July 27, 2005

Southland Conference Release

MONTGOMERY - Coming off junior seasons in which they were all named to the All-Southland Conference First Team in 2004, defensive lineman Fred Evans, linebacker David Simmons and punter Cory Elolf were also selected to the league's Preseason First Team released during the SLC Kickoff Celebration on Tuesday.

Joining the trio as a first-team preseason selection was offensive lineman Thomas Keresztury who was a second-team selection last year as a junior.

Named to the preseason second team were Texas State quarterback Barrick Nealy, offensive lineman Luke Horder, defensive lineman Travis Upshaw and safety Epsilon Williams.

Evans, who has already been named to I-AA.org's All-America Preseason First Team as well as the Sports Network Division I-AA All-America Second Team, was the Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year in 2004. He led the Southland Conference with 6.5 quarterback sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss last year.

The senior from Chicago had 33 tackles - 26 solo stops and 14 assists - in his first season at Texas State after transferring from College of Dupage. He also had five quarterback hurries, forced a fumble and broke up a pass during his junior year.

Simmons has registered 115.5 tackles over his three-year career - 71 solos and 89 assists. Despite missing three games last year because of injuries, the senior from Houston recorded 34 tackles including 10 for lost yards and intercepted a pass.

Elolf is coming off a junior season in which he was named to the American Football Coaches Association's Division I-AA Coaches All-America team. He averaged 41.9 yards per punt with 10 of his 54 punts going for 50+ yards. The Converse native is a two-time All-Southland Conference First-Team selection.

Keresztury heads into his senior season as a three-year returning starter. The offensive tackle from New Braunfels can play on both sides of the football as was evident last year as he moved to left tackle from right tackle for the last four games of the season due to injuries.

Nealy is the league's second-team preseason quarterback pick behind Northwestern State returner Davon Vinson. As a two-year starter the Dallas senior has passed for 4,331 career yards which ranks third all-time at Texas State. Last year he completed 84-of-143 passes for 1,202 yards and 10 touchdowns and had a 144.0 pass efficiency rating to rank second in the league.

Horder is also a two-year returner starter and played both at right guard and right tackle last year.

Upshaw is a three-year letter winner who started all 11 games last year at nose guard. The Burleson native was in on 24 tackles, including four for lost yards and a quarterback sack last season as a junior.

Williams has been one of the team's leading tacklers each of the past two seasons and returns for his junior season having registered 95 total tackles and five interceptions.