MADISON - Four Wisconsin football players earned first-team All-Big Ten honors, the Big Ten Conference announced Monday night on the Big Ten Network.
The four first-teamers are the most for the Badgers since the 2004 squad had five.
TE Travis Beckum and DB Jack Ikegwuonu were both consensus first-team selections, while C Marcus Coleman was a first-team choice of the media and kicker Taylor Mehlhaff was a first-team selection by the league’s coaches.
OL Kraig Urbik and DE Matt Shaughnessy were both consensus second-team all-conference picks. P Ken DeBauche was a second-team selection of the Big Ten coaches, while Mehlhaff was a second-team pick by the media.
Several Badgers earned honorable mention All-Big Ten acclaim, including consensus choices DB Shane Carter, LB Jonathan Casillas, QB Tyler Donovan and DL Nick Hayden. Coleman and WR Paul Hubbard were honorable mention choices by the coaches. DeBauche and RB P.J. Hill were honorable mention picks by the media.
Beckum, named a semifinalist for the John Mackey Award (nation’s best tight end) earlier Monday, leads the nation’s tight ends with 73 receptions for 960 yards.
Ikegwuonu led the Big Ten with 14 passes defended in conference games and ranks second in the league in overall games with 16 passes defended.
Mehlhaff, a Lou Groza Award semifinalist, leads the Big Ten with 20 field goals. Coleman has started 25 straight games.
Urbik has started 38 consecutive games for the Badgers, while Shaughnessy leads Wisconsin with 16 tackles for loss. DeBauche’s 43-yard average in conference games ranked second in the Big Ten.
Carter leads the conference and ranks No. 3 nationally with seven interceptions.
Casillas is Wisconsin’s leading tackler for the second consecutive season (he has 86 thus far). Donovan, who is 11-3 as a starter at Wisconsin, ranks fourth in the conference in pass efficiency.
Hayden is third on the team in QB sacks and fourth in tackles for loss.
Hubbard made 13 catches for 278 yards in an injury-shortened seven games this season.
Hill, also hampered by injury, has rushed for 1,080 yards and 14 TDs.
WR Luke Swan was named Wisconsin's winner of the Big Ten Sportsmanship Award.
2007 All-Big Ten Conference Team
As selected by CONFERENCE COACHES
(Players in ALL CAPS have 2008 eligibility)
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
Chad Henne, Michigan Quarterback
RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois Running Back
CHRIS “BEANIE” WELLS, Ohio State Running Back
JAMES HARDY, Indiana Receiver
MARIO MANNINGHAM, Michigan Receiver
A.Q. SHIPLEY, Penn State Center
Martin O’Donnell, Illinois Guard
Adam Kraus, Michigan Guard
Jake Long, Michigan Tackle
Kirk Barton, Ohio State Tackle
TRAVIS BECKUM, Wisconsin Tight End
Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin Kicker
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
GREG MIDDLETON, Indiana Line
MITCH KING, Iowa Line
VERNON GHOLSTON, Ohio State Line
MAURICE EVANS, Penn State Line
J. Leman, Illinois Linebacker
JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State Linebacker
Dan Connor, Penn State Linebacker
VONTAE DAVIS, Illinois Defensive Back
MALCOLM JENKINS, Ohio State Defensive Back
JUSTIN KING, Penn State Defensive Back
JACK IKEGWUONU, Wisconsin Defensive Back
JEREMY BOONE, Penn State Punter
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
KELLEN LEWIS, Indiana Quarterback
Mike Hart, Michigan Running Back
JAVON RINGER, Michigan State Running Back
DEVIN THOMAS, Michigan State Wide Receiver
Dorien Bryant, Purdue Wide Receiver
RYAN MCDONALD, Illinois Center
RICH OHRNBERGER, Penn State Guard
KRAIG URBIK, Wisconsin Guard
XAVIER FULTON, Illinois Tackle
ALEX BOONE, Ohio State Tackle
Dustin Keller, Purdue Tight End
AUSTIN STARR, Indiana Kicker
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
TERRANCE TAYLOR, Michigan Line
Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State Line
Cliff Avril, Purdue Line
MATT SHAUGHNESSY, Wisconsin Line
Shawn Crable, Michigan Linebacker
SEAN LEE, Penn State Linebacker
Tracy Porter, Indiana Defensive Back
Charles Godfrey, Iowa Defensive Back
Jamar Adams, Michigan Defensive Back
Dominique Barber, Minnesota Defensive Back
Ken DeBauche, Wisconsin
HONORABLE MENTION:
ILLINOIS: WILL DAVIS, Kevin Mitchell, Chris Norwell, Jason Reda, ISIAH “JUICE”
WILLIAMS
INDIANA: John Sandberg
IOWA: RYAN DONAHUE, RAFAEL EUBANKS, Mike Humpal, Ken
