SPOKANE, Wash. (July 20, 2025) – Ty Pennington, the reigning Big Sky Conference Newcomer of the Year, headlined four Northern Arizona football players on the Preseason All-Conference Team announced by the league office on Sunday. Joining Pennington on the list includes defensive lineman Micah Carreon, linebacker Brandon Wong and punter Ben D'Aquila.
NAU's four honorees on the Preseason All-Conference Team mark the program's most since 2016. The 39-member preseason team were voted on by media members throughout the Big Sky and nationally.
Pennington got the nod as the league's top quarterback heading into the 2025 season. In his first season at NAU last fall, Pennington threw for 2,288 yards and 13 touchdowns against only two interceptions. The junior from Sand Springs, Okla. completed 65.2% of his passes and held a passer rating of 145.68. He is the Big Sky's returning leader in passing yards, completion percentage and efficiency.
Pennington, NAU's first quarterback named to the Preseason All-Conference Team since Case Cookus in 2016, showcased his dual threat ability last season with 437 yards rushing and seven touchdowns on the ground – totals that ranked second on the team.
Carreon and Wong, a pair of fourth-year Lumberjacks, represent NAU on the defensive side of the ball following All-Big Sky honorable mention accolades in 2024. Carreon is NAU's second-leading returning tackler after posting 46 stops and tied for the team-lead with 7.0 tackles-for-loss. Meanwhile, Wong registered 43 tackles, including 4.5 stops behind the line of scrimmage, and a memorable 45-yard scoop-and-score touchdown at Montana a season ago.
Like Carreon and Wong, D'Aquila earned honorable mention honors last season. In his debut season in Flagstaff, D'Aquila led the Big Sky in punt average at 46.7 yards per boot. His efforts helped NAU rank sixth in the FCS in net punting at 42.0 yards. D'Aquila is the first NAU punter on the Preseason All-Conference Team since DJ Arnson in 2020.
The full 2025 Big Sky Football Preseason All-Conference Team can be found here.
Head coach Brian Wright, Pennington and defensive lineman Tausagafou Ho Ching are currently representing NAU at the 2025 Big Sky Football Kickoff Weekend in Spokane, Wash. Wright, Pennington and Ho Ching will be featured on the live Big Sky Football Kickoff show on ESPN+ on Monday, July 21, at 11:23 a.m. Fans may catch their appearance at this link (subscription required).
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