NASH ADDS TO LENGTHY RESUME WITH ASSOCIATED PRESS FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICA HONOR

12/15/2011

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Sacramento State senior defensive end Zack Nash was named to the Associated Press All-America first team it was announced today. The honor is the latest for Nash who has also been selected to the American Football Coaches Association first team.

Nash is just the second Hornet to earn first team honors from the AP since the school moved to the Football Championship Subdivision in 1993 — joining running back Charles Roberts (1999). Nash was voted to the AP second team in 2010.

"This is a very nice honor," Nash said. "It feels like all the hard work paid off and came to a culmination this year."

Nash was joined on the All-America defensive front by Ben Boothby of Norther Iowa, Indiana State's Ben Obaseki and Adrian Hamilton of Prairie View A&M.

Overall, eight Big Sky Conference players were named to the first team while two others were on the second and third teams.

Nash recently completed his senior season where he earned first team all-Big Sky Conference honors and was named the team's MVP. The Vacaville, Calif., native led the team with 15.0 tackles-for-loss, including 10.5 sacks. Nash also had forced three fumbles, broke up a pair of passes and blocked a kick.

For his career, Nash tallied 170 total tackles with 40.5 for loss and a school record 29.5 sacks.

"This is a great award for Zack and our program," Sacramento State head coach Marshall Spereck said. "It is a reflection in his hard work and dedication over the past five years."

2011 ASSOCIATED PRESS FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Bo Levi Mitchell, senior, 6-2, 210, Eastern Washington.
Running backs - Shakir Bell, sophomore, 5-8, 185, Indiana State; Eric Breitenstein, junior, 5-11, 225, Wofford.
Linemen - J.C. Oram, senior, 6-4, 300, Weber State; George Bias, senior, 6-3, 305, Stephen F. Austin; Paul Cornick, senior, 6-6, 309, North Dakota State; Brett Moore, senior, 6-3, 255, Georgia Southern; Tom Compton, senior, 6-6, 314, South Dakota.
Receivers - Rodrick Rumble, junior, 6-2, 201, Idaho State; Aaron Mellette, junior, 6-4, 212, Elon; Ryan Spadola, junior, 6-3, 205, Lehigh.
All-purpose - Jonathan Grimes, senior, 5-10, 201, Williams & Mary.
Kicker - Zach Brown, junior, 6-1, 200, Portland State.

DEFENSE
Linemen - Ben Boothby, senior, 6-0, 280, Northern Iowa; Zack Nash, senior, 6-4, 260, Sacramento State; Ben Obaseki, junior, 6-3, 260, Indiana State; Adrian Hamilton, senior, 6-3, 255, Prairie View A&M.
Linebackers - Tyler Holmes, senior, 6-0, 224, Massachusetts; Kadarron Anderson, senior, 6-1, 234, Furman; Caleb McSurdy, senior, 6-1, 242, Montana.
Defensive backs - Marcus Williams, sophomore, 5-11, 190, North Dakota State; Trumaine Johnson, senior, 6-3, 210, Montana; Ryan Steed, senior, 5-11, 188, Furman; Josh Norman, senior, 6-2, 190, Coastal Carolina.
Punter - David Harrington, senior, 6-2, 1985, Idaho State.

SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Chris Lum, senior, Lehigh.
Running backs - Terrance West, freshman, Towson; Tim Flanders, sophomore, Sam Houston State.
Linemen - Bryan Boerner, senior, Southern Illinois; Gino Gradowski, senior, Delaware; Nate Page, senior, Wofford; Blake Matthews, senior, Norfolk State; Joe Faiella, senior, Stony Brook.
Receivers - Brian Quick, senior, Appalachian State; Mario Louis, senior, Grambling; Nicholas Edwards, junior, Eastern Washington.
All-purpose - Brock Jackloski, senior, Stony Brook.
Kicker - Ryan Estep, senior, Norfolk State.

DEFENSE
Linemen - Brent Russell, junior, Georgia Southern; Blake Olijaro, sophomore, San Diego; Andrew Schaetzke, senior, Georgetown; Ronnie Cameron, senior, Old Dominion.
Linebackers - Matt Evans, junior, New Hampshire; Blake Peiffer, junior, Southeast Missouri State; A.J. Storms, senior, Idaho State.
Defensive backs - Kejuan Riley, junior, Alabama State; Justin Bethel, senior, Presbyterian; Darnell Taylor, junior, Sam Houston State; Bryce Robertson, senior, Bucknell.
Punter - Jonathan Plisco, junior, Old Dominion.

THIRD TEAM
OFFENSE
Quarterback - Casey Brockman, junior, Murray State.
Running backs - Nick Schweiger, senior, Dartmouth; Matt Denham, junior, Eastern Kentucky.
Linemen - Scott Schweitzer, senior, Tennessee Tech; Jon Opperud, senior, Montana; Malcolm Boyd, junior, Liberty; Jeff Adams, senior, Columbia; Troy McKenna, junior, Lehigh.
Receivers - Shane Savage, senior, Cornell; Tre Gray, senior, Richmond; Elvis Akpla, senior, Montana State.
All-purpose - Gralyn Crawford, junior, Stephen F. Austin.
Kicker - Tyler Sievertsen, sophomore, Northern Iowa.

DEFENSE
Linemen -Ryan Davis, senior, Bethune-Cookman; Tyler Osborne, senior Southern Utah; Josue Ortiz, senior, Harvard; Joseph Lebeau, junior, Jackson State.
Linebackers - L.J. Fort, senior, Northern Iowa; Derek Rose, junior, Northwestern State; Keith Pough, junior, Howard.
Defensive backs - Serge Kona, junior, Duquesne; Asa Jackson, junior, Cal Poly; Jeremy Caldwell, senior, Eastern Kentucky; Daxton Swanson, junior, Sam Houston State.
Punter - Patrick Murray, junior, Fordham.