Iwebema, Bryan Mattison, SETH OLSEN, Albert Young
MICHIGAN: JUSTIN BOREN, Brandent Englemon,
Morgan Trent
MICHIGAN STATE: Ervin Baldwin, Jehuu Caulcrick, Kellen Davis
MINNESOTA: JUSTIN KUCEK
NORTHWESTERN: JOHN GILL, Adam Kadela, Trevor Rees, TYRELL SUTTON
OHIO STATE: TODD
BOECKMAN, KURT COLEMAN, BRIAN ROBISKIE, ANDERSON RUSSELL, A.J. TRAPASSO, DONALD
WASHINGTON
PENN STATE: GERALD CADOGAN, JOSH GAINES, ANTHONY SCIRROTTO
PURDUE:
ANTHONY HEYGOOD, CURTIS PAINTER, SEAN SESTER, Terrell Vinson
WISCONSIN: SHANE CARTER,
JONATHAN CASILLAS, Marcus Coleman, Tyler Donovan, Nick Hayden, Paul Hubbard.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
OFFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: Jake Long, Michigan
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
DEFENSIVE LINEMAN OF THE YEAR: VERNON GHOLSTON, Ohio State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: ARRELIOUS BENN, Illinois
2007 All-Big Ten Conference Football Team
As selected by CONFERENCE MEDIA
(Players in ALL CAPS have 2008 eligibility)
FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
TODD BOECKMAN, Ohio State Quarterback
RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois Running Back
CHRIS “BEANIE” WELLS, Ohio State Running Back
JAMES HARDY, Indiana Receiver
MARIO MANNINGHAM, Michigan Receiver
Marcus Coleman, Wisconsin Center
Martin O’Donnell, Illinois Guard
Adam Kraus, Michigan Guard
Jake Long, Michigan Tackle
Kirk Barton, Ohio State Tackle
TRAVIS BECKUM, Wisconsin Tight End
AUSTIN STARR, Indiana Kicker
SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
KELLEN LEWIS, Indiana Quarterback
Mike Hart, Michigan Running Back
JAVON RINGER, Michigan State Running Back
DEVIN THOMAS, Michigan State Receiver
Dorien Bryant, Purdue Receiver
RYAN MCDONALD, Illinois Center
RICH OHRNBERGER, Penn State Guard
KRAIG URBIK, Wisconsin Guard
Pete Clifford, Michigan State Tackle
ALEX BOONE, Ohio State Tackle
Dustin Keller, Purdue Tackle
Taylor Mehlhaff, Wisconsin Kicker
FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
GREG MIDDLETON, Indiana Line
Jonal Saint-Dic, Michigan State Line
VERNON GHOLSTON, Ohio State Line
MAURICE EVANS, Penn State Line
J Leman, Illinois Linebacker
JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State Linebacker
Dan Connor, Penn State Linebacker
Tracy Porter, Indiana Defensive Back
MALCOLM JENKINS, Ohio State Defensive Back
JUSTIN KING, Penn State Defensive Back
JACK IKEGWUONU, Wisconsin Defensive Back
JEREMY BOONE, Penn State Punter
SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
WILL DAVIS, Illinois Line
MITCH KING, Iowa Line
Bryan Mattison, Iowa Line
MATT SHAUGHNESSY, Wisconsin Line
Mike Humpal, Iowa Linebacker
Shawn Crable, Michigan Linebacker
SEAN LEE, Penn State Linebacker
VONTAE DAVIS, Illinois Defensive Back
Jamar Adams, Michigan Defensive Back
Dominique Barber, Minnesota Defensive Back
Terrell Vinson, Purdue Defensive Back
JUSTIN KUCEK, Minnesota Punter
HONORABLE MENTION:
ILLINOIS: XAVIER FULTON, Kevin Mitchell, Chris Norwell, Jason Reda, ISIAH
“JUICE” WILLIAMS
INDIANA: John Sandberg, AUSTIN THOMAS
IOWA: RYAN DONAHUE, Charles Godfrey,
Mike Klinkenborg, MATT KROUL, Adam Shada, Albert Young
MICHIGAN: JUSTIN BOREN, Brandent
Englemon, Chris Graham, Tim Jamison, Will Johnson, TERRANCE TAYLOR
MICHIGAN STATE: Ervin Baldwin,
Kellen Davis, BRIAN HOYER, Travis Key
MINNESOTA: Tony Brinkhaus, Steve Shidell
NORTHWESTERN: C.J.
BACHER, JOHN GILL, Adam Kadela, Trevor Rees
OHIO STATE: KURT COLEMAN, MARCUS FREEMAN,
RYAN PRETORIUS, BRIAN ROBISKIE, ANDERSON RUSSELL, A.J. TRAPASSO
PENN STATE: GERALD
CADOGAN, JOSH GAINES, KEVIN KELLY, Rodney Kinlaw, ANTHONY SCIRROTTO, A.Q. SHIPLEY
PURDUE:
Cliff Avril, Jordan Grimes, CURTIS PAINTER, Robbie Powell, SEAN SESTER
WISCONSIN: SHANE CARTER,
JONATHAN CASILLAS, Ken DeBauche, Tyler Donovan, Nick Hayden, P.J. HILL.
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: RASHARD MENDENHALL, Illinois
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR: JAMES LAURINAITIS, Ohio State
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: ARRELIOUS BENN, Illinois
DAVE McCLAIN COACH OF THE YEAR: Ron Zook, Illinois
Big Ten Sportsmanship Award Honorees: J Leman, ILL; Josiah Sears, IND; Tom Busch, IOWA; Chad Henne,
MICH; JAVON RINGER, MSU; Amir Pinnix, MINN; Tonjua (T.J.) Jones, NU; BRIAN HARTLINE, OSU; Anthony
Morelli, PSU; JAYCEN TAYLOR, PUR; Luke Swan, WIS.