Nov. 29, 2010

All-Big Ten and All-America honors from other sources

2010 All-Big Ten Teams (PDF Format)

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's Dan Persa (Bethlehem, Pa./Liberty) has been selected as the All-Big Ten first team quarterback by a vote of the conference coaches while wide receiver Jeremy Ebert (Hilliard, Ohio/Hilliard Darby) is an All-Big Ten first team choice of the conference media. Overall, eight Wildcats picked up 2010 All-Big Ten accolades from either the coaches or the media as announced today (Nov. 29) by the league office.

Persa led Northwestern to a 7-3 record in 10 starts this season before suffering a season-ending injury in a victory over then-No. 13 Iowa on Nov. 13. He ranks second in the Big Ten in passing yardage per game (258.1), total offense per game (310.0) and completion percentage (73.5).

Persa connected on 15 touchdown passes against just four interceptions, completing 222 of his 301 attempts for 2,581 yards while rushing for another 519 yards and nine touchdowns. He accounted for 83 percent of Northwestern's touchdowns in the 10 games he played this year, either throwing or running for 24 out of the 29 scored in those contests.

Persa is the fifth quarterback in Northwestern history to earn All-Big Ten first team honors, joining Brett Basanez (2005), Steve Schnur (1996), Maurie Daigneau (1971) and Don Burson (1941). Persa was chosen as the All-Big Ten second-team quarterback by the media this year.

Ebert gives the Wildcats two All-Big Ten first-teamers for the second-straight season. He leads the conference with 76.6 receiving yards per game while ranking fifth in receptions per game with 4.92. He is tied for fifth on NU's single-season receiving touchdown list with eight this year while currently sitting 81 yards shy of becoming the third Wildcat in program history with 1,000 receiving yards in a single season. Ebert was an honorable mention All-Big Ten selection of the coaches.

A pair of defenders -- defensive end Vince Browne (Lisbon, Ohio/David Anderson) and safety Brian Peters (Pickerington, Ohio/Pickerington Central) -- picked up All-Big Ten second-team accolades from the media. Browne ranks second in sacks (7.0) and third in tackles for loss (15.0) in the conference while leading NU in both categories this year. Peters ranks seventh in the Big Ten in tackles with 8.1 per game (97 total) and seventh in interceptions with 0.25 per game (three total). Peters also was an All-Big honorable mention choice of the coaches.

Junior superback Drake Dunsmore (Lenexa, Kan./Saint Thomas Aquinas) is a consensus All-Big Ten honorable mention selection. He ranks second for Northwestern with 39 receptions and five touchdown catches.

Three more Wildcats won All-Big Ten honorable mention nods from the media: Defensive lineman Corbin Bryant (Chicago, Ill./Morgan Park), cornerback Jordan Mabin (Northfield Center, Ohio/Nordonia) and offensive tackle Al Netter (Rohnert Park, Calif./Cardinal Newman).

Bryant ranks third for Northwestern with 8.0 tackles for loss while also earning an interception, six quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble on the year.

Mabin leads the Big Ten with 13 passes defended in his third year as a starter in Northwestern's backfield. He ranks fourth on the team with 58 tackles including 46 solo stops.

Netter is a two-time All-Big Ten honorable mention choice after also earning the award from both the coaches and the media in 2009. He has started at left tackle in each of Northwestern's 38 games in the last three seasons and is an ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District V first-team selection in 2010.

• • • • • •

Other All-Big Ten and All-America Honors

Phil Steele All-Big Ten Awards (PDF Format)

Persa and Ebert also were named All-Big Ten first team selections by Phil Steele to lead a contingent of six 'Cats to earn awards from the publication.

Browne was named an All-Big Ten second team selection while Netter, Mabin and Peters all were third-team honorees as selected by Phil Steele.

• • • • • •

ESPN.com: Ebert was named a first-team choice at wide receiver by ESPN.com while Venric Mark earned an All-Freshman team spot at punt returner.

• • • • • •

CollegeFootballNews.com: Both Ebert and Peters were named to CFN's All-Big Ten team. Persa and Dunsmore earned honorable mention All-America nods from CFN.

• • • • • •

Rivals.com: Peters was named an All-Big Ten second-team choice while Mark earned Freshman All-America second-team and Big Ten All-Freshman team honors from Rivals.com at punt returner.

• • • • • •

Sports Illustrated: Persa earned All-America honorable mentions from SI.

• • • • • •

Sporting News: Persa was named the Big Ten's Offensive Most Valuable Player by Sporting News.

••••••

Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook! and subscribe to the NU Sports Express e-newsletter to receive the latest news, schedule updates and video and to interact with NU. For more information on following specific Northwestern teams online, visit our Social Media page!