SPOKANE, Wash. (July 24, 2023) – Northern Arizona University football player
Eloi Kwete has been named to the Preseason All-Big Sky Defensive team, as announced this morning as part of the 2023 Big Sky Conference Football Kickoff in Spokane, Wash.
Additionally, the Lumberjacks were picked to finish eighth by the media and ninth by the coaches in the preseason polls.
Kwete is a senior and a native of Phoenix, Ariz., where he prepped at Phoenix Central High School. A 2022 second team All-Big Sky selection, he played in and started all 11 games on the defensive line last season.
He ranked sixth on the team with 50 total tackles, 19 of which were solo. At the end of the year, he ranked second in the conference with seven sacks and fourth with 11 tackles for loss. Kwete had a standout game in a win over Idaho State on Oct. 22, coming away with a career-high 10 tackles and two sacks.
In four seasons with the Lumberjacks, he's played in 33 games and has 133 total tackles, 59 of which are solo. Kwete has racked up 28 tackles for loss, resulting in 130 yards. He also has 15 career sacks, a forced fumble and two fumble recoveries.
In the Coaches' Preseason Poll, the Lumberjacks were picked to finish ninth with 44 total points. They were just edged by Portland State who was selected eighth with 45 points, but finished ahead of Northern Colorado, Cal Poly, and Idaho State.
The media voted NAU to finish eighth with 178 total points, following Eastern Washington who was picked seventh with 216 points and ahead of Portland State, Northern Colorado, Cal Poly, and Idaho State.
Montana State was picked to finish first in both polls.
Head coach
Chris Ball, running back
Draycen Hall and defensive lineman
Mark Ho Ching have been on hand in Spokane over the weekend participating in the 2023 Big Sky Conference Football Kickoff. The trio will be live on ESPN+ this morning starting at 9:30 a.m. at the kickoff to discuss the upcoming season.
The festivities have also included the conference's second Hall of Fame Class, where former NAU running back and Walter Payton Award winner Archie Amerson was inducted.
Northern Arizona officially opens Fall camp on Wednesday, Aug. 2, exactly a month ahead of the season opener at the University of Arizona on Sept. 2 at 7 p.m.
Coaches' Preseason Poll
1. Montana State (10) – 120
2. UC Davis (1) – 96
3. Sacramento State (1) – 94
4. Weber State – 91
5. Idaho – 89
6. Montana – 84
7. Eastern Washington – 52
8. Portland State – 45
9. Northern Arizona – 44
10. Northern Colorado – 37
11. Cal Poly – 25
12. Idaho State – 15
Media Preseason Poll
1. Montana State (26) – 447
2. Idaho (8) – 410
3. Montana (2) – 359
4. Sacramento State (3) – 334
5. UC Davis – 330
6. Weber State – 320
7. Eastern Washington – 216
8. Northern Arizona – 178
9. Portland State – 167
10. Northern Colorado – 109
11. Cal Poly – 103
12. Idaho State – 69
First-place votes in parentheses
Media Preseason All-Conference Team
Offensive MVP: Hayden Hatten, WR, Idaho
Defensive MVP: Winston Reid, LB, Weber State
Offensive Team
QB: Gevani McCoy, Idaho
RB: Anthony Woods, Idaho
RB: Marcus Fulcher, Sacramento State
FB: Derryk Snell, Montana State
WR: Hayden Hatten, Idaho
WR: Efton Chism III, Eastern Washington
WR: Jermaine Jackson, Idaho
TE: Marshel Martin, Sacramento State
TE: Blake Gobel, Eastern Washington
OL: Noah Atagi, Weber State
OL: Hunter Mayginnes
OL: Rush Reimer, Montana State
OL: Jackson Slater, Sacramento State
OL: JT Reed, Montana State
OL: Jake Parks, UC Davis
AP: Sean Chambers, Montana State
Defensive Team
DL: Alex Gubner, Montana
DL: Sebastian Valdez, Montana State
DL: Brody Grebe, Montana State
DL: Zach Kennedy, UC Davis
DL:
Eloi Kwete, Northern Arizona
LB: Winston Reid, Weber State
LB: Armon Bailey, Sacramento State
LB: David Hoage, Northern Colorado
LB: Levi Janacaro, Montana
LB: David Meyer, Cal Poly
DB: Rex Connors, UC Davis
DB: Maxwell Anderson, Weber State
DB: Marcus Harris, Idaho
DB: Caleb Nelson, Sacramento State
DB: Marlon Jones Jr., Eastern Washington
DB: Jordan Knapke, Northern Colorado
Special Teams
K: Ricardo Chavez, Idaho
P: Nick Kokich, Eastern Washington
KR: Abraham Williams, Weber State
PR: Junior Bergen, Montana
ST: Trevin Gradney, Montana
LS: Tommy Sullivan, Montana State
