Four Griz earn All-America honors

FCS media outlet Stats Perform named four standouts from the outright 2023 Big Sky Conference champion and national finalist Montana Grizzlies to one of its four annual All-America teams on Tuesday.

Big Sky Defensive MVP Alex Gubner, Buchanan Award finalist Braxton Hill, and all-conference punt returner Junior Bergen each landed on the second-team All-America list.

Jerry Rice Award winner for FCS Freshman of the Year Eli Gillman also earned freshman All-America honors.

The quartet were just some of the 109 players representing all 13 FCS leagues and 57 schools to earn recognition.

Gubner, voted the Big Sky's defensive player of the year by coaches around the league, was named first-team All-America earlier in the postseason by the Associated Press but was named to the Stats Perform second-team. He's a two-time first-team all-conference selection and a two-time team defensive MVP. He also earned All-America accolades his freshman and sophomore seasons, now in his fourth year as a starter for the Grizzlies.

The senior has been a key member of Montana's defense, now ranked top-five in the FCS and first in the league in scoring.

Hill, who leads the team and is currently second in the Big Sky in tackles, laned on the Stats Perform second team and is also a two-time All-American after earning third-team honors from the Associated Press earlier in December.

A team captain, Hill has posted 116 stops on the season, and needs just three more to finish the year as the Big Sky's tackling leader.

Bergen earned second-team All-America honors at punt returner despite having two punt returns for touchdowns in the playoffs alone during UM's magical run to the championship.

With five total punt returns in his career, he's now set a new Montana school record and has tied the Big Sky Conference set in 2003 by Montana State's Corey Smith. The Billings native is now chasing the NCAA record of eight punt return touchdowns set by LeRoy Vann of Florida A&M in 2009.

He now leads the FCS in total punt return yards with 423, the sixth-most in a season in program history. Earlier in December he was named second-team All-American by the Associated Press as an all-purpose player.

Gillman has enjoyed a breakout year with the Griz in his first full season of action at Montana. He's now third overall in the Big Sky in total rushing yards with 950 – the most of any freshman in the nation and the 17^th-most in a single season in program history.

With two games added as a true freshman in 2022, Gillman already has 1,015 career rushing yards and 13 rushing touchdowns, a top-20 mark in school history.

He'll be in attendance at the Stats Perform Award Banquet on the eve of the National Championship Game to receive the 2023 Jerry Rice Award for Freshman of the Year.

2023 STATS PERFORM FCS ALL-AMERICA TEAM
PRESENTED BY FEDEX GROUND

FIRST TEAM

OFFENSE
QB – Max Brosmer, New Hampshire, Jr., 6-2, 221
QB – Mark Gronowski, South Dakota State, Jr., 6-3, 225
RB – Isaiah Davis, South Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 220
RB – Jaden Shirden, Monmouth, Jr., 5-9, 185
WR – Jalen Coker, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-3, 207
WR – Ty James, Mercer, R-Sr., 6-2, 200
WR – Dymere Miller, Monmouth, Sr., 6-0, 180
TE – Cam Grandy, Illinois State, Sr., 6-3, 260
OL – Noah Atagi, Weber State, Sr., 6-6, 325
OL – Garret Greenfield, South Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-7, 320
OL – Jacob Johanning, Furman, R-Sr., 6-3, 276
OL – Jake Kubas, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-4, 308
OL – Mason McCormick, South Dakota State, R-Sr., 6-5, 315
OL – Marcus Wehr, Montana State, Jr., 6-4, 292

DEFENSE
DL – Terrell Allen, Tennessee State, Sr., 6-0, 275
DL – Ty French, Gardner-Webb, Sr., 6-3, 230
DL – Anton Juncaj, UAlbany, Sr., 6-3, 273
DL – Jay Person, Chattanooga, Sr., 6-3, 233
DL – David Walker, Central Arkansas, Jr., 6-3, 260
LB – Jacob Dobbs, Holy Cross, 5th Year, 6-0, 237
LB – Dylan Kelly, UAlbany, Sr., 6-2, 224
LB – Brock Mogensen, South Dakota, Sr., 6-2, 235
LB – Billy Shaeffer, Lafayette, Sr., 6-3, 232
LB – Winston Reid, Weber State, Sr., 6-1, 230
DB – Myles Harden, South Dakota, Jr., 6-0, 200
DB – Marcus Harris, Idaho, Jr., 5-11, 185
DB – PJ Jules, Southern Illinois, Sr., 6-1, 209
DB – Lance Wise Jr., Mercer, Sr., 5-9, 195
DB – Cole Wisniewski, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-4, 217

