Spokane, Wash. -- Adding hope and hype to the upcoming 100th year of Whitworth College football, three Pirate players head into the fall as preseason Division III All-Americans. Michael Allan, Ryan Marshall and Joel Clark have all been named to at least one national publication's preseason All-America First Team.
Allan, a senior tight end, has been named to the Lindy's Magazine and Don Hanson's Football Gazette first teams. He is also a D3football.com second team choice. Allan finished 2005 as an AFCA Division III All-American after catching 36 passes for 693 yards (19.2 yards per catch) and a school record 15 touchdowns. Marshall, a junior corner back, has been named to the Football Gazette, Lindy's and D3football.com first teams. He earned All-American honors last season after leading the Northwest Conference in interceptions (6) and total passes defended (11). He finished with 35 tackles. Clark, a senior quarterback, has been named to the Football Gazette first team. He shared First Team All-NWC honors last season after completing 63.8% of his passes for 2,234 yards with 29 touchdowns and only seven interceptions. He also ran for 434 yards and four more scores. Whitworth returns 16 starters this season from a team that finished 5-3 in 2005. The season opens on September 9th at the University of Redlands. Whitworth is celebrating the 100th year of Pirate football in 2006, with an all-time football reunion scheduled for Homecoming weekend on October 14th. |
