FARMINGTON, Utah -- Fourteen Big Sky Conference football players, including three Montana State Bobcats and a pair of Montana Grizzlies, were named Associated Press FCS all-Americans on Tuesday. The 14 selections were five better than the Big Sky's 2018 total.
Montana Grizzly linebacker Dante Olson was the lone repeat first-team all-American selection, one day after he was named a first-team selection by the Hero Sports publication. Olson recorded a program- and conference-record 179 tackles this season, with his 397 career stops also setting new records for both UM and the Big Sky.
Montana receiver Samori Toure was a third-team selection at wide receiver.
Montana State defensive end Bryce Sterk was the only Big Sky player selected to the second-team defense, while teammates Mitch Brott and Troy Andersen were named third-team all-Americans -- Brott on the offensive line and Andersen an all-purpose player.
Sterk has recorded 61 tackles, an impressive 19 of those for loss, with 15 sacks for the Bobcats this season. He also has a recovered fumble, which came last Friday night in MSU's 24-10 quarterfinal playoff win over Austin Peay.
Brott will break Montana State's record for career games started and consecutive starts (50) by lining up for the first snap this Saturday in the FCS semifinals at North Dakota State. The senior from Billings anchors an offensive line that helped lead the Big Sky Conference in rushing offense at 265.9 yards per game. MSU has scored 43 touchdowns on the ground this season.
The Bobcats and Bison kick off at noon MST on Saturday in the FargoDome.
Other Big Sky Conference AP all-Americans included Northern Arizona senior Case Cookus, the first-team quarterback selection. Teammate Luis Aguilar was the first-team kicker.
Eastern Washington's Spencer Blackburn (offensive line) and Portland State defensive back Anthony Adams rounded out the Big Sky's first-team selections.
Despite playing in the FCS semifinals this weekend, No. 3 Weber State earned no all-American selections from the Associated Press.
The Associated Press FCS all-American teams can be found below.
2019 Associated Press all-America teams
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Case Cookus, senior, Northern Arizona.
Running backs — Pete Guerriero, junior, Monmouth; James Robinson, senior, Illinois State.
Offensive linemen — Drew Himmelman, junior, Illinois State; Dillon Radunz, junior, North Dakota State; Blake Jeresaty, junior, Wofford; Spencer Blackburn, senior, Eastern Washington; PJ Burkhalter, junior, Nicholls State.
Tight end — Adam Trautman, senior, Dayton.
Wide receivers — Juwan Green, senior, Albany; Cade Johnson, junior, South Dakota State.
All-purpose player — Chris Rowland, senior, Tennessee State.
Kicker — Luis Aguilar, junior, Northern Arizona.
DEFENSE
Linemen — Derrek Tuszka, senior, North Dakota State; Ron'Dell Carter, senior, James Madison; Sully Laiche, senior, Nicholls State; Aaron Patrick, senior, Eastern Kentucky.
Linebackers — Dante Olson, senior, Montana; Willie Eubanks III, junior, The Citadel; Zach Hall, senior, Southeast Missouri State.
Secondary — Kordell Jackson, junior, Austin Peay; Brandon Easterling, junior, Dayton; Greg Liggs Jr., senior, Elon; Anthony Adams, sophomore, Portland State.
Punter — Alex Pechin, senior, Bucknell.
SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Trey Lance, redshirt freshman, North Dakota State.
Running backs — Alex Ramsey, junior, VMI; Jah-Maine Martin, junior, North Carolina A&T.
Offensive linemen — Liam Fornadel, junior, James Madison; Marcus Pettiford, senior, North Carolina A&T; Kyle Murphy, senior, Rhode Island; Kyle Anderton, senior, Austin Peay; Zack Johnson, senior, North Dakota State.
Tight end — Charlie Taumoepeau, senior Portland State.
Wide receivers — Aaron Parker, senior, Rhode Island; DeAngelo Wilson, junior, Austin Peay.
All-purpose player — Earnest Edwards, senior, Maine.
Kicker — Grayson Atkins, junior, Furman.
DEFENSE
Linemen — John Daka, senior, James Madison; Bryce Sterk, senior, Montana State; Elerson Smith, junior, Northern Iowa; Eli Mencer, senior Albany.
Linebackers — Bryson Armstrong, junior, Kennesaw State; Christian Rozeboom, senior, South Dakota State; Dimitri Holloway, senior, James Madison.
Secondary — Artevius Smith, senior, East Tennessee State; Jeremy Chinn, senior, Southern Illinois; Joseph McWilliams, senior, Grambling State; Isiah Swann, senior, Dartmouth.
Punter — Matt McRobert, junior, Sam Houston State.
THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback — Kevin Thomson, junior, Sacramento State.
Running backs — Julius Chestnut, sophomore, Sacred Heart; Pierre Strong, sophomore, South Dakota State.
Offensive linemen — Zach Larsen, senior, Southern Utah; Alex Taylor, senior, South Carolina State; AJ Farris, senior, Monmouth; Deiter Eislen, senior, Yale; Mitch Brott, senior, Montana State.
Tight end — Dalton Kincaid, sophomore, San Diego.
Wide receivers — Samori Toure, junior, Montana; Jeff Cotton, senior, Idaho.
All-purpose player — Troy Andersen, junior, Montana State.
Kicker — Ethan Ratke, junior, James Madison.
DEFENSE
Linemen — George Obinna, senior, Sacramento State; Mason Bennett, senior, North Dakota; Nick Salley, senior, Charleston Southern; Nick Wheeler, senior, Colgate.
Linebackers — Keith Woetzel, senior, Lehigh; Jabril Cox, junior, North Dakota State; Cam Gill, senior, Wagner.
Secondary — Adam Smith, senior, James Madison; Omar Brown, freshman, Northern Iowa; Luther Kirk, senior, Illinois State; Fernando Jordan, sophomore, Southeastern Louisiana.
Punter — Chris Faddoul, junior, Florida A&M.
