Five Huskers Earn First-Team All-Big 12 Honors

Dallas, Texas -- Five Nebraska football players were named to Coaches' All-Big 12 football first team announced Friday. Senior I-back Dan Alexander, junior tight end Tracey Wistrom and junior center Dominic Raiola made the offensive first team, whille senior mike linebacker Carlos Polk and senior punter Dan Hadenfeldt were on the first-team defense.

A Doak Walker Award semifinalist, Alexander had seven 100-yard performances this seasons and rushed for 1,154 yards and eight touchdowns to rank 21st nationally in rushing.

Wistrom ranks second on the Huskers with 19 receptions for 314 yards and a team-best five touchdowns. Wistrom, a John Mackey Award semifinalist and a two-time first-team All-Big 12 honoree, caught a school-record three touchdown passes against Iowa.

A Lombardi Award finalist and two-time first-team All-Big 12 selection, Raiola leads a Husker rushing attack that averages a nation's best 349.3 yards per game on the ground. A first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Foundation and the Football Writers of America, Raiola has had 10 or more pancake blocks in nine of NU's first 10 games and has helped NU rush for 400 or more yards on four occasions this season.

One of three Huskers who were repeat first-team selections, Polk leads the Huskers in tackles (89) and also ranked among the team leaders in both tackles for loss (8-27) and quarterback hurries (13). He had four double-digit tackle performances this season, including a career-high 17 at Kansas State.

Hadenfeldt averaged 43.8 yards on 39 punts and placed five kicks inside the 20-yard line. He finishes his career as Nebraska's school record holder in season (44.98 in 1999) and career (44.5) punting average.

Other Huskers honored were: offensive linemen Russ Hochstein and Toniu Fonoti on the second-team offense; quarterback Eric Crouch on the third-team offense and safety Troy Watchorn on the third-team defense.

Wide receiver Matt Davison, rush end Kyle Vanden Bosch and cornerback Keyuo Craver were all honorable-mention selections.

Earlier this week, Football News announced its All-Big 12 team and four Huskers, Polk, Raiola, Wistrom and offensive guard Russ Hochstein were first-team selections.