SPOKANE, Wash. (July 26, 2026) – On the eve of the 2026 Big Sky Conference Football Media Day,
Jeter Purdy and
Shoes Brinkley were recognized on the Preseason All-Conference Team. The 38-member preseason honorees were voted on by both Big Sky and national media members.
Purdy is one of two tight ends on the Preseason All-Conference Team following a standout redshirt freshman season in 2025. Purdy earned Freshman All-American honors by FCS Football Central and Stats Perform after appearing in all 12 games a year ago and earning five starts. Averaging 14.3 yards per reception, Purdy ranked third on the team with 415 receiving yards on 29 receptions. Purdy recorded a pair of touchdowns, coming in back-to-back games in non-conference victories over Southern Utah and UIW.
Brinkley earned preseason recognition ahead of his first season in Flagstaff. The first-year Lumberjack arrives at NAU as a Phil Steele Southland All-Conference Third Team safety at McNeese last season. Starting all 12 games in 2025, Brinkley led the Cowboys with 81 tackles, including 48 solo stops, in addition to 4.5 tackles-for-loss and three interceptions. Brinkley posted three double-digit tackle games with a high of 11 against Big Sky foe Weber State.
Montana running back Eli Gillman and Montana State defensive back Caden Dowler were voted the preseason Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Players, respectively. The full 2026 Preseason All-Conference team can be found here.
NAU head football coach
Brian Wright,
Ty Pennington and
Ammon Allen will represent the Lumberjacks on Media Day on Monday starting at 11:02 a.m. MST as part of the Big Sky Kickoff at Northern Quest Resort & Casino in Spokane, Wash. Media Day will be streamed live on
ESPN+.
Season tickets, mini-plans and single-game tickets for the 2026 NAU Football season is available for purchase at this
linkwith the Lumberjacks set to kickoff at Findlay Toyota Field at the Walkup Skydome versus Eastern Washington on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 2 p.m. MST.
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