TORRENCE WRIGHT NAMED PRESEASON CDS NCAA DIVISION II
ALL-AMERICAN FOOTBALL SELECTION     

RUSSELLVILLE, Arkansas – With the kickoff of the 2009 football season a little over three months away, senior center Torrence Wright (Sulphur Springs, Texas) was named a Preseason First-Team NCAA Division II All-American selection by Consensus Draft Services (CDS) website (www.cdsdraft.com).

It marked the second straight season that the Wonder Boys had a Preseason First-Team All-American honoree by CDS as punter/kicker Michael Podobnik (Frankfort, Ill.) was honored last season.

Wright was one of eight players from the Gulf South Conference named Preseason NCAA Division II All-Americans by CDS. Joining Wright on the first team offense is Harding senior receiver Kurt Adams. Delta State senior safety Dominic Spinks was named a Second-Team All-America selection, while Delta State senior quarterback Garrett DeWitt, Delta State senior center Pete Vaesau, Ouachita Baptist junior defensive end Jerry McNeil, Arkansas-Monticello senior defensive Quenton Arnet and North Alabama senior punter Will Batson were named Honorable Mention CDS Preseason Division II All-Americans.

          This year’s CDS Preseason Division II All-American team consists of 151 players from 87 of the 150 football playing schools in NCAA Division II, including 27 first and second team selections apiece. Indiana [PA] and Fayetteville State each had two First-Team selections on this year’s team.

          Wright, a 6-foot-3, 280-pound center, earns First-Team Preseason All-American honors after playing in and starting all 10 games last season for the Wonder Boys. On the season, Wright had an average grade of 85 per game and recorded 53 knockdown blocks and had 10 pancake blocks. In addition, he helped anchor a Tech offensive line that allowed just eight sacks in 10 games, which was tied for fourth in all NCAA D-II Football in 2008. He was named a First-Team All-GSC selection, was an Honorable Mention Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-American, a Second-Team Daktronics All-Super Region Two honoree and was a candidate from Super Region Two for the Gene Upshaw Award, which is given annually to the top lineman in all of NCAA Division II Football.

          The Wonder Boys will open its 95th season of intercollegiate football on Thursday, Aug. 27 when they travel to Tahlequah, Okla., to face Northeastern State in a 7 p.m. contest at Doc Wadley Stadium. (2009 Wonder Boys Schedule)  

 -- Tech Athletics --