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Kyle Ramsey, Abilene Christian, So., 6-2, 190
P – Aidan Laros, UT Martin, R-So., 6-2, 210
LS – AJ Covan, Gardner-Webb, Gr., 6-0, 220
KR – Donovan Wadley, Merrimack, So., 5-9, 180
PR – Kam Thomas, Austin Peay, R-So., 5-7, 174
AP – Dylan Laube, New Hampshire, Sr., 5-10, 208

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SECOND TEAM

OFFENSE
QB – Cam Miller, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 213
QB – Matthew Sluka, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-3, 216
RB – Jamar Curtis, Lafayette, So., 5-8, 164
RB – Sam Franklin, UT Martin, R-So., 5-10, 200
WR – Hayden Hatten, Idaho, R-Jr., 6-2, 205
WR – Chedon James, Idaho State, So., 5-8, 173
WR – Brandon Porter, UIW, Grad, 5-11, 190
TE – Carter Runyon, Towson, R-Jr., 6-6, 235
OL – Mark Barthelemy, Nicholls, Sr., 6-4, 310
OL – Mike Edwards, Campbell, Grad, 6-7, 355
OL – Josiah Ezirim, Eastern Kentucky, Sr., 6-6, 320
OL – Charles Grant, William & Mary, Sr., 6-4, 280
OL – Luke Newman, Holy Cross, Sr., 6-4, 310
OL – Gavin Olson, UT Martin, Sr., 6-4, 305

DEFENSE
DL – Daylan Dotson, UT Martin, Jr., 6-3, 255
DL – Brody Grebe, Montana State, Jr., 6-2, 248
DL – Alex Gubner, Montana, R-Sr., 6-3, 284
DL – Nate Lynn, William & Mary, Sr., 6-3, 255
DL – Eric O'Neill, LIU, So., 6-3, 250
LB – Micah Davey, McNeese, R-So., 6-2, 239
LB – Braxton Hill, Montana, Sr., 6-2, 225
LB – Jalyx Hunt, Houston Christian, Sr., 6-4, 248
LB – Isaiah Major, Florida A&M, Sr., 6-1, 230
LB – Tristan Wheeler, Richmond, R-Sr., 6-2, 228
DB – Maxwell Anderson, Weber State, Sr., 5-11, 170
DB – Sheldon Arnold II, ETSU, Jr., 6-1, 186
DB – Travis Blackshear, Furman, Grad, 5-11, 185
DB – Caleb Curtain, Elon, R-So., 6-1, 191
DB – Kenny Gallop Jr., Howard, Sr., 6-1, 214

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Matthew Cook, Northern Iowa, Sr., 5-11, 199
P – Aaron Trusler, Richmond, Sr., 5-8, 168
LS – Hunter Brozio, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-1, 233
KR – Taymon Cooke, North Carolina A&T, R-Sr., 6-0, 185
PR – Junior Bergen, Montana, Jr., 5-11, 180
AP – Devron Harper, Mercer, Sr., 5-9, 170
AP – LaDarius Owens, Texas Southern, Sr., 5-9, 180

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THIRD TEAM

OFFENSE
QB – Mike DiLiello, Austin Peay, Grad, 6-1, 215
QB – Reese Poffenbarger, UAlbany, R-So., 6-0, 208
QB – Davius Richard, North Carolina Central, Sr., 6-3, 220
RB – Jevon Jackson, Austin Peay, R-So., 5-8, 200
RB – Lan Larison, UC Davis, Jr., 6-0, 195
RB – Jyran Mitchell, Butler, Grad, 6-0, 205
WR – Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington, Jr., 5-11, 200
WR – Raylen Sharpe, Missouri State, Jr., 5-9, 172
TE – Owen Glascoe, LIU, R-Sr., 6-4, 258
OL – Kiran Amegadjie, Yale, Sr., 6-5, 326
OL – Michael Corbi, Villanova, Grad, 6-3, 355
OL – C.J. Hanson, Holy Cross, 5th Year, 6-6, 305
OL – Jared Penning, Northern Iowa, R-Jr., 6-6, 338
OL – Torricelli Simpkins III, North Carolina Central, Jr., 6-5, 320
OL – Jalen Sundell, North Dakota State, Sr., 6-5, 300

DEFENSE
DL – Kristian Boyd, Northern Iowa, R-Sr., 6-4, 317
DL – Finn Claypool, Drake, R-So., 6-1, 232
DL – Thor Griffith, Harvard, Sr., 6-2, 320
DL – Steven Parker, UIW, Jr., 6-4, 265
DL – A.J. Simon, UAlbany, Sr., 6-1, 267
DL – Syrus Webster, Utah Tech, Jr., 6-4, 255
LB – Amir Abdullah, Illinois State, Jr., 6-3, 215
LB – Armon Bailey, Sacramento State, Sr., 6-1, 231
LB – Logan Blake, Eastern Kentucky, Grad, 6-2, 240
LB – Jason Freeman, South Dakota State, Sr., 5-9, 215
LB – Ozzie Nicholas, Princeton, Sr., 6-2, 225
LB – John Pius, William & Mary, Sr., 6-2, 235
DB – Cameron Broussard, Sacramento State, Jr., 6-3, 200
DB – Kameron Brown, Chattanooga, Sr., 5-8, 178
DB – Aamir Hall, UAlbany, Jr., 6-1, 201
DB – Tyler Morton, Nicholls, Jr., 5-10, 165
DB – Blake Ruffin, Eastern Illinois, R-So., 6-4, 205

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Richard McCollum, Western Carolina, R-Sr., 5-9, 175
P – Brendan Hall, Montana State, Jr., 6-9, 232
LS – Steely Judy, The Citadel, Sr., 5-9, 215
KR – Abraham Williams, Weber State, Jr., 6-1, 180
PR – Brandon Codrington, North Carolina Central, Sr., 5-9, 185
AP – Sean Chambers, Montana State, Sr., 6-3, 221

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2023 STATS PERFORM FCS FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA TEAM

OFFENSE
QB – Jaylen King, Gardner-Webb, 6-4, 200
RB – MJ Flowers, Eastern Illinois, 6-1, 195
RB – Eli Gillman, Montana, 6-0, 206
RB – Jawarn Howell, South Carolina State, 6-1, 215
WR – Anthony Johnson, Stony Brook, 5-11, 190
WR – Beau Sparks, Utah Tech, 5-11, 180
TE – Jaxson Davis, Mississippi Valley State, 6-5, 210
OL – KJ Brooks, Towson, 6-3, 290
OL – Hayes Creel, McNeese, 6-7, 315
OL – Quaveon Davis, Jackson State, 6-7, 350
OL – Samuel Eskridge, Norfolk State, 6-3, 295
OL – Desmeal Leigh, Youngstown State, 6-7, 310
OL – Conner Moore, Montana State, 6-5, 306

DEFENSE
DL – Eriq George, Tennessee State, 6-2, 280
DL – Keyshawn Johnson, Grambling State, 6-3, 250
DL – Jaylon Joseph, Lafayette, 6-2, 240
DL – Rasheed Lovelace, Nicholls, 6-3, 310
DL – Charles Perkins, UT Martin, 6-3, 285
LB – Xe'ree Alexander, Idaho, 6-2, 215
LB – Carter Glassmyer, Saint Francis, 6-1, 210
LB – Michael Montgomery, Portland State, 6-3, 230
LB – Tye Niekamp, Illinois State, 6-3, 230
LB – Marco Patierno, Elon, 6-0, 225
DB – Osize Danivan, Yale, 6-2, 195
DB – Syeed Gibbs, Rhode Island, 6-0, 180
DB – Alex McLaughlin, Northern Arizona, 6-2, 190
DB – Aaron Sears, Stephen F. Austin, 5-10, 190

SPECIAL TEAMS
PK – Owen Zalc, Dartmouth, 5-10, 160
P – Hunter Green, Northern Colorado, 6-3, 200
LS – Ryan Kean, Utah Tech, 6-2, 205
Return – VJ Wilkins, Campbell, 5-10, 160
AP – Malachi Hosley, Penn, 5-10, 185
AP – Griffin Woodell, UAlbany, 5-10, 194

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Junior Bergen

Eli Gillman

Alex Gubner

Braxton Hill

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