FOUR WONDER BOYS NAMED DAKTRONICS ALL-SOUTHEAST REGION SELECTIONS; MICHAEL PODOBNIK NAMED FIRST-TEAM ALL-REGION

        RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – Arkansas Tech Wonder Boys had four players named to the Daktronics Division II All-Southeast Region Football team released on Wednesday.

The Daktronics All-Region teams are selected by members of the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) in each of the four regions of the country. First-Team honorees move on to the national All-America ballot. The All-America team will be released on Dec. 11.

Junior punter Michael Podobnik was named a First-Team All-Southeast selection, while junior offensive tackle Jeremy Ashcraft, junior cornerback Tito Jose and junior receiver Tracey Stiger were named Second-Team All-Southeast Region selections.

The 2007 Daktronics All-Southeast Region teams features 32 players from Gulf South Conference schools, including 16 first-team selections. Delta State led the way with 10 selections, including four first-team honorees. Tech had the third-most selections of any GSC squad with four, trailing only DSU and Henderson State, who had six selections.

Podobnik, a native of Frankfort, Ill., earns first-team honors after a record-setting season as a punter for the Wonder Boys. This past season, Podobnik, who was a First-Team All-GSC selection as a punter and second-team selection as a kicker, led the GSC and NCAA Division II in punting with a 45.2 yard average per punt. In 10 games, he punted 43 times for 1,945 yards and had seven touchbacks and downed eight punts inside the 20-yard line. In addition, he had 13 punts over 50 yards, including a season-best 75-yard punt in the fourth quarter of Tech’s season opener at Northeastern State. Podobnik’s 45.2 yard average set a new single-season Tech and GSC mark. The previous Tech mark of 42.0 yards was set in 2003 by Tommy Edwards, while the old GSC mark of 43.5 yards was set in 1982 by Jacksonville State’s Greg Lowery. On the season, Podobnik was named the GSC Special Teams Player of the Week three times and was named the D2Football.com National Special Teams Player of the Week following the Harding game on Nov. 3. Against Harding, Podobnik averaged 52.5 yards on his four punts, which set a new Tech single-game record for punting average (51.0 was the previous record) and placed two punts inside the 20-yard line and boomed a 63-yard punt in the fourth quarter.

Ashcraft, a native of Dickinson, Texas, and a transfer from East Texas Baptist, earned second-team honors as an offensive tackle. Ashcraft, who was named a Second-Team All-GSC selection this season, started all 10 games for the Wonder Boys and graded out at 89 percent on the season. He finished the year with the fewest pressures and sacks given up on the team and recorded 27 knockdown blocks.

Jose, a native of San Diego, Calif., and a transfer from Mesa [CA] Community College, earns second-team honors as a cornerback. On the season, Jose picked off a team-best five passes and returned them for 79 yards, including returning one 54 yards in Tech’s 21-20 win over Henderson State. Jose’s five interceptions were fourth-best in the GSC. In addition, he recorded 35 total tackles, including 24 solo stops and had 2.0 tackles for loss and forced three fumbles, which was ninth-best in the GSC. Along with the three forced fumbles, Jose also had two fumble recoveries and returned one of those fumbles 44 yards for a touchdown against Texas College. Jose helped lead a Tech secondary that picked off 14 passes and forced nine fumbles this past season.

Stiger, a native of Russellville, Ark., was named as a second-team receiver. This past season, Stiger, a Second-Team All-GSC selection, finished with a team-best 61 catches for 656 yards and averaged 10.8 yards per reception and had 10 touchdowns, including scoring three touchdowns in Tech’s 38-28 win over Ouachita Baptist on Oct. 20. In addition to his pass catching prowess, Stiger had 25 kickoff returns for 615 yards and averaged 24.6 yards per return and returned 13 punts for 155 yards (11.9 yards/return), including returning a punt 55 yards for a touchdown in Tech’s season finale against Harding. On the season, Stiger averaged 144.1 all-purpose yards and enters next year tied for the school’s lead in career kickoff returns (79) and holds the school’s career record for kickoff return yardage (1,714 yards) and has amassed over 3,500 all-purpose yards in his career.

Other GSC players selected First-Team All-Southeast Region selections besides Podobnik were Harding quarterback David Knighton, Valdosta State receiver Cedric Jones, Harding offensive lineman Ross Conn, Delta State offensive lineman Mark Ellis, Henderson State offensive lineman Kurt Kutscher, North Alabama offensive lineman J.D. Whited, Ouachita Baptist running back Willie Hopson, West Alabama all-purpose back Terry Allen, Delta State all-purpose back Dedrick Wilson, Delta State linebacker Michael Eubanks, Valdosta State linebacker William Montford, Henderson State cornerback Devon Hughes, Delta State cornerback Monterio James, North Alabama safety Craig Fox and Valdosta State safety Sherard Reynolds.

GSC players joining Ashcraft, Stiger and Jose on the Second-Team All-Southeast Region team include Henderson State tight end Scott Houser, Henderson State offensive lineman Kevin Davis, Delta State offensive lineman Chris Goff, Delta State offensive lineman John Simmons, Henderson State offensive lineman Louis West, Arkansas-Monticello running back John L. Williams, Henderson State defensive lineman Sam Carter, Delta State defensive linemen UNA  Alabama linebacker Michael Johnson, UAM linebacker Larry White and Delta State safety Jamarcus Wiggins.

         2007 Daktronics All-Southeast Region Football Teams

 -- Tech Athletics --