Five Badgers Named First-Team All-Big Ten
November 23, 2004 | Football
Headlined by Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Erasmus James, five Wisconsin football players have been named first-team All-Big Ten by vote of the league's coaches and the media.
James, a senior from Pembroke Pines, Fla., was named defensive player of the year by both the coaches and the media and was honored as the coaches' pick for defensive lineman of the year. He is the first Badger to be named defensive player of the year since Jamar Fletcher in 2000 and the fourth overall since 1982. James' lineman of the year honor marks the fifth time in the past seven years that either a Wisconsin offensive or defensive lineman has received the award.
Offensive guard Dan Buenning, defensive linemen James and Anttaj Hawthorne and defensive back Jim Leonhard were first-team selections by both the coaches and the media. Defensive back Scott Starks was a first-team pick by the coaches and a second-team selection by the media. James was the only defensive player that was a unanimous selection by the media.
Second-team honors also went to running back Anthony Davis (coaches and media) and offensive guard Jonathan Clinkscale (coaches).
Additionally, nine Badgers were named honorable mention. Receiving mention were tight end Owen Daniels, defensive linemen Jason Jefferson and Jonathan Welsh, center Donovan Raiola, linebackers Dontez Sanders and Mark Zalewski, wide receiver Brandon Williams, defensive back Brett Bell and offensive tackle Joe Thomas.
Also, Starks was Wisconsin's recipient of the league 's sportsmanship award.
Michigan wide receiver Braylon Edwards was named Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year by both the coaches and the media, while teammate Michael Hart, a running back, was the pick by both groups as freshman of the year. Iowa's Kirk Ferentz the media's choice for the Dave McClain Coach of the Year award.
