December 11, 2003

Football Has Five on All-Region Team

Ross on First-Team

            Kearney, NE – The Nebraska-Kearney football team has placed five players on the 2003 Daktronics Division II All-West Region football team, which was released earlier today.

            Sports information directors from within the region select the Daktronics all-region teams. First-team members move onto the national ballot and can earn All-American honors.

            Lincoln sophomore wide receiver Richie Ross was one of four RMAC players to make the first-team. Lopers to make the second team were senior left tackle Ryan Bachman (Ponca), senior tight end Joel Jacobs (Mullen), Lexington junior wide receiver/kick returner Garth Mins and Colorado junior running back Mike Miller.

            Jacobs and Miller earned first-team honors in 2002 while the other three players earn all-region honors for the first time.

            The 2003 RMAC Offensive Player of the Year, Ross joined Colorado School of Mines Johnny Chan (all-purpose back) as the only RMAC players to earn first-team offensive honors.

            Ross had 75 receptions for a school-record 1,482 yards and 11 TD’s this year. He ranked second in the nation in receiving yards per game (148.2) with his season total being the 17^th highest in Division II history.

            Bachman, coming in at 6-6 and 300 lbs., was a three-year starter at left tackle while Jacobs caught 66 balls for 623 yards and six TD’s in his career. He is one of only three Lopers to earn first-team All-RMAC honors three times in a career.

            Miller was one of the six West Region candidates for the Harlon Hill Trophy this year as he rushed for 1,137 yards and eight TD’s in nine games. He already is the Lopers all-time leading rusher with 3,838 yards.

            Mins earned second-team offensive honors as an all-purpose back. He ranked third in the RMAC in all-purpose yards per game (150.4) as he amassed 881 yards, on 50 catches, as a receiver and 580 yards in 27 kick returns.

            Daktronics, with headquarters in Brookings, S.D., is an acknowledged world leader in scoring, timing and programmable display systems for virtually every sport at every level of competition.