FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (December 16, 2019) – The Northern Arizona football team placed three Lumberjacks on HERO Sports' 2019 All-America Teams on Monday. Junior placekicker
Luis Aguilar earned First Team honors, while senior quarterback
Case Cookus and junior punter
DJ Arnson were named to the Second and Third Teams respectively.
Aguilar, who earlier Monday was named the recipient of the 2019 Fred Mitchell Award as the nation's top collegiate place-kicker in the FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA, got HERO Sports' top All-American nod.
Aguilar ranks third nationally in the FCS in field goal percentage (88.8) and field goals made per game (1.83) while leading the Big Sky in both categories. The All-Big Sky First Team selection also drilled the longest field goal in the FCS this season on Oct. 5 versus Northern Colorado with a 57-yard blast.
Aguilar was successful on 22-of-25 field goal attempts, with two makes from 50-plus yards, and was perfect on all 52 of his extra point attempts. He led the country with 61 kickoffs that resulted in touchbacks and was ninth nationally in scoring, and second amongst kickers, with 9.8 points per game.
Cookus was named to HERO Sports' All-America Second Team after guiding the Lumberjacks to the most prolific passing offense in the FCS this season. Cookus led the nation in both passing yards (4,114) and passing yards per game (342.8) and was eighth with 31 touchdown strikes. NAU's quarterback also ranked ninth with 24.17 completions per game.
The Walter Payton Award finalist and All-Big Sky Second Teamer completed 290-of-481 passes and posted a passing efficiency of 150.5, which ranks 14th in the FCS.
This season, Cookus became the Lumberjacks' all-time career leader in passing yards (12,082), passing touchdowns (105) and total offense (12,314). He threw for 300-plus yards in nine of 12 games and had a pair of 400-yard performances.
Arnson teamed with Aguilar to give the 'Jacks arguably the best kicker-punter duo in the country on his way to Third Team honors. Arnson ranked third nationally with a Big Sky-leading 45.8 yards per punt and earned a spot on the All-Big Sky First Team.
Arnson's efforts helped NAU rank fifth in the country in net punting at 41.22 yards on average. He totaled 57 punts for 2,612 yards and had a long of 65 yards. He recorded 16 punts of 50 yards or more and placed 19 inside the 20-yard line.
Aguilar and Arnson were tabbed as All-Americans for the first time in their careers, while Cookus earned his fifth career All-American honor by five different outlets.
The FCS All-America announcements continue on Tuesday with HERO Sports' Sophomore and Freshman All-American Teams and the Associated Press All-America Teams.
