OGDEN, Utah – Northern Arizona football had 15 Lumberjacks selected to an All-Big Sky team for a total of 17 honors, announced today by the league office.

Nick Butier, an all-second team fullback selection a year ago, picked up first team accolades for the first time in his career. The junior appeared in all 12 games for NAU with 10 starts. He finished the season with 17 catches for 181 yards and 29 rushing yards. Butier also earned second team special teams player honors.

Junior cornerback Marcus Alford received first team honors, after being named honorable mention last season. Alford led the Big Sky in passes defended the majority of the season and ranked in the top 10 in the nation in the category. He also tied for the most interceptions on the team with three, in addition to 27 tackles.

Senior tight end Beau Gardner and senior offensive tackle Joe Gurski picked up second team honors – the first of their careers. Gardner had the best season of his career that included grabbing a team-high five touchdowns, in addition to 28 catches for 412 yards. Gurski started all 12 games for NAU and helped pave the way for three different running backs to record 100-yard games.

Being selected third team offense were senior wide receiver Ify Umodu and sophomore left guard Eric Rodriguez. Umodu was a 2012 honorable mention selection, before sitting out last season due to injury. He tied with Gardner for a team-high five touchdowns and led NAU with 691 receiving yards on 47 catches. Rodriguez earned honorable mention accolades last year as a freshman, and has started at left guard every game of his career.

Junior Ryan Hawkins was named third team defense as a punter. He picked up punting duties the week of Eastern Washington and was the only conference player this season to earn three-straight Big Sky Player of the Week honors.

Honorable mention accolades on offense were given to junior wide receiver Alex Holmes, junior running back Casey Jahn, junior Leroy Guenther and placekicker Ryan Hawkins. Defensive honorable mention players were freshman tackle Deon Young, junior end Siupeli Anau, senior linebacker Austin Hasquet, senior cornerback Blake Bailey and junior safety Darius Lewis.