RICHARDSON, Texas –– American Southwest Conference football champion University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and runner-up Hardin-Simmons University – both NCAA Division III playoff teams – each had three individual award winners and combined to place 35 players on the 2006 All-Conference Team, the ASC office announced on Thursday (Nov. 16) after a vote of the league’s nine head coaches.

Mary Hardin-Baylor had the Defensive Player of the Year in senior free safety Josh Kubiak (Granbury, Texas) and the Defensive Lineman of the Year in senior tackle Terrance Carroll (McGregor, Texas). The head coach of the Crusaders, Pete Fredenburg, was voted Co-Coach of the Year.

Kubiak, who took the top defensive honor for the second consecutive year, averaged six tackles a game in the regular season with two sacks and two interceptions to pace the Crusaders’ nationally-ranked defense that gave up only 28.3 rushing yards per game. Carroll, a defensive tackle, also helped pave the way by posting three sacks and an interception to go along with 5.5 tackles for loss. Fredenburg, who was last voted top coach in 2002, guided UMHB to an 8-0 league mark and its fourth ASC title in five years.

Hardin-Simmons had the Offensive Player of the Year in senior quarterback Jordan Neal (Abilene, Texas) and the Offensive Lineman of the Year in senior center Josh Knox (Synder, Texas). Cowboys senior punt/kick returner Will Galusha (Abilene, Texas) was tabbed as Special Teams Player of the Year. Neal and Galusha each came through on the preseason predictions that had them taking their respective awards.

Neal passed for 2,317 yards and 24 touchdowns opposed to just seven interceptions over HSU’s nine-game regular season. He ranked third in the nation in pass efficiency. Knox paved the way for an offense that averaged 40.6 points and 463.8 yards per game. Galusha totaled an ASC-high 253 punt return yards and averaged 21.9 yards per kick return.

Kubiak, Carroll, Neal, Knox and Galusha were all voted to the All-Conference First Team. Galusha was also a second-team pick at wide receiver.

Louisiana College quarterback Ben McLaughlin (Dierks, Arkansas) was named ASC Freshman of the Year after leading the league in passing at 276 yards per game. He tossed 21 touchdowns against only seven interceptions over the Wildcats’ nine games.

Sul Ross State’s Steve Wright was voted Co-Coach of the Year after guiding the Lobos to a 5-4 overall record and a 4-4 mark that was good enough to tie for third place in the ASC. It was SRSU’s first winning season in 10 years (1996, 6-4).

2006 ASC FOOTBALL INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year:
Jordan Neal, QB, Sr., Hardin-Simmons University
Defensive Player of the Year:
Josh Kubiak, FS, Sr., University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Offensive Lineman of the Year:
Josh Knox, C, Sr., Hardin-Simmons University
Defensive Lineman of the Year:
Terrance Carroll, DT, Sr., University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Special Teams Player of the Year:
Will Galusha, KR/PR, Sr., Hardin-Simmons University
Freshman of the Year:
Ben McLaughlin, QB, Louisiana College
Co-Coaches of the Year:
Pete Fredenburg, University of Mary Hardin-Baylor
Steve Wright, Sul Ross State University

2006 ASC ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM