Cactus Bowl Rosters Announced

KINGSVILLE, TEXAS – The Valero Cactus Bowl, an all-star game featuring NCAA Division II senior football players, announced the rosters of its two teams for January 9, 2009 game at Javelina Stadium on the campus of Texas A&M-Kingsville.

The Cactus Bowl was originally known as the Snow Bowl and was played in Fargo, North Dakota from 1994 through 2000. Starting in 2001, the Snow Bowl was renamed the Cactus Bowl and has been played in Kingsville, Texas. There have been over 100 players drafted into the NFL who played in the Cactus Bowl. All net profits from the Cactus Bowl are donated to Shriners Hospitals for Children.

The 2009 edition of the Cactus Bowl will feature 19 All-Americans and is headlined by six of the 24 Harlon Hill Trophy candidates; Ted Schlafke (Minnesota-Duluth), Brian McNeill (Nebraska-Omaha), Charly Martin (West Texas A&M), Corey Russell (Tusculum), Kevin McCabe (California-PA) and Mike Washington (West Chester).

In addition to the national recognition many of the players have received, there will be a strong regional feel to the game with 16 players from the Lone Star Conference signed on to play.

East Team
QB – Corey Russell (2) – Tusculum
QB – Kevin McCabe – California, PA
RB – Mike McLendon – North Alabama
RB – Sammy Milton – Elizabeth City State
RB – George Washington III – Mars Hill
WR – Mike Washington (A,1) – West Chester
WR – Julius Pruitt – Ouachita Baptist
WR – Garett Manning (2) – Henderson State
WR – Edward Gant – North Alabama
WR – Dyshaun Edwards – Tiffin
WR – Chad Schroeder – Delta State
TE – Denayne Davidson-Dixon – Edinboro
TE – Bob Ruffing – Ouachita Baptist
OL – Kennis Jones – West Chester
OL – Desi Mayner – Saginaw Valley State
OL – Louis West – Henderson State
OL – Nate Hollins – Ashland
OL – Ross Conn – Harding
OL – Sam Allen (2) – Grand Valley State
OL – Mark Ellis – Delta State
OL – Jeremy Ashcraft – Arkansas Tech
PK – Tom Schneider (1) – North Alabama
CB – Darren Banks (1) – West Liberty State
CB – Matt Black – Saginaw Valley State
CB – Otis Ballard – Carson-Newman
CB – Barry Tate – Lenoir-Rhyne College
CB – Lionell Mitchell – East Stroudsburg
CB – Steven Jackson – Fort Valley State
S – Rodrick Jones – Elizabeth City State
S – Dante Dunn – Wayne State
LB – Dan Skuta – Grand Valley State
LB – Terrence Jackson (A) – Indiana, PA
LB – Darren Burns – California, PA
LB – Anthony King – Delta State
LB – Justin Scott – Tusculum
DL – Jon Ochs – Bloomsburg
DL – Jahlim Cuttino – Southern Connecticut
DL – Sammy Hill – Stillman
DL – Jacob Visser (A,1) – Ferris State
DL – Chris Dowdell – Mars Hill
DL – Christopher Murphy – Gannon
P – Nick Krut (1) – East Stroudsburg

West Team
QB – Ted Schlafke (A) – Minnesota-Duluth
QB – Keith Null – West Texas A&M
RB – Caleb Farabi – Pittsburg State
RB – Brian McNeill – Nebraska-Omaha
RB – Daniel Thomas – Angelo State
WR – Charly Martin (1) – West Texas A&M
WR – Johnathan Ferguson – Abilene Christian
WR – Jarrett Byers – Northeastern State
WR – Marques Nelson – Pittsburg State
WR – Jareko Taylor – Texas A&M-Kingsville
WR – John Means – Western New Mexico
TE – Zack Miller – Nebraska-Omaha
TE – Todd Burkoth – Winona State
OL – Dennis Cooper – Cheyney
OL – Darron Sheppard – Texas A&M-Commerce
OL – Tom Pestock – Northwest Missouri State
OL – Devin Livingston – Tarleton State
OL – Joseph Thompson (2) – Abilene Christian
OL – Reid Kirby – Northwest Missouri State
OL – Nick Urban (A) – Winona State
OL – Dustin Finn – Central Oklahoma
PK – Jared Keating – Mesa State
CB – Terrell Phelps – Bemidji State
CB – Tremaine Wright – Tarleton State
CB – Gerrett Burl – East Central
CB – Devon Hughes (2) – Henderson State
CB – Gregory Toler – St. Paul’s College
CB – Jerome Mann – St. Paul’s College
S – Tyler Yelk (2) – Minnesota-Duluth
S – Jabir Perkins (2) – Texas A&M-Kingsville
LB – Jared Brock (A,1) – West Texas A&M
LB – Mark Meng (A) – Fort Lewis
LB – Jeff Souder – Nebraska-Omaha
LB – Blake Freese – Minnesota State-Mankato
LB – K.C. Asiodu – Central Oklahoma
DL – Ryan Kees (A) – St. Cloud State
DL – Les Hammers – Truman State
DL – John Wood – Central Missouri
DL – Matt Cox – Western Oregon
DL – Chris Burnkhorst – Minnesota State-Mankato
DL – Ronald Green – Eastern New Mexico
P – Jamie Hanson – Missouri Western

A - AFCA All-American
1 - Daktronics First Team All-American
2 - Daktronics Second Team All-American