Amey becomes just the second player (Charles Roberts) in school history to be named first team all-Big Sky three times. The Union City, Calif., native led the team with a career-high 1,186 receiving yards on 76 receptions. He closes his career with 4,049 receiving yards, 248 catches and 27 receiving touchdowns. His career yardage is the fourth-best in the history of Div. I-AA and the top career mark in the Big Sky. His reception total ranks 10th in I-AA and second in league history.

Payne emerged as one of the league’s top cornerbacks during the 2004 season. The San Jose, Calif., native tied for the league lead with five interceptions and was named national Defensive Player of the Week by The Sports Network after grabbing three interceptions against Idaho State. He ended the year with 63 tackles, including six for loss. He also added 12 pass breakups and recovered two fumbles. He was named honorable mention as a junior.

Eastern Washington quarterback Erik Meyer was named the league’s Offensive Player of the Year. The junior leads Div. I-AA in passing efficiency with a rating of 175.5, has completed 67.2 percent of his passes for 3,037 yards with 28 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Montana State linebacker Roger Cooper and Weber State defensive end Brady Fosmark were named Co-Defensive Players of the Year. Cooper finished with 68 tackles, 10 tackles-for-loss and four sacks. Fosmark led the league with 18.5 tackles-for-loss and tallied 81 tackles, eight sacks and two forced fumbles.

The Newcomer of the Year award was shared by Mole, MSU wide receiver Rick Gatewood and EWU offensive guard Rocky Hanni. Mole rushed for 858 yards in just nine games and averaged 5.9 yards per carry. He recorded four 100-yard games and had three scoring runs over 50 yards. Gatewood caught 64 catches for 995 yards with eight touchdowns while Hanni started nine games on the offensive line for a team that averaged 186.8 rushing yards per game.

Defensive end Jacob Houston, linebackers Jimmy Ellingson and Matt Logue, and safety Brett Shelton were each named to the second team. Houston led the conference and finished 10th in Div. I-AA with 10 sacks during the year. The junior’s total is tied for the sixth-best in school history. Houston also added 33 total tackles, including 14 tackles-for-loss.

Ellingson led the Big Sky and was fifth in Div. I-AA in total tackles. The Lake Elsinore, Calif., native tallied 132 total tackles (including four sacks), intercepted two passes and recovered a pair of fumbles. Ellingson’s tackle total tied for the third-best single-season mark in school history and was the most since 1999.

A three-year starter, Logue earned all-conference accolades for the first time after tallying 89 tackles, including 14 for loss. He also added five sacks, intercepted a pass for a touchdown, recovered a fumble and forced a fumble. During his three years, Logue has 32 tackles-for-loss which ranks as the third-best total in school history. He is 12 shy of the school record held by Anthony Daisly heading into the 2005 season.

Shelton was the lone freshman in the league to be named to the first or second team defense. The Stockdale, Calif., native ranked third on the team with 83 total tackles. Shelton also had three tackles-for-loss and forced a fumble.

Seven Hornets garnered honorable mention accolades. On offense, junior guard Chris Samuels, junior center Dustin Nicolodi, senior quarterback Ryan Leadingham and Mole earned the award. Defensively, sophomore cornerback Brandon Smith, freshman safety Brent Webber and sophomore punter Mitch Lively took home the honor.

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