January 31, 2007

CEDAR RAPIDS , IOWA . . . Eight Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) football players were named to Don Hansen’s Football Gazette All-American Team with four players on both the Second and Third Teams. Central and Simpson each had two All-American picks while Buena Vista, Dubuque, Loras and Luther each had one.

Don Hansen’s Football Gazette Second Team All-American picks were: Buena Vista University junior linebacker Cody Pierce (Spencer, Iowa/Emmetsburg), Central senior defensive tackle Taylor Vanden Wynboom (Britt, Iowa/West Hancock), Luther College senior wide receiver Kyle Pearson (Flagstaff, Ariz./Sinagua) and Simpson defensive tackle B.J. Bengard (Orange City, Iowa/MOC-FV).

Receiving Third Team honors were: Central senior punter Brant VerMeer (Montezuma, Iowa/Montezuma), University of Dubuque senior punt returner Walner Belleus (Immokalee, Fla./Immokalee), Loras College junior linebacker Brock Hall (Davis Junction, Ill./Stillman) and Simpson College senior defensive end Dustin Schelling (Atlantic, Iowa/Atlantic).

All eight individuals were named to the Football Gazette All-West Region Team earlier this month. Pierce also received All-American honors from d3football.com as a Third Team pick. For all others, it is their first All-American honor.

In addition to the eight All-Americans, Buena Vista junior defensive back Michael Sly (Grimes, Iowa/Dallas Center-Grimes), Central senior guard Nick Reed (Springfield, Ill./Springfield) and junior running back Vance Schuring (Pella, Iowa/Pella), and Coe College senior defensive end Adam Jordison (Van Meter, Iowa/Van Meter) and senior running back Ashton Northern (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Jefferson) received honorable mention.

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