Four Eastern Washington University football players – including consensus NCAA Football Championship Subdivision All-America senior Roldan Alcobendas – have been honored with All-America honors recently announced by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Publications.
 
Alcobendas earned first team All-America honors as a placekicker by both media outlets, and was also the Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Year as chosen by Phil Steele. They were the sixth and seventh All-America honors he won in 2018, and he was joined by third team Phil Steele selection Jay-Tee Tiuli as a defensive lineman.
 
In addition, Mitchell Johnson as a defensive end and Andrew Boston at wide receiver earned freshman All-America honors from Phil Steele. Johnson was on the first team and Boston received third team accolades after both were previously honored by Hero Sports.
 
Alcobendas, a sixth-year senior kicker and punter, was honored on seven NCAA Football Championship Subdivision All-America teams as a first team selection. He was honored by the American Football Coaches Association, the FCS Athletics Directors Association, Associated Press, STATS, Hero Sports, Athlon Sports and Phil Steele Publications. In being honored for his perfect season kicking field goals, he was one of just 11 players nationwide to be honored on the FCS ADA All-America squad. In addition, he was also named on Dec. 9 as the winner of the Fred Mitchell Award as the top place-kicker among FCS, NCAA Division II, NCAA Division III, NAIA and NJCAA schools.
 
Five other Eagles earned All-America honors in the 2018 season. Tiuli, a senior nose tackle, was a second team All-America selection by both STATS and Associated Press, and a third team pick by Phil Steele. Senior center Spencer Blackburn was on the AP second team and the STATS third squad.
 
Johnson, a redshirt freshman defensive end, was a first team selection on the Hero Sports Freshman All-America team, and also received first team accolades from Phil Steele. Boston, also a redshirt freshman, earned honorable mention from Hero Sports and third team honors from Phil Steele. Quarterback Eric Barriere was named to the Hero Sports Sophomore All-America team as an honorable mention pick.
 
Alcobendas is only the third All-America kicker in EWU's history as a member of FCS, and the first since Jimmy Pavel was honored as a first team All-American in 2012. The 2013 graduate of Camas (Wash.) High School earned first team All-Big Sky Conference honors as both a kicker and punter in the 2018 season.
 
Blackburn earned his All-America honors after earning second team All-Big Sky Conference honors three-straight seasons from 2016-18.  The Eagles have now had 23 offensive linemen earn All-America accolades in 35 years in FCS (1984-2018), including 14 first team All-Americans. They have combined for 73 honors (37 first team, 19 second team, 5 third team and 12 honorable mention).
 
Tiuli was the Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP in 2018 and earned first team All-Big Sky honors. This is also his first All-America honors, and he is the first interior defensive lineman (not including defensive ends) to earn All-America honors for the Eagles since Renard Williams earned honorable mention in 2011 and first team accolades in 2010.
 
 
More on Alcobendas . . .
 
But after two knee surgeries and more rehabilitation work than most people can endure, the sixth-year senior has been recognized for his perseverance and accuracy as the 2018 recipient of the Fred Mitchell Award. The announcement was made on Monday (Dec. 10), just a few days after Mitchell notified him he had won the award, presented for excellence on the football field and in the community.
 
"I'm at a loss of words and was honestly speechless when Mr. Mitchell let me know," said Alcobendas, a 2013 graduate of Camas (Wash.) High School. "I'm very honored to be recognized with this award."
 
Alcobendas will receive the award in February at the National Football Foundation Chicago Metro Chapter Awards Ceremony at Halas Hall. The honor has been awarded since 2009, and is presented to the nation's top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and NJCAA for excellence on the football field and in the community. Over 750 place-kickers are eligible. The honor has been awarded since 2009, and is presented to the nation's top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA, and NJCAA for excellence on the football field and in the community. Over 750 place-kickers are eligible.
 
A 40-yard field goal in the second quarter by Alcobendas in the NCAA Division I Championship Game helped him set the record for the best perfect record of field goals made in the history of the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision. He finished the year as the only player in FCS to be perfect on the season, finishing 16-of-16 to break the previous record of 15-of-15 set by Jon Scifres of Missouri State in 2004. He also converted all three of his extra points and punted five times for a 45.2 average with a long of 58 and one downed inside the NDSU 20-yard line. That punting performance helped him establish new EWU season and school records for punting average – both at 44.9 per kick.
 
He finished with a school-record 119 kick scoring points in 2018 after having previously broken the record of 103 set by Josh Atwood in 1997. The 119 points ranks second in Big Sky history, just three from the league record of 122. Alcobendas finished with a school-record 320 career points which is sixth in Big Sky history. His second extra point of the season was blocked, but he made the last 70 of his career for a season total of 71-of-72 to break his own single season consecutive makes record of 63 set in 2016. He also owns the career record with 85-straight from 2016-2017.
 
"It's incredible, absolutely incredible," said Eastern head coach Aaron Best. "He came in wounded and worked his way back on the football field. He hurt his knee again in 2014 in Bozeman and came back again from that. The evaluative measure for a kicker is putting it between the pipes – it doesn't matter how long or how pretty, it matters if it gets done. Roldan got it done."
 
The Award is named for Fred Mitchell, an All-America place-kicker from Wittenberg University and 41-year sports columnist for the Chicago Tribune. Said Mitchell: "Roldan Alcobendas checks all the boxes when it comes to fulfilling the criteria for being the 2018 Fred Mitchell Award winner. His perseverance following a pair of devastating knee injuries has been remarkable.  And his commitment to community service is what we are all about.  We are proud to add him to our family of distinguished winners."
 
 "I give all the credit to all 11 guys," he said. "Coach Best always says what matters is for everybody to do their job to make this operation work. I honestly wouldn't have been able to do this without them, including Curtis Billen who has been our snapper for the last four years. And I've had a few holders, but I have full trust that they are going to execute their job just like they think I'm going to execute mine."
 
As a bonus for his past suffering, Alcobendas received a sixth year to complete four years of eligibility because of injuries that cost him a pair of seasons. Alcobendas had to sit out both the 2013 and 2015 seasons because of knee injuries – one suffered while playing in his senior year of soccer.
 
"It was a very humbling experience," he said of the rehabilitation after the surgeries. "I took this year to really work on my craft. I'm very blessed to be in this situation."
 
Besides being the only player in FCS (minimum of one attempt per game) to be perfect kicking field goals (16-of-16),  Alcobendas finished 13th in FCS in scoring overall and was third in kick scoring (8.5 per game). He was 31st with an average of 1.14 field goals per game. His 44.9 punting average was second nationally, ranking only behind a punter who plays for a school in Florida (Chris Faddoul, Florida A&M, 46.8). His season average (44.9) tied the school record of 44.9 set by Jake Miller in 2014, and his career average (44.9) broke Miller's record of 43.8 from 2011-14.
 
"It's a testament of how much hard work and effort I've put in to this point," he said of his accuracy. "Those previous years weren't up to my standards, so I truly took the time to improve."
 
The Eastern football program participate in numerous community service projects during the year, and Alcobendas participated in youth clinics, Cheney "Clean-Sweep" campus pick-up days, Special Olympics and the "Light the Way Dinner Auction" to help raise funds for the American Childhood Cancer Organization of the Inland Northwest.
 
Alcobendas earned Big Sky All-Academic honors in 2016 and 2017, and has a 3.27 GPA as a business administration marketing major with a minor in communications. He recently concluded coursework for his degree.
 
"He's a better person than he is a player," added Best. "He's persevered and come back, and had to have thoughts of whether this was really for him. He got his sixth year, and to he not only kicked and punted for us, but he was the best in the league in both. Now he is being recognized as best in the nation for what he does, both on and off the field. He has great parents and great structure, and I'm just proud and privileged to have been a part of his journey. I couldn't see a more deserving individual earning this award."
 
Earlier this season, Alcobendas moved past Troy Griggs (231 from 1998-01) and Mike Jarrett (236 from 2008-11) for the all-time EWU lead for kick scoring. Alcobendas has also established EWU career records for extra points made (212) and attempted (218), breaking the previous records held by Jarrett (2009-11) with 143 makes and 150 attempts. Alcobendas made 36-of-47 field goals in his career to rank third in school history for field goals made and fourth in attempts. In his career, he had 109 kickoffs for a 57.4 average (6,253 total yards) with 17 touchbacks.
 
 
More on Tiuli . . .
 
Tiuli is just the sixth Eagle to earn Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP honors on that side of the ball, joining J.C. Sherritt (2010), Greg Peach (2008), Joey Cwik (2005), Chris Scott (1997) and Jason Marsh (1993). Eastern has won 14 honors on offense, including the first co-MVP tandem in 2016 when Cooper Kupp and Gage Gubrud were honored. That capped a stretch in which EWU won the MVP honor on offense in 12 of 17 years. Tiuli is only the 10th Big Sky Conference interior lineman to win the defensive award since 1974 -- 45 years. He's only the second in the league since Scott from EWU won it in 1997.
 
Although he missed the last two games for violation of team rules, Tiuli was a dominant force in the middle in the 13 games he played. He finished the season with 38 tackles, four sacks, two passes broken up, a quarterback hurry, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. He has started 24 of the 49 games he played the last four seasons at EWU, and had 115 total tackles with 12 1/2 sacks, four quarterback hurries, four passes deflected, a pair of forced fumbles and a fumble he recovered for a touchdown. He had to redshirt in 2017 because of an injury, but before the start of that season he earned third team preseason All-America honors from STATS.
 
 
More on Johnson . . .
 
Mitchell burst on the scene in 2018 and responded with 31 tackles, a team-leading 4 1/2 sacks, a pair of interceptions, two passes broken up, a pair of quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a forced fumble. Johnson earned second-team All-Big Sky honors in his first season as an Eagle.
 
A 2017 graduate of West Linn (Ore.) High School, Johnson was EWU's Defensive Scout Team Player of the Year when he redshirted in 2017. He played in all 15 games as a backup, and had season highs of four tackles in three different games. He had four of his sacks in consecutive games versus Northern Arizona, Washington State and Cal Poly. Two of them came against the Cougars, and he also had a half-sack versus Maine on Dec. 15 to advance EWU to the NCAA Division I Championship Game on Jan. 5 in Frisco, Texas. Mitchell also had interceptions against Southern Utah in the regular season and UC Davis in the playoffs. His fumble recovery came against Weber State on Oct. 13 – Eastern's last setback until losing the NCAA Division I Championship Game on Jan. 5, 2019, in Frisco, Texas.
 
 
More on Boston . . .
 
Boston finished the season second on the team with 43 receptions for 531 yards (12.3 per catch) and four touchdowns. He had a career-high nine catches versus Idaho on Oct. 27, and had five grabs for a season-high 89 yards and a TD against Nicholls in the first round of the FCS Playoffs on Dec. 1. He scored a touchdown versus Maine in the semifinals, and had scores against Washington State and Cal Poly in back-to-back games early in the season. He is from Puyallup, Wash., and is a 2017 graduate of Emerald Ridge High School. He was last year's co-Scout Team Offensive Player of the Year, sharing the honor with Marques Hampton Jr.
 
 
 

2018 HONORS WON

Head Coach Aaron Best
FCS Coach of the Year (Hero Sports Fan Vote)
Co-Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year
 
#37 - Roldan Alcobendas - 6-0 - 170 - Sr. - 3L* - Camas, Wash. (Camas HS '13)
Recipient of Fred Mitchell Place-Kicker Award (announced Dec. 10)
First Team All-America (Kicker - American Football Coaches Association)
First Team All-America (Kicker - FCS Athletic Directors Association)
First Team All-America (Kicker - STATS)
First Team All-America (Kicker - Associated Press)
First Team All-America (Kicker - Hero Sports)
First Team All-America (Kicker - Athlon Sports)
First Team All-America (Kicker - Phil Steele Publications)
First Team All-Big Sky (Kicker - selected by league's head coaches)
First Team All-Big Sky (Punter - selected by league's head coaches)
Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week (League Office/vs. UCD 11/10 . . . 1x1 fg, 8x8 extra points, 39.8 avg. punt with four downed inside the 20 at the 5, 7, 9 & 19)
Big Sky Special Teams Player of the Week (League Office/vs. WSU 10/13 . . . 2x2 fg, 60.3 avg. punt with EWU record 78)
Big Sky Special Teams POW (League Office/vs. MSU 9/22 . . . 2x2 fg, 4x4 extra points, 46.8 punt avg.)
 
#99 - #Jay-Tee Tiuli - DL - 6-4 - 320 - Sr. - 3L* - Seattle, Wash. (Federal Way HS '14)
Second Team All-America (Defensive Tackle - Associated Press)
Second Team All-America (Defensive Tackle - STATS)
Third Team All-America (Defensive Lineman - Phil Steele Publications)
Big Sky Conference Defensive MVP (selected by league's head coaches)
First Team All-Big Sky (Defensive Tackle - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#75 - Spencer Blackburn - OL - 6-2 - 290 - Sr. - 2L* - Bellingham, Wash. (Meridian HS '14)
Second Team All-America (Center - Associated Press)
Third Team All-America (Center - STATS)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Center - selected by league's head coaches)
CoSIDA Academic All-District 8  (3.67/Professional Accounting)
Academic All-America Nominee (3.67/Professional Accounting)
 
#3 - Eric Barriere - QB - 6-0 - 200 - So. - 1L* - Inglewood, Calif. (La Habra HS '16)
Honorable Mention Sophomore All-America (Quarterback - Hero Sports)
Third Team All-Big Sky (Quarterback - selected by league's head coaches)
FCS National Performer of the Week (Col. FB Performance Awards/vs. PSU 11/16 . . .315 tot. off./6 TD)
Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week (League Office/vs. PSU 11/16 . . . 315 tot. off./5 TD Pass, 66 TD Rush)
 
#94 - Mitchell Johnson - DL - 6-3 - 240 - Fr. - HS* - West Linn, Ore. (West Linn HS '17)
First Team Freshman All-America (Defensive End - Hero Sports)
First Team Freshman All-America (Defensive Lineman - Phil Steele Publications)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Defensive End - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#9 - Andrew Boston - 6-3 - 185 - Fr. - HS* - Puyallup, Wash. (Emerald Ridge HS '17)
Third Team Freshman All-America (Wide Receiver - Phil Steele Publications)
Honorable Mention Freshman All-America (Wide Receiver - Hero Sports)
 
#5 - Nsimba Webster - WR - 5-10 - 180 - Sr. - 3L* - Antioch, Calif. (Deer Valley HS '14)
First Team All-Big Sky (Wide Receiver - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#90 - Keenan Williams - DL - 6-3 - 265 - Sr. - 3L - Cheney, Wash. (Cheney HS '15)
First Team All-Big Sky (Defensive End - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#20 - Sam McPherson - RB - 5-10 - 200 - Sr. - 3L - Bothell, Wash. (Bothell 'HS '15)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Running Back - selected by league's head coaches)
CoSIDA Academic All-District 8 (3.75/Mechanical Engineering)
FCS National Performer of the Week (Col. FB Performance Awards/vs. Nicholls 12/1 . . .137 rushing, 2 TD)
Academic All-America Nominee (3.75/Mechanical Engineering)
 
#66 - Kaleb Levao - OL - 6-4 - 310 - Sr. - 2L* - Aberdeen, Wash. (Aberdeen HS '14)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Offensive Guard - selected by league's head coaches)
2018 Honors (continued)
 
#64 - Chris Schlichting - OL - 6-5 - 295 - Jr. - 2L* - North Bend, Wash. (Mount Si HS '15)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Offensive Tackle - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#40 - Ketner Kupp - LB - 6-0 - 225 - Sr. - 3L - Yakima, Wash. (Davis HS '15)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Linebacker - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#1 - Josh Lewis - DB - 6-0 - 190 - Sr. - 3L* - Lakewood, Wash. (Steilacoom HS '14)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Cornerback - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#85 - Henderson Belk - TE - 6-4 - 245 - Sr. - 3L* - Mukilteo, Wash. (Kamiak HS '14)
Third Team All-Big Sky (Fullback - selected by league's head coaches)
Academic All-America Nominee ( 3.67/Professional Accounting)
 
#74 - Beau Byus - OL - 6-5 - 265 - Sr. - 2L* - Spokane, Wash. (Central Val. HS '14)
Third Team All-Big Sky (Offensive Tackle - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#63 - Jack Hunter - OL - 6-4 - 295 - Sr. - 2L* - Spokane, Wash. (Gonzaga Prep HS '14)
Third Team All-Big Sky (Offensive Tackle - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#39 - Curtis Billen - LS - 6-2 - 215 - Sr. - 3L* - Everett, Wash. (Mariner HS '14)
Third Team All-Big Sky (Long Snapper - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#28 - Antoine Custer Jr. - RB - Jr. - 5-9 - 190 - Jr. - 2L - Berkeley, Calif. (De La Salle '16)
Honorable Mention All-Big Sky (Running Back - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#57 - Dylan Ledbetter - DL - 6-3 - 270 - Jr. - 2L* - West Seattle, Wash. (O'Dea HS '15)
Honorable Mention All-Big Sky (Defensive Tackle - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#18 - D'londo Tucker - DB - 6-0 - 180 - Sr. - 4L* - Federal Way, Wa. (Fed. Way HS '13)
Honorable Mention All-Big Sky (Cornerback - selected by league's head coaches)
 
#4 - Mitch Fettig - DB - 6-1 - 200 - Sr. - 3L* - Olympia, Wash. (Olympia HS '14)
Third Team All-Big Sky (Safety - selected by league's head coaches)
Academic All-America Nominee ( 3.76/Criminal Justice)
 
#6 - Nzuzi Webster - DB - 5-10 - 180 - Sr. - 3L* - Antioch, Calif. (Deer Valley HS '14)
Honorable Mention All-Big Sky (Safety - selected by league's head coaches)
Big Sky Defensive Player of the Week (League Office/vs. UCD 11/10 . . . 45-yard interception return for a TD to give EWU 28-17 lead in the third quarter, fourth-quarter fumble recovery, 3 tackles)
 
#8 - Gage Gubrud - QB - 6-2 - 205 - Sr. - 3L* - McMinnville, Ore. (McMinnville HS '14)
Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week (League Office/vs. NAU 9/8 . . . 322yds pass/80 rush/402 total, 4td pass)
Big Sky Offensive Player of the Week (College Sports Madness/vs. NAU 9/8 . . . 402yds total off., 4td pass)
FCS National Performer of the Week (Col. FB Performance Awards/vs. CWU 9/1 . . .19-of-23, 337yds, 5td)
 
#80 - Zach Eagle - WR - 5-8 - 175 - Sr. - 2L* - Camas, Wash. (Camas HS '14)
Academic All-America Nominee (3.91/Exercise Science)
 
#59 - Kurt Calhoun - LB - 6-2 - 235 - Sr. - 3L* - Zillah, Wash. (Zillah HS '14)
Academic All-America Nominee ( 3.60/Exercise Science)
 
#49 - Jim Townsend - DL - 6-4 - 265 - Jr. - 2L* - Okanogan, Wash. (Okanogan HS '15)
Academic All-America Nominee ( 3.44/Biology)
 
#98 - Andre Slyter K - 6-2 - 195 - So. - SQ* - Kent, Wash. (Kentwood HS '16)
Academic All-America Nominee ( 3.55/Entrepreneurship
 
 
 

2018 Preseason Honors

#8 - Gage Gubrud - QB - 6-2 - 205 - Sr. - 3L* - McMinnville, Ore. (McMinnville HS '14)
EWU Co-Captain
Walter Payton Award Watch List (25 players selected by STATS)
FCS National Performer of the Year Watch List (36 players selected by Col. FB Performance Awards)
First Team All-America (Athlon Sports)
Second Team All-America (College Sports Madness)
Second Team All-America (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
Third Team All-America (STATS)
Third Team All-America (Hero Sports)
First Team All-Big Sky (selected by league office)
First Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#99 - Jay-Tee Tiuli - DL - 6-4 - 320 - Sr. - 3L* - Seattle, Wash. (Federal Way HS '14)
Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award Watch List (50 players selected nationally; Tiuli only player from FCS selected)
Third Team All-America (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
First Team All-Big Sky (selected by league office)
First Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#37 - Roldan Alcobendas - 6-0 - 170 - Sr. - 3L* - Camas, Wash. (Camas HS '13)
Fred Mitchell Award Watch List (34 placekickers selected nationally)
 
#75 - Spencer Blackburn - OL - 6-2 - 290 - Sr. - 2L* - Bellingham, Wash. (Meridian HS '14)
EWU Co-Captain
Fourth Team All-America (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
First Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#28 - Antoine Custer Jr. - RB - 5-9 - 190 - Jr. - 2L - Berkeley, Calif. (De La Salle '16)
First Team All-Big Sky (selected by league office)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#39 - Curtis Billen - LS - 6-2 - 215 - Sr. - 3L* - Everett, Wash. (Mariner HS '14)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#65 - Tristen Taylor - OL - 6-6 - 325 - Jr. - 2L* - Stockton, Calif. (Stagg HS '15)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#4 - Mitch Fettig - DB - 6-1 - 200 - Sr. - 3L* - Olympia, Wash. (Olympia HS '14)
EWU Co-Captain
Second Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#87 - Dre' Sonte Dorton - WR - 5-10 - 185 - Jr. - 1L* - Pasco, Wash. (Chiawana HS '15)
Second Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#1 - Josh Lewis - DB - 6-0 - 190 - Sr. - 3L* - Lakewood, Wash. (Steilacoom HS '14)
Third Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#5 - Nsimba Webster - WR - 5-10 - 180 - Sr. - 3L* - Antioch, