June 23, 2008

Football all-American Bryan Smith has been named the winner of McNeese State's Desmond Jones athlete of the year award.

He will be presented the award at the Cowboy first home football game on Sept. 6 in the fall.

Smith, who is currently in the camp of the Philadelphia Eagles which selected him in the third round of the NFL draft, was a two-time all-American for the Cowboys as a defensive end and was also named the player of the year in the Southland Conference for 2007.

The Newton, TX native holds all of the school records for quarterback sacks and ranked third in the nation this past season.

Twice he was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan national defensive player of the year award and he closed out his career with 31 career sacks. In 2007 he was named the SLC player of the week three times and earned one national honor.

He was also named to four all-America first teams in 2007.

Smith is the 10th football player to earn McNeese's athlete of the year award and the first since B. J. Sams in 2003-04. For the past two seasons a track peformer has been the athlete of the year - Brad Gebauer in 2006-07 and Michelle Rzepka in 2005-06 - while baseball pitcher Jacob Marceaux won the award in 2004-05.

The award began in the 1985-86 season.

MCNEESE STATE DESMOND JONES ATHLETE OF THE YEAR AWARD WINNERS

2007-08 Bryan Smith (football)

2006-07 Brad Gebauer (track)

2005-06 Michelle Rzepka (track)

2004-05 Jacob Marceaux (baseball)

2003-04 B. J. Sams (football)

2002-03 Hadley Prince (football)

2001-02 Joe Judge (football)

2000-01 Sita Waru (track)

1999-0 Sita Waru (track)

1998-99 Ben Broussard (baseball)

1997-98 Donnie Ashley (football)

1996-97 Rosell Ellis (basketball)

1995-96 Kerry Joseph (football)

1994-95 Ronald Cherry (football)

1993-94 Terry Irving (football)

1992-93 Terry Irving (football)

1991-92 Keri Ange (track)

1990-91 Kevin Toth (track)

1989-90 Tony Citizen (football)

1988-89 Michael Cutright (basketball)

1987-88 Chip Stratton (baseball)

1986-87 Brian Cooper (track)

1985-86 Brian Cooper (track)