Dec. 27, 2005

WESTMONT, Ill. -

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Buck Buchanan Award winner, Chris Gocong from Cal Poly, Payton Award winner, Erik Meyer from Eastern Washington and Patriot Offensive plus Special Teams Player of the Year, Steve Silva from Holy Cross headline a talented 2005 Don Hansen's Football Gazette NCAA I-AA All-America team.

Appalachian State's, Jerry Moore, who guided the Mountaineers to the NCAA Division I-AA national championship, including a 12-3 record, was named Coach of the Year.

Gocong earned Defensive Lineman of the Year honors while Meyer claimed the Offensive Back of the Year Award and Silva is the Special Teams Player of the Year. Senior Reed Doughty from the University of Northern Colorado earned Defensive Back of the Year Kudos, while Chad Nkang from Elon University claimed Defensive Linebacker of the Year honors. New Hampshire's David Ball is the Offensive Receiver of the year and Offensive Lineman of the Year honors go to Jeff Bolton from Montana State who is the 2005 recipient for the Rimington Award as the NCAA 1-AA top offensive center.

Gocong, a senior, from Santa Barbara, California, is the 2005 Great West Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Chris Gocong is the winner of the 2005 Buck Buchanan Award presented by The Sports Network to the nation's defensive player of the year in Division I-AA. This season, Gocong finished first in the nation in sacks per game (1.81), second in tackles for lost yardage (2.35 per game) and 23rd in forced fumbles (.31). He recorded 98 total tackles (46 solo), including a schoolrecord 23.5 sacks (-170 yards) and 31.0 tackles for lost yardage (-187 yards), leading the Mustangs to a 9-4 record, a second straight Great West Football Conference championship and the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. He recovered a Montana State fumble in the end zone on Sept. 17 for his first career Mustang touchdown.

Doughty, a senior, from Johnstown, Colorado, a repeat Football Gazette All-American (2004), capped a stellar career by leading all of I-AA in tackles in 2005, registering 159 stops (14.45/game) during the season, including a season-high 19 against 2005 NCAA playoff participant Cal Poly. Doughty had double-digit tackles in 10 of 11 games during the year and ranked in the top-10 in the Great West Football Conference in forced fumbles (3), fumbles recovered (3), passes defended (8) and interceptions (4). He capped his career by ranking third in school history in career tackles (466), fifth in career interceptions (14) and eighth in career fumble recoveries (6). The epitome of a student-athlete, Doughty compiled a perfect 4.0 GPA, was the top vote-getter on the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American team in 2005.

A dozen GWFC football players earned All-America honors including first-team selections in Cal Poly running back James Noble and linebacker Kyle Shotwell, Gocong and Doughty.

North Dakota State defensive tackle Justin Frick and punter Mike Dragosavich; Cal Poly offensive guard Beau Finato and defensive back Kenny Chicoine, and UC Davis wide receiver Tony Kays received second team All-America recognition.

South Dakota State place-kicker Parker Douglass and North Dakota State offensive tackle Tim Popowski were third-team picks, while NDSU tight end AJ Cooper was honorable mention.

This marks the 18th year Don Hansen's Football Gazette, a recognized authority on small college football has selected an NCAA I-AA All-America team. A total of 112 players have earned some form of Football Gazette All-America accolades.

FOR MORE INFORMATION please contact Don Hansen at the Football Gazette, 630-964-1062 (don@donhansen.com). The football Gazette website is located at http://www.donhansen.com