Dec. 14, 2006

Elmhurst, Ill. - UC Davis free safety Jonathan Barsi, whose six interceptions this season were tied for the second-most in the Football Championship Subdivision football, was named to the Associated Press All-America first team, it was announced on Wednesday afternoon.

Davis was the lone Great West player named to the first team, but several others were named to the second and third teams. North Dakota State offensive lineman Nate Safe and Cal Poly linebacker Kyle Shotwell were named to the second team, while South Dakota State offensive lineman Mitch Erickson and defensive lineman Chris White and defensive back defensive back Kenny Chicoine, both from Cal Poly, were named to the third team.

Barsi, the first Aggie to be named to one of A.P.'s first teams since offensive tackle Troy Larkin was honored on the Division II squad in 1999, is also the second straight Associated Press I-AA All-America honoree for UC Davis following receiver Tony Kays who was named to the second team last season.

"J.J. was kind of our hidden nugget we knew that we had," said Aggie head coach Bob Biggs. "For him to be honored is well-deserved and we couldn't be happier for him."

Barsi, a senior from Los Altos, Calif., led the Aggies with six picks this season, including intercepting three passes against rival Sacramento State during UC Davis' 30-16 win during the 53rd annual Causeway Classic on Nov. 18. Barsi returned one of them 44 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter, tying the game 13-13 and helping swing momentum toward the Aggies. He also had a key 72-yard kickoff return, helping set up UC Davis' first score. For his efforts, he was named the Great West Football Conference Defensive Player of the Week.

Barsi led the team with 61 total tackles in 2006, including 34 solo, while also breaking up three passes and recovering a fumble. Besides Sacramento State, he posted interceptions in the Aggies' two prior games against South Dakota State and North Dakota State. Barsi also had a pick in the season opener at Northern Colorado. His interception return yardage totaled 102 yards for the season.

Barsi finished his career with 11 interceptions, tying him for fourth all-time at UC Davis. His season total ties him for fifth. He was named to the All-GWFC first team in November for the second straight year.

Safe, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound junior from Cannon Falls, Minn., is a two-time all-Great West Football Conference first team performer for the Bison. He was the anchor of an offensive line that ranked 8th nationally in total offense, 16th in rush offense and 31st in passing offense. The NDSU offensive line was tied for 5th in tackles for loss allowed (3.73 tflapg) and 33rd in sacks allowed (1.27 sapg). Shotwell, 6-1, 235-pound senior from Dos Pueblos High School in Goleta, led the Mustangs and the Great West Football Conference this fall with 122 tackles and an 11.1 average. He also is eighth in the nation in total tackles, first in tackles for lost yardage (1.91 per game), 13th in solo tackles (5.55) and 24th in sacks (.64).

Shotwell has four career interceptions and played in all 46 games in his Mustang career, including starts in his last 35 contests. He finished his junior year with a school-record 158 tackles and as a sophomore he notched 88, giving him 392 for his career, No. 2 all-time at Cal Poly.

Shotwell had seven sacks this year, including a school Division I-AA record 4.0 sacks against San Diego State, and 17.0 in his career, No. 8 all-time at Cal Poly. He was named 2006 Great West Football Conference Defensive Player of the Year.

Chicoine, 6-0, 205, senior from Mater Dei High School in Huntington Beach, recorded 42 starts in 46 career games and had 266 career tackles and a school record 20 career interceptions, including two in the 2006 finale against Savannah State. He recorded five interceptions and three pass breakups this season and also averaged 8.4 yards per punt return en route to first-team All-Great West honors.

White, 6-3, 275-pound nose tackle from Garces Memorial High School in Bakersfield who earlier this week was named to the American Football Coaches Association¹s Division I-AA All-America Team, recorded 30 totals in the 2006 season, including 16 solo stops, 10.5 tackles for lost yardage and 5.0 sacks. He notched nine quarterback hurries, including five in one game against South Dakota State.

For his career, White made 108 tackles -- 55 of them solo -- and was credited with 36.5 tackles for lost yardage, No. 5 in Cal Poly¹s Division I-AA record book, and 21.5 sacks, No. 5 all-time and No. 3 in the Mustangs¹ Division I-AA record book. White also was named to the All-Great West first team.

AP FCS All-America Teams

First Team

-- Quarterback _ Tyler Thigpen, 6-foot-3, 220 pounds, senior, Coastal Carolina.

Running backs _ Marcus Mason, 5-9, 215, senior, Youngstown State; Arkee Whitlock, 5-10, 195, senior, Southern Illinois.

Wide receivers _ David Ball, 6-2, 200, senior, New Hampshire; Alex Watson, 5-10, 180, junior, Northern Arizona.

Tight end _ Ben Patrick, 6-4, 270, senior, Delaware.

Offensive linemen _ Kerry Brown, 6-6, 285, junior, Appalachian State; Matt Isenhour, 6-1, 275, senior, Appalachian State; Ed McCarthy, 6-5, 300, senior, Yale; Alex Miller, 6-2, 290, junior, Massachusetts; Brennan Carvalho, 6-1, 310, junior, Portland State.

Kicker _ Dan Carpenter, 6-2, 211, junior, Montana.

All-purpose player _ Steven Whitehead, 5-8, 170, junior, McNeese State.

Defense

Defensive linemen _ Marques Murrell, 6-2, 245, senior, Appalachian State; Matt King, 6-3, 240, senior, Maine; Bryan Smith, 6-3, 217, junior, McNeese State; Edgar Jones, 6-5, 250, senior, Southeast Missouri State.

Linebackers _ Justin Durant, 6-2, 230, senior, Hampton; Cameron Siskowic, 6-2, 225, senior, Illinois State; Adam Hayward, 6-0, 235, senior, Portland State.

Defensive backs _ Jeremy Wiggins, 5-9, 190, senior, Appalachian State; Dre Dokes, 5-9, 162, senior, Northern Iowa; James Ihedigbo, 6-1, 202, senior, Massachusetts; Jonathan Barsi, 6-1, 205, senior, UC Davis.

Punter _ Breck Ackley, 5-10, 165, senior, Southern.

Second Team

Offense

Quarterback _ Jason Murrietta, senior, Northern Arizona.

Running backs _ Steve Baylark, senior, Massachusetts; Pierre Rembert, senior, Illinois State.

Wide receivers _ Terrell Hudgins, freshman, Elon; Jerome Simpson, junior, Coastal Carolina.

Tight end _ Patrick Bugg, senior, Eastern Kentucky.

Offensive linemen _ Ryan Jewell, senior, Youngstown State; Chad Rinehart, junior, Northern Iowa; Nate Safe, junior, North Dakota State; Jon Reuter, junior, Eastern Illinois; Brad Poston, senior, Coastal Carolina.

Kicker _ Rob Zarrilli, senior, Hofstra.

All-purpose player _ Derrick Harris, senior, Sam Houston State.

Defense

Defensive linemen _ Kory Biermann, junior, Montana; Brian Johnston, junior, Gardner-Webb; Kevin Winston, senior, James Madison; Mike Murphy, senior, Montana.

Linebackers _ Akeem Jordan, senior, James Madison; Chad Nkang, junior, Elon; Kyle Shotwell, senior, Cal Poly;

Defensive backs _ Stacey Thomas, senior, Texas Southern; Quinton Teal, senior, Coastal Carolina; Tony LeZotte, junior, James Madison; Jason Perry, senior, Youngstown State.

Punter _ David Simonhoff, senior, SE Missouri State.

Third Team

Offense

Quarterback _ Josh Johnson, junior, San Diego.

Running backs _ Justise Hairston, senior, Central Connecticut; Kevin Richardson, junior, Appalachian State.

Wide receivers _ Maurice Price, junior, Charleston Southern; Bruce Hocker, junior, Duquesne.

Tight end _ Daniel Bettis, senior, Appalachian State.

Offensive linemen _ Corey Davis, senior, James Madison; Jackie Skipper, senior, Arkansas-Pine Bluff; Mitch Erickson, junior, South Dakota State; Alex Atkins, senior, Tennessee-Martin; Mike Saint Germain, senior, Lafayette.

Kicker _ Blake Bercegeay, sophomore, McNeese State.

All-purpose player _ Nick Ruhe, senior, Dayton.

Defense

Defensive linemen _ Eric Bakhtiari, junior, San Diego; Tory Collins, senior, Northwestern State; Roy Ravenell, senior, Furman; Chris White, senior, Cal Poly.

Linebackers _ Zak DeOssie, senior, Brown; Mike Gallihugh, junior, Colgate; Chris Hunsaker, senior, Northern Arizona.

Defensive backs _ Codera Jackson, senior, Youngstown State; Tristan Burge, senior, Eastern Illinois; Keldrick Holman, senior, Stephen F. Austin; Kenny Chicoine, senior, Cal Poly.

Punter _ Benjamin Dato, junior, Fordham.