN STATE: Domata Peko, Eric Smith, DREW STANTON, Stefon Wheeler; MINNESOTA: TRUMAINE BANKS, TONY BRINKHAUS, STEVE DAVIS, Anthony Montgomery, John Pawielski, GARY RUSSELL; NORTHWESTERN: Barry Cofield, Herschel Henderson, SHAUN HERBERT; OHIO STATE: Marcus Green, TED GINN JR., QUINN PITCOCK, ANTONIO PITTMAN, TROY SMITH, DONTE WHITNER; PENN STATE: DEON BUTLER, Chris Harrell, TONY HUNT, Scott Paxson; PURDUE: JORDAN GRIMES, Mike Otto, Matt Turner, Brandon Villarreal; WISCONSIN: NICK HAYDEN, Jason Pociask, Donovan Raiola, MATT SHAUGHNESSY, JOE STELLMACHER, Brandon Williams.
Offensive Player of the Year: Brett Basanez, Northwestern
Defensive Player of the Year: A.J. Hawk, Ohio State
Freshman of the Year: Tyrell Sutton, Northwestern
Dave McClain Coach of the Year: Joe Paterno, Penn State
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees: J Leman, Illinois; Russ Richardson, Indiana; Abdul Hodge, Iowa; CARL TABB, Michigan; Kyle Brown, Michigan State; Greg Eslinger, Minnesota; Brett Basanez, Northwestern; Nate Salley, Ohio State; Michael Robinson, Penn State; Brandon Villarreal, Purdue; Jonathan Orr, Wisconsin.
Media Contacts: David Ablauf, Jim Schneider (734) 763-4423
