Nov. 9, 2005

Bay City, Mich. - Grand Valley State landed 18 players on the 2005 All-GLIAC Team, including nine that earned First-Team All-GLIAC plaudits. In addition, junior QB Cullen Finnerty (Brighton, Mich.) earned the Offensive Back of the Year award, while senior OT Josh Bourke (Tecumseh, Ont./Orchard Lake St. Mary's) was named the Offensive Lineman of the Year and junior DT Mike McFadden (Saginaw, Mich./Heritage) earned the Defensive Lineman of the Year honor. Grand Valley State claimed the 2005 GLIAC Championship and earned the number one seed in the NCAA DII Northwest Regional rankings, thus earning a first-round bye in the NCAA playoffs. The Lakers will play the winner of the North Dakota vs. Minnesota-Duluth game Nov. 19 at Lubbers Stadium in Allendale, Mich.

Finnerty, the 2003 GLIAC Freshman of the Year, completed 113-of-196 passes for 1,685 yards and 14 touchdowns, while rushing for 401 yards and seven scores on 86 carries. Finnerty tallied a league-best 149.36 pass efficiency rating, while ranking fourth in passing yards per game (187.2) and fifth in total offense (231.8). Cullen concluded the year with a league-low four interceptions in 196 attempts (1 INT/50 attempts).

Bourke has been a key figure amongst a Grand Valley State offensive line that is averaging over 225.0 yards rushing and passing per game, becoming just one of six teams in Division II to accomplish that feat. The Laker offensive line has yielded just eight quarterback sacks in 234 passing attempts this campaign. Bourke, a 2003 First-Team All-GLIAC honoree and the 2003 GVSU Lineman of the Year, has started each of the last 38 games he has played.

McFadden leads Grand Valley State with 12 quarterback sacks and 12 tackles for loss during the 2005 football campaign. McFadden, who has 60 total tackles on the year, has recorded a sack and a tackle for loss in every game played this season, a streak that extends nine games. Mike ranks ninth nationally and third in the GLIAC in sacks per game (1.3) and seventh in the GLIAC in tackles for loss (12.0).

Finnerty and Bourke were joined on the offensive first-team by senior WR Brandon Langston (Northville, Mich.), junior RB Astin Martin (Grand Rapids, Mich./Creston), sophomore OT Brandon Barnes (Detroit, Mich./Pershing), and senior PK Scott Greene (Hartland, Mich.). Joining McFadden on the defensive first-team were sophomore LB Matt Beaty (Detroit, Mich./Cass Tech) and senior DB Joe Ballard (Chesaning, Mich.).

Junior WR Eric Fowler (New Haven, Mich.), sophomore OG Joe Wohlscheid (Grand Ledge, Mich.) and Langston (Spec.) were named to the offensive second team, while senior DT Jorge Tapia (Oxnard, Calif.), and sophomore LB Anthony Adams (Troy, Mich.) were named to the defensive second team. OC Mike Pinter (Mishawaka, Ind.), OG Chris Stoddard (Carson City, Mich./Crystal), P Matt Regnery (Fenton, Mich.) and DB Bill Brechin (Addison, Ill.) were honorable mention honorees.