2009 Football Season Highlights & Honors
2009 Football Season Highlights
* The Lumberjacks were ranked as high as No. 21 by The Sports Network FCS College Football poll and appeared in both prominent national polls for the second consecutive week before the loss at Sacramento State.
* The offense had a breakout season in 2009. Overall, NAU ranked fifth in the country in passing offense (308.6) and total offense (439.5) and ninth in passing efficiency (147.8), helping nine players garner all-conference accolades.
* The Lumberjacks played hard throughout the season despite dealing with 14 student-athletes missing games during the season due to injury on defense. NAU ranked third in the Big Sky and 35th in the nation in rushing defense, holding opponents to less than 100 yards rushing five times. NAU was at its best in conference games, ranking second overall allowing 352.9 yards per game against the Big Sky.
* Michael Herrick was a Walter Payton Award finalist, recording two of the top four, four of the top 21 single-game passing performances in school history and the top two single-game passing totals in Walkup Skydome history in 2009. He threw for a school record 574 yards and four touchdowns against Eastern Washington, shattering the school record of 474 set by Travis Brown against Montana in 1996. An All-Big Sky second team selection, Herrick ranked third in the Big Sky and 15th in the nation in passing efficiency at 149.5 and second in the Big Sky and sixth in the nation in total offense (298.3).
* Running back Alex Henderson, who earned All-Big Sky first-team honors, ranked sixth in the nation in rushing per game. He finished his career as one of the top running backs in school history, ranking second in school history with 3,462 career rushing yards and second in rushing attempts with 677. He was a free agent signee of the St. Louis Rams.
* Wide receiver Ed Berry, whose 75 receptions and 1,075 yards are among the top-five single-season totals in school history, was an All-American and ranked among the national top 10 in receptions per game and receiving yards.
* NAU is one of three FCS schools that played two FBS schools this season that both went to a bowl game in 2008 and won the bowl game. Overall, there are 16 FCS schools playing two FBS teams this season. Eight of the 16 are playing two FBS schools that both went to bowl game in 2008.
Individual Honors
Ben Bachelier
Big Sky All-Academic
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Sheehan Barnhart
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Michael Battisti
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Shad Bride
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Ed Berry
All-American, Sports Network (Second Team)
All-Big Sky First Team (WR)
Isaac Bond
All-Big Sky Second Team (DE)
Big Sky Player of the Week, 10/5
Dwight Boyd
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Team (DT)
Trey Clarida
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Mike Czyz
Big Sky All-Academic
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Jeremy Dang
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Cody Dowd
Preseason All-Big Sky First Team
Matt Estrada
All-Big Sky First Team (S)
Shaun Fitzpatrick
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Team (TE)
FCS Academic All-Star Team
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Adrian Garcia
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Tanner Hansler
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Alex Henderson
All-Big Sky First Team (RB)
Big Sky Player of the Week, 9/21
Michael Herrick
Walter Payton Award Finalist
All-Big Sky Second Team (QB)
FCS Academic All-Star Team
Big Sky All-Academic
Big Sky Player of the Week, 10/12
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Jeff Hines
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Team (C)
Ryne Holstrom
All-Big Sky Second Team (OT)
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Nathan Johnson
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Taylor Julio
Big Sky All-Academic
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Zack Ka’ahanui
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Taylor Malenfant
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Conrad Meadows
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Team (WR)
Scott McKeever
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Zac McNally
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
John Morrison
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Alex Mott
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Matt Myers
All-Big Sky Second Team (K)
Big Sky Player of the Week, 10/26
Vinnie Paciulli
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Dan Pela
Big Sky All-Academic
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Phil Pollock
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Kris Poindexter
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Team (OG)
Mana Purdy
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Nick Ragland-Johnsen
Big Sky All-Academic
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Ryan Rauschert
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Andy Saldana
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Aaron Schoenecker
Big Sky All-Academic
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Ken Shaw
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Curt Sweeney
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Team (WR)
Stevon Thomas
All-Big Sky Second Team (LB)
Brandon Vance
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Team (DE)
Kyle Walker
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Andy Wilder
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Matt Wilson
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Reid Worthington
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Team (LB)
Big Sky All-Academic
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
Taelor Worrell
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention Team (ST)
Maz Zemezonak
Golden Eagle Scholar-Athlete Recipient
