New York, N.Y. - Linebacker Kevin Nagle has become the first East Stroudsburg University player and the first since 1994 to be chosen on the first team of the Associated Press Little All-America Football Team announced Wednesday.

A total of 26 players were chosen on the team from NCAA Division II and III and NAIA schools. The team is chosen by the Associated Press national sports bureau after receiving recommendations from sports departments and conferences across the nation.

The last ESU player to make the first team was offensive tackle Steve Hynes in 1994. Other Warriors to be honored were defensive back Curtis Bunch in 1991, linebacker Mike Reichenbach in 1983 and defensive back Barry Roach in 1965.

Nagle already had been chosen on the Daktronics, Inc. Division II All-America first team as the leading vote-getter at linebacker. He was selected as the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Eastern Division Defensive Player of the Year for the second time and was an All-Conference selection for the fourth consecutive year.

The 6-2, 240-pound graduate student from Effort also made the ECAC All-South Region team and the Daktronics All-Northeast team for the third time each.

Nagle was one of the nation's top tackler with 125 which included eight sacks and 16 tackles for loss. He finished his career with 477 tackles, second in the school's highest, with an average of better than 11 tackles per game.

One other PSAC player, linebacker Mike Borisenko of IUP was chosen on the first team. He was the Western Division Defensive Player of the Year.

Heading the squad is quarterback Dusty Bonner of Valdosta State, the Harlon Hill Award winner as the outstanding player in Division II. Bonner, a transfer from Kentucky, set a Division II record with 54 touchdown passes, completing a remarkable 72.8 of his throws, 317 for 435 for 3,907 yards with only six interceptions.

Joining Bonner in the backfield were college football's career rushing leader, R.J. Bowers of Grove City, and Lamar Gordon of North Dakota State.

Bowers ran for 1,733 yards and 16 touchdowns and closed out his career with 7.353 yards and 562 points, two of his eight all-division records. Gordon ran for 1,727 yards and 22 touchdowns.

The complete first team follows:

Offense: QB-Dusty Bonner, Valdosta State; RBs-R.J. Bowers, Grove City; Lamar Gordon, North Dakota State; WRs-Clarence Coleman, Ferris State; Matt Holmlund, Augustana, S.D.; Adam Marino, Mount Union; OL-Ryan Burkholder, Northern Colorado; Clay Clevenger, Carson-Newman; Robert Garza, Texas A and M Kingsville; Mack Hay, Augustana, Ill; Abed Taha, West Georgia; K-Cameron Peterka, North Dakota; All-Purpose-Tony Miles, Northwest Missouri.

Defense: DL-Aaron Becker, Northwest Missouri; Sky Blake, Whitworth; Todd DeVree, Hillsdale; DeVonte Peterson, Catawba; LB-Wes Baker, Pittsburg State; Mike Borisenko, IUP; Steve Cedor, New Haven; Kevin Nagle, East Stroudsburg; DB-Rory Bell, Delta State; Ben Matthews, Bethel, Minn; Tim Mustapha, Hillsdale; James Rooths, Shepherd; P-Adam Ryan, Fort Hays State.

Other PSAC players:

Second Team: OL-Brian Minehart, Slippery Rock; Third Team: OL-Jeff Smith, Bloomsburg; RB-Wesley Cates, California; WR-Mike Lelko, Bloomsburg; All-Purpose: D.J. Flick, Slippery Rock.

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