Jan. 21, 2008

Complete List of D2Football All-Americans in PDF Format

CANYON, Texas - Just under two months after the final curtain fell on their 2007 campaign, members of the West Texas A&M football team continue to receive postseason recognition for their sensational efforts on the gridiron as four Buffs have been selected as All-Americans by D2Football.com. Junior defensive end Brandon Swain captured first team All-America honors for the third time this offseason while senior tight end Kolo Kapanui and junior linebacker Jared Brock were named to the second team and junior receiver Charly Martin earned honorable mention accolades.

The D2Football.com All-America Team was selected by the staff of D2Football.com with input from coaches and sports information directors from around the country.

Kolo Kapanui

Swain was a pleasant surprise during his first season in Canyon, leading the conference in sacks (14), tackles for loss (24.5), quarterback hurries (12), forced fumbles (5) and fumbles recovered (3). The Tulsa, Okla., native was selected as the Lone Star Conference Defensive Lineman of the Year and a regional finalist for the Gene Upshaw award, which is given annually to Division II's top lineman. He posted multiple sacks in three games on the year and posted a career-high 10 tackles in the Buffs' season opening win over No. 9 South Dakota. Swain scored his first career touchdown in WT's playoff contest at Northwest Missouri State as he intercepted a batted ball and returned the pick 18 yards for a Buff score. For Swain, the honor from D2Football.com represents his third first team All-American selection this post season after receiving the honor from both Daktronics and the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA).

Kapanui, who was the leading vote getter among tight ends on the ballot, capped off his two-year career in Canyon this fall by emerging into a dominant offensive force for the Buffs. The native of Hawaii caught 39 passes in 2007 to rack up 481 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Additionally, Kapanui was a vital point of the Buffs' swinging gate extra point conversion attempts as he scored on five of seven two-point conversion rushing tries. Already this offseason, Kapanui has garnered first team All-America accolades from Daktronics.

Jared Brock

For Brock, this award marks the second straight All-American honor he has garnered; he received the honor from numerous organizations last year, including a first team nod from Daktronics. The Abernathy, Texas, native collected his second straight 100+ tackle season by leading the Buffs with 100 stops, a figure that includes 47 solo tackles. Brock also racked up 2.5 sacks, two interceptions, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, eight pass break-ups and 10 quarterback hurries during the 2007 campaign. Last Month, Daktronics also selected Brock as a second team All-America performer for his standout junior season.

Charly Martin

Despite battling a lingering injury for much of the season, Martin still put together a second straight All-American campaign, leading WT with 927 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns on 67 catches. The Farmington, N.M., native will enter his senior season ranked in the top five in almost every all-time receiving category with the chance to end his career as the most productive receiver in WT football history.

The group was a critical part of WT's run to a third consecutive Lone Star Conference Championship and NCAA-II playoff appearance. The future continues to look bright for the Buffs as three of their four honorees on the 2007 D2Football.com All-America team and much of the core of this season's team return for another run at the National title in 2008.