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LIONS LATEST ALL-DECADE TEAM FEATURES 18 ALL-AMERICANS

FLORENCE - Every Fall a new University of North Alabama football squad takes the field knowing that it is trying to live up to a legacy that only a handful of collegiate football programs can equal. Over the last 10 years, the UNA football teams from 1999-2008 did their part to maintain and enhance that historical record as the University closed out its sixth decade of intercollegiate competition.

Over the last 10 seasons, since 1999, these Lions posted a 78-40 overall record that included two Gulf South Conference championships and five NCAA Division II playoff appearances. The Lions will carry a current streak of four straight seasons with 10 or more wins into 2009, as well as a streak of four straight playoff appearances. UNA has also been ranked in the final NCAA Division II Top Ten 11 times, including in five of the last six seasons.

From this group of several hundred players that have worn the purple and gold UNA jersey since 1999, 32 have been selected for the UNA “Team of the Decade for 1999-2008.”

This sixth All-Decade squad, since football was brought back to UNA in 1949, includes 18 All-Americans.

Twenty nine of the 32 players selected were All-Gulf South Conference selections at least once while playing for the Lions, and a total of 20 of the players selected were four-year lettermen at UNA. Three of the players selected are current Lion players who will complete their eligibility in the Fall - Michael Johnson, Will Batson and Montrell Craft.

The latest All-Decade team includes 15 student-athletes who are native Alabamians. The other 17 all come from one of five other Southern states - Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Georgia or Louisiana.

The team was selected by a panel of UNA athletic department personnel and news media representatives.

Leading the Lion offense is 2003 Harlon Hill Trophy winner Will Hall (QB), two-time Hill Trophy finalist quarterback A.J. Milwee(QB), 2005 Rimington Trophy recipient Lance Ancar (C) and five other All-Americans on the offensive line. A formidable group of defensive selections is led by a secondary that includes All- Americans Evan Oglesby, Blake Farris, Chad Sears and Craig Fox.


University of North Alabama
Football Team of the Decade - 1999-2008
1999-2008
Offense
QB Will Hall 2002-03 Amory, Mississippi All-GSC All-American
QB A.J. Milwee 2005-08 Boaz, Alabama All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
RB DeMarcus Blount 2002-05 Pensacola, Florida All-GSC 4-year letterman
RB Randy Vickers 2001-03 Athens, Alabama All-GSC
WR Marcus Lewis 2002-04, 06 Pensacola, Florida 4-year letterman
WR Anthony Merritt 2003-06 Columbus, Georgia All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
WR Jason Messing 2004-07 Knoxville, Tennessee 4-year letterman
WR Rocky Coleman 2007-08 Clarksdale, Mississippi All-GSC
TE Chip Long 2002-05 Birmingham, Alabama All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
TE Covington Wright 2005-08 Columbus, Georgia All-GSC 4-year letterman
OL Lance Ancar 2002-05 Harvey, Louisiana All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
OL Sam Hathorn 2005-08 Corinth, Mississippi All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
OL J.D. Whited 2005-07 Oneonta, Alabama All-GSC All-American
OL JoJo Bates 2003-06 Birmingham, Alabama All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
OL Sherwin Lyons 2000-03 Fort Valley, Georgia All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
OL Matt Horton 2000-03 Florence, Alabama All-GSC 4-year letterman
PK Travis Johnston 2000-03 Auburn, Alabama All-American 4-year letterman
Defense
DL Tim Hunt 2003-05, 07 Mobile, Alabama All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
DL Montrell Craft* 2006-08 Memphis, Tennessee All-GSC
DL Ken Triplett 2003-04 Louisville, Mississippi All-GSC All-American
DL Jonathan Taylor 2001-03 New Orleans, Louisiana All-GSC
DL Larry Paul 1999-00 Moody, Alabama All-GSC
LB Donald Tharpe 2002-06 Pensacola, Florida All-GSC 4-year letterman
LB Michael Johnson* 2006-08 Panama City, Florida All-GSC All-American
LB Courtney Wright 2002-05 Wetumpka, Alabama All-GSC 4-year lettermanLB
Harold Wisdom 2003-04 Tuscumbia, Alabama All-GSC
DB Evan Oglesby 2001-04 Toccoa, Georgia All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
DB Blake Farris 2002-05 Jasper, Alabama All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
DB Chad Sears 1997-00 Russellville, Alabama All-GSC All-American 4-year letterman
DB Craig Fox 2006-07 Kentwood, Louisiana All-GSC All-American
DB Bobby Brooks 2005-08 Hoover, Alabama All-GSC 4-year letterman
P Will Batson* 2006-08 Killen, Alabama All-GSC All-American
* Current Players

Of Note:
* Of the 32 players selected for the UNA Team of the Decade for 1999-2008, 18 earned All-American honors with the Lions.
* 29 of the 32 players selected were All-Gulf South Conference selections at least once while playing for the Lions.
* A total of 20 of the players selected were four-year lettermen at UNA.
* Three of the players selected are current Lion players who will complete their eligibility in the Fall - Michael Johnson, Will Batson and Montrell Craft.