RICHARDSON, Texas –– American Southwest Conference football champion University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and runner-up Hardin-Simmons University – both NCAA Division III playoff teams – each had three individual award winners and combined to place 35 players on the 2006 All-Conference Team, the ASC office announced on Thursday (Nov. 16) after a vote of the league’s nine head coaches.
Mary Hardin-Baylor had the Defensive Player of the Year in senior free safety Josh Kubiak (Granbury, Texas) and the Defensive Lineman of the Year in senior tackle Terrance Carroll (McGregor, Texas). The head coach of the Crusaders, Pete Fredenburg, was voted Co-Coach of the Year.
Kubiak, who took the top defensive honor for the second consecutive year, averaged six tackles a game in the regular season with two sacks and two interceptions to pace the Crusaders’ nationally-ranked defense that gave up only 28.3 rushing yards per game. Carroll, a defensive tackle, also helped pave the way by posting three sacks and an interception to go along with 5.5 tackles for loss. Fredenburg, who was last voted top coach in 2002, guided UMHB to an 8-0 league mark and its fourth ASC title in five years.
Hardin-Simmons had the Offensive Player of the Year in senior quarterback Jordan Neal (Abilene, Texas) and the Offensive Lineman of the Year in senior center Josh Knox (Synder, Texas). Cowboys senior punt/kick returner Will Galusha (Abilene, Texas) was tabbed as Special Teams Player of the Year. Neal and Galusha each came through on the preseason predictions that had them taking their respective awards.
Neal passed for 2,317 yards and 24 touchdowns opposed to just seven interceptions over HSU’s nine-game regular season. He ranked third in the nation in pass efficiency. Knox paved the way for an offense that averaged 40.6 points and 463.8 yards per game. Galusha totaled an ASC-high 253 punt return yards and averaged 21.9 yards per kick return.
Kubiak, Carroll, Neal, Knox and Galusha were all voted to the All-Conference First Team. Galusha was also a second-team pick at wide receiver.
Louisiana College quarterback Ben McLaughlin (Dierks, Arkansas) was named ASC Freshman of the Year after leading the league in passing at 276 yards per game. He tossed 21 touchdowns against only seven interceptions over the Wildcats’ nine games.
Sul Ross State’s Steve Wright was voted Co-Coach of the Year after guiding the Lobos to a 5-4 overall record and a 4-4 mark that was good enough to tie for third place in the ASC. It was SRSU’s first winning season in 10 years (1996, 6-4).
2006 ASC FOOTBALL INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Kubiak, FS, Sr., University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Offensive Lineman of the Year: Josh Knox, C, Sr., Hardin-Simmons University
Defensive Lineman of the Year: Terrance Carroll, DT, Sr., University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Special Teams Player of the Year: Will Galusha, KR/PR, Sr., Hardin-Simmons University
Freshman of the Year: Ben McLaughlin, QB, Louisiana College
Co-Coach of the Year: Pete Fredenburg, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Co-Coach of the Year: Steve Wright, Sul Ross State University
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2006 ASC ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
OFFENSE
WR Jake Allen Mississippi College Jr. Shubuta, Miss. (Southwest CC)
WR Brandon Tolbert Howard Payne Sr. Austin, Texas
Slot Chris Jackson Howard Payne Sr. Dallas, Texas
TE Patrick Shelby Hardin-Simmons Sr. Lubbock, Texas (Navarro JC)
OG Brent Friday Hardin-Simmons Sr. Sachse, Texas (Naaman Forest HS)
OG Josh Littlejohn Mary Hardin-Baylor So. League City, Texas (Clear Creek HS)
OT Caleb Woodall Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Harlingen, Texas (HHS)
OT James Arnold Hardin-Simmons Jr. McKinney, Texas (MHS)
C Josh Knox Hardin-Simmons Sr. Snyder, Texas (SHS)
QB Jordan Neal Hardin-Simmons Sr. Abilene, Texas (Cooper HS)
RB T.J. Barber Sul Ross State Jr. Midland, Texas (MHS)
RB Kalvin Smith Mississippi College Sr. Canton, Miss. (Holmes CC)
RB Jarvis Thrasher Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Temple, Texas (THS)
PK Zach Newcomb Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. San Antonio, Texas (Roosevelt HS)
RET Will Galusha Hardin-Simmons Sr. Abilene, Texas (Rice)
DEFENSE
DL Terrance Carroll Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. McGregor, Texas (Angelo State)
DL Chad Glover East Texas Baptist Sr. Whitehouse, Texas (WHS)
DL Reggie Robinson Hardin-Simmons Sr. Everman, Texas (Midwestern)
DL Zach Gideon Sul Ross State So. Hallsville, Texas (HHS)
LB Jerrell Freeman Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Waco, Texas (University HS)
LB Eric Henri Mary Hardin-Baylor So. Lake Dallas, Texas (LDHS)
LB Rob Galusha Hardin-Simmons Sr. Abilene, Texas (Cooper HS)
LB Andy Puryear Texas Lutheran Jr. El Campo, Texas (ECHS)
DB Josh Kubiak Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Granbury, Texas (GHS)
DB Jake Robbins Texas Lutheran Sr. La Vernia, Texas (LVHS)
DB Cody Deaver Hardin-Simmons Sr. Tolar, Texas (THS)
DB Derrick Williams Mary Hardin-Baylor So. Temple, Texas (THS)
DB Sahr Bindi Texas Lutheran Sr. Houston, Texas (Cy Springs / East Texas Baptist)
P Bert Green McMurry Jr. Mansfield, Texas
2006 ASC ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
OFFENSE
WR Jason Trahan Texas Lutheran Sr. Pearland, Texas (PHS)
WR Will Galusha Hardin-Simmons Sr. Abilene, Texas (Rice)
Slot Mychal Carrillo Hardin-Simmons Jr. Sweetwater, Texas (Texas Tech)
TE Peter Medlock Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Brownwood, Texas (BHS)
OG Aaron Carter Sul Ross State So. Killeen, Texas (Shoemaker HS)
OG Jeremy Lane Louisiana College Jr. Metairie, La. (Holy Cross HS)
OG Dustin Meaux Texas Lutheran Sr. Goliad, Texas (GHS)
OG Kyle Gillis Texas Lutheran So. El Campo, Texas (ECHS)
OT Michael Rudewick Howard Payne Sr. Copperas Cove, Texas (CCHS)
OT Brett Daniels Louisiana College Jr. Livingston, La. (Walker HS)
OT C.J. Herring Mississippi College So. Cintronelle, Ala. (CHS)
OT Stephen Ortegon Howard Payne Sr. Synder, Texas
OT Justin Webb Louisiana College Sr. Oak Grove, La. (OGHS)
C Kern Hoff Mississippi College Sr. Brookhaven, Miss. (BHS)
QB Adam Johnson Howard Payne Sr. Coppell, Texas (CHS)
RB Leon Maxie Louisiana College Sr. Hemphill, Texas (Trinity Valley CC)
RB Quinton Jones Hardin-Simmons Jr. Greenville, Texas (GHS)
RB Justin Greene Hardin-Simmons Jr. Lewisville, Texas (Southern Arkansas)
PK Kyle Kruse Mississippi College So. Metairie, La. (Jesuit HS)
RET Dusty Coleman Mississippi College Jr. Robertsdale, Ala. (RHS)
DEFENSE
DL Andrew Judy Mary Hardin-Baylor So. Crawford, Texas (CHS)
DL Will Gavit Texas Lutheran Sr. Corpus Christi, Texas (King HS)
DL Mel Williams Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Richardson, Texas (Lake Highlands HS)
DL William Dewease Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Jewett, Texas (Leon)
LB Clint Champagne Mississippi College Jr. Columbia, Miss. (Columbia Academy)
LB Eric Daniels Hardin-Simmons Jr. Rockwall, Texas (Baylor)
LB Mark Jimenez Howard Payne So. Marlin, Texas
LB Jason Parker McMurry Sr. Pocola, Okla.
DB Dwight Bonner Texas Lutheran So. San Antonio, Texas (Taft HS)
DB Ricky Lopez Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. McAllen, Texas (Rowe HS)
DB Ke-Ke Simms Hardin-Simmons Sr. Sulphur Springs, Texas (McMurry)
DB Blake Timmons McMurry Sr. Garland, Texas
P Hunter Hamrick Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Bremond, Texas (Angelo State)
2006 ASC ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION
WR Bert Green McMurry Jr. Mansfield, Texas
WR Desmond Pittman Louisiana College Jr. New Orleans, La. (St. Augustine HS)
WR Jason Gray East Texas Baptist Sr. Dallas, Texas (Roosevelt HS)
Slot Dexter Falgoust Louisiana College Sr. Garyville, La. (Riverside Academy)
Slot Anthony Carter Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. Holland, Texas (HHS)
TE Michael Janak Texas Lutheran So. Santa Fe, Texas (SFHS)
TE Shane Holland East Texas Baptist Sr. Houston, Texas (Klein Forest)
OG James Doherty Howard Payne Jr. Copperas Cove, Texas (CCHS)
C Chris Irby Howard Payne Sr. Mt. Pleasant, Texas
C Andrew Ross Sul Ross State So. Garland, Texas (Lakeview HS)
QB Austin Davidson Sul Ross State Jr. Hallsville, Texas (HHS)
QB Josh Welch Mary Hardin-Baylor Jr. Copperas Cove, Texas (CCHS)
RB Thurston Williams Louisiana College Sr. Natchitoches, La. (N Central HS)
RB Freddie Rollins Mary Hardin-Baylor Sr. McGregor, Texas (Trinity Valley CC)
PK Scott Bryant Hardin-Simmons Jr. Tuttle, Okla. (Auburn)
RET Jesse Gremminger Texas Lutheran So. Richmond, Texas (Ft. Bend Austin HS)
DL Javaris Peoples Mississippi College Sr. Crestview, Fla. (CHS)
DL Marcus Hart Howard Payne Sr. Dallas, Texas
DL Chris Jones Hardin-Simmons Sr. Brownwood, Texas (BHS)
DL Roderick Chambers Texas Lutheran Sr. Ingleside, Texas (IHS)
DL Brannon Willison Mississippi College So. Fairhope, Ala. (FHS)
LB Joe Alexander McMurry So. Houston, Texas
LB Jonathan Zeno Louisiana College Fr. St. Martinville, La. (SMHS)
DB Xavier Mims Louisiana College Sr. Lufkin, Texas (LHS)
DB Keith Haydel Mississippi College Jr. New Orleans, La. (Louisiana College)
DB Ryne Davison Mississippi College So. Fairhope, Ala. (FHS)
P Brandon Stevens Howard Payne Jr. Willis Point, Texas (WPHS)
–ASC–