Nov. 27, 2002

Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina had a total of seven players named to the 2002 Coaches All-Southern Conference football team, it was announced today. Michael Banks (WR), Todd Bargella (TE), Ahmed Green (DB) and Michale Spicer (DE) were named to the first team, while Rod Dunlap (LB), Nick McNeil (DE) and Jason Whaley (OL) earned second team honors.

Banks (Spotsylvania, Va.) was tabbed first team for the second consecutive season. Already a WCU graduate, Banks led WCU in receptions and receiving yards in each of his four years and leaves as one of the all-time best receivers in WCU, SoCon and NCAA history. (All-America Jerry Gaines is the only other Catamount to lead Western in both categories four years.) This season, Banks tallied 43 receptions for 678 yards with three touchdowns. For his career, Banks' 183 receptions ranks third on the WCU and SoCon all-time lists, while ranking 44th on the NCAA I-AA career list. Banks additionally ranks fourth on the Western Carolina and fifth on the SoCon career receiving yards lists with 2,823. The two-time team captain and WCU graduate recorded 19 touchdown receptions to rank fourth on the WCU career list.

Bargella (Nanticoke, Pa.) completed his first season at Western after two years at Lakwanna Junior College. The junior tight end caught seven passes for 55 yards, including a 12-yard touchdown versus Chattanooga. In addition to his role as a blocker and pass catcher, Bargella saw significant action in the final two games of the season at defensive tackle due to injuries along the Catamount defensive front.

Green (Supply, N.C.) earns his first SoCon honor. The senior was always pitted against an opponent's best wide receiver. For instance, before leaving the East Tennessee State game with an injury late in the first half, Green held All-SoCon receiver Cecil Moore to only one catch. However, Green immediately tackled Moore and forced a fumble. He tallied a career-high 49 tackles on the season and ranked fifth (tied) in the SoCon with 11 passes defended. He additionally ranked third (tied) in the league with three fumble recoveries and sixth (tied) in fumbles forced with two.

Spicer (Goldsboro, N.C.) made a run at SoCon Defensive Player of the Year honors. The junior defensive end set a WCU record with 26 tackles for loss, bettering the 23 TFLs Clyde Simmons had in 1985. Spicer's 26 TFLs will additionally rank on the NCAA I-AA single-season top 10, while his 2.36 TFLs per game is tops in the SoCon this season. He added 11 sacks, one shy of the WCU record held by Louis Cooper, and ranks second (tied) in the SoCon in sacks. Spicer had four sacks and five tackles for loss in the Chattanooga game to tie the WCU single-game record for both categories. He additionally had five TFLs in the West Virginia Tech game, a contest which he had a career-high eight stops. He finished the season ranked fifth on the team with 56 tackles for the season, which is three more than his first two seasons at WCU combined. With one season remaining, Spicer currently ranks fourth on the WCU career sacks list with 21.5 and third on the WCU career TFL list with 43. He only needs nine sacks and six tackles for loss to become Western's all-time leader in both categories.

Dunlap (Winston-Salem, N.C.) started the season by being named SoCon Defensive Player of the Week and kept that pace up all season. He led the team with 101 tackles and his 9.2 stops per game ranks sixth in the league. The junior linebacker had seven double-digit tackle performances this season, including five in conference play. In addition to ranking among the SoCon leaders in tackles, Dunlap also ranked sixth in the league in tackles for loss (1.64 per game) and tied a WCU single-game record by logging five TFLs in the East Tennessee State game. He also tied for third in the league with three fumble recoveries, tied for sixth with two fumbles forced and tied for seventh with two interceptions. One of his two picks was returned 14 yards for a touchdown to seal a Homecoming victory versus Chattanooga. Dunlap added three sacks and two pass breakups.

McNeil (Leland, N.C.) is a repeat second team pick. After leading the SoCon in both total sacks (11) and solo sacks (9), the defensive end ranked second on the team with 77 tackles, which was only six shy of his first two year's tackles total of 83. McNeil had a career-high 14 tackles versus Georgia Southern and 10 stops in the season finale versus Appalachian State, while tallying at least six stops in six other contests. His 7.0 tackles per game ranks 16th in the SoCon, while his five fumble recoveries is tops in the league and his three forced fumbles ties for second.

Whaley (Beulaville, N.C.) is the epitome of the term student-athlete. While he earns his first honor for his on-field performance, his list of accomplishments in the classroom is numerous. First, on the field, he helped Western lead the SoCon and rank 25th nationally in passing offense with an average of 243.5 yards per game. It is the first time WCU has led the league in passing since 1982 and just the fourth time ever. He also played a key role in the Cats allowing just 15 sacks in 370 pass attempts, an average of one every 25.7 attempts. Off the field, Whaley is a two-time Verizon Academic All-District III pick. He is currently an Academic All-America candidate after earning first team all-district honors this season. Whaley has started all 33 games possible since his freshman year, including 11 at right guard this season. He currently sports a 3.894 cumulative GPA and has been Western's Male Student-Athlete of the Year in each of past two seasons.

2002 COACHES ALL-SOUTHERN CONFERENCE TEAMS

FIRST TEAM OFFENSE
TE      Todd Bargella, Western Carolina (6-5, 255, Sr)
WR      Michael Banks, Western Carolina (5-10, 170, Sr)
WR      Alvin (Scooter) Johnson, Citadel (6-1, 190, Jr)
OT      James Vasquez, Appalachian State (6-4, 295, Sr)
OT      Steven Cain, Furman (6-5, 288, Sr)
G       Joe Patrick, Appalachian State (6-3, 310, Sr)
G       Trevor Kruger, Furman (6-2, 270, Sr)
C       Charles Clarke, Georgia Southern, (6-2, 280, Sr)
QB      Chaz Williams, Georgia Southern (5-10, 210, So)
QB      Joey Gibson, VMI (6-3, 220, Sr)
RB      Nehemiah Broughton, Citadel (6-0, 240, So)
RB      Jesse McCoy, Wofford (5-10, 195, Sr)
RS      DaVon Fowlkes, Appalachian State (5-7, 165, So)
PK      Mark Wright, Appalachian State (6-0, 185, Sr)

FIRST TEAM DEFENSE
DL      K.T. Stovall, Appalachian State (6-2, 240, Jr)
DL      Josh Jeffries, Appalachian State (6-2, 265, Sr)
DL      Freddy Pesqueira, Georgia Southern (6-1, 241, Sr)
DL      Michale Spicer, Western Carolina (6-3, 240, Jr)
DL      Anthony Jones, Wofford (5-10, 255, Sr)
LB      Sam Smalls, Appalachian State (6-0, 225, Sr)
LB      Josh Cain, Chattanooga (6-1, 230, Sr)
LB      Joe Scott, Georgia Southern (5-10, 216, Sr)
DB      Derrick Black, Appalachian State (5-9, 180, Jr)
DB      Tony Tiller, East Tennessee State (6-1, 185, Jr)
DB      Gerald Sensabaugh, East Tennessee State (6-2, 185, So)
DB      David Young, Georgia Southern (6-2, 190, Sr)
DB      Ahmed Green, Western Carolina (5-11, 180, Sr)
P       Brent Barth, VMI (6-1, 195, Sr)

SECOND TEAM OFFENSE
TE      Willis Sudderth, Furman (6-3, 240, So)
WR      Jason Jones, Chattanooga (5-11, 175, Jr)
WR      Cecil Moore, East Tennessee State (6-3, 218, Sr)
OT      James McCoy, Georgia Southern (6-3, 250, Sr)
OT      Chad Bentley, Wofford (6-1, 290, Sr)
G       Heath Adams, Chattanooga (6-4, 288, Sr)
G       Jason Whaley, Western Carolina (6-3, 280, Jr)
G       Eric Deutsch, Wofford (6-3, 315, Jr)
C       Chad Boozer, Citadel (6-1, 275, Sr)
QB      Billy Napier, Furman (6-3, 210, Sr)
RB      Jerry Beard, Appalachian State (6-0, 210, Sr)
RB      Jermaine Austin, Georgia Southern (5-7, 200, Fr)
RB      Zzream Walden, Georgia Southern (5-8, 176, Sr)
RS      Ant Williams, Georgia Southern (5-9, 170, Sr)
P       Travis Zobel, Citadel (6-4, 215, Jr)

SECOND TEAM DEFENSE
DT      John Mannino, Appalachian State (6-2, 265, Sr)
DT      Cliff Washburn, Citadel (6-7, 270, Sr)
DT      LeBryan Sperling, Furman (6-2, 287, Sr)
DT      Matt Kluk, VMI (6-3, 260, Sr)
DT      Nick McNeil, Western Carolina (6-4, 245, Jr)
DT      Nathan Fuqua, Wofford (6-2, 285, Sr)
LB      Keito Whetstone, Furman (6-0, 222, Jr)
LB      Chris Walsh, VMI (6-3, 235, Sr)
LB      Rod Dunlap, Western Carolina (6-1, 225, Jr)
DB      Jon Lyles, Appalachian State (6-0, 165, So)
DB      Montreal Harkley, East Tennessee State (6-3, 190, Jr)
DB      James Young, Georgia Southern (6-1, 202, So)
DB      Musa Sarki, VMI (5-10, 170, Jr)
P       Aaron Bass, East Tennessee State (6-2, 195, Jr)

Coach of the Year:  Cal McCombs, VMI
Offensive Player of the Year:  Chaz Williams, QB, Georgia Southern
Defensive Player of the Year: Josh Jeffries, DE, Appalachian State
Freshman of the Year:  Jermaine Austin, FB, Georgia Southern
Jacobs Blocking Trophy: Charles Clarke, C, Georgia Southern

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