Willamette's Bennett Named to AP Little All-America Third Team

Brandon Bennett was a First Team All-Northwest Conference selection for the second straight season.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

SALEM - The postseason awards continue to add up for Willamette University junior offensive lineman Brandon Bennett, as he has been named to the 2006 Associated Press Little All-America Third Team in addition to receiving two new honors from other organizations.

He has been chosen as a D3football.com Honorable Mention All-America selection and as a North-American Interfraternity Conference All-Fraternity First Team All-America player.

He has now been named to four All-America Teams this year.

The AP Little All-America Team includes players from NCAA Division II and NCAA Division III, as well as the NAIA, while the NIC All-Fraternity Team consists of players from NCAA Division II and III.

In early December, Bennett was named to the 2006 AFCA Division III Coaches’ All-America Team.

Bennett continues to add to his already impressive list of credentials.

In addition to his four most recent awards noted above, Bennett was a First Team All-Northwest Conference selection for the second straight season in 2006 and was named Willamette’s Offensive Player of the Year, as voted on by his fellow teammates.

Bennett graded out at 95% for his efforts in the offensive line throughout the season, as he achieved the best grade among Willamette’s offensive players.

He was a leader in the offensive line, which helped the Bearcats gain 294.4 total yards per game, including 173.3 rushing yards per contest.

The Bearcats rushed for a season-high 350 yards and scored five rushing touchdowns against Lewis & Clark College on Nov. 4th.

Willamettte gained a season-high 442 total yards and earned 22 first downs against the University of Puget Sound on Sept. 23.

The following is a list of Bennett’s awards during his first three seasons with the Bearcats (2004, 2005, 2006):

• 2006 AFCA All-America
• 2006 Associated Press Little All-America Third Team
• 2006 D3football.com Honorable Mention All-America
• 2006 North-American Interfraternity Conference All-Fraternity First Team All-America
• 2006 D3football.com Second Team All-West Region
• 2006 First Team All-Northwest Conference
• 2006 Willamette University Offensive Player of the Year
• 2006 Don Hansen’s Football Gazette Preseason First Team All-American
• 2005 D3football.com Honorable Mention All-America
• 2005 D3football.com Third Team All-West Region
• 2005 First Team All-Northwest Conference
• 2004 Honorable Mention All-Northwest Conference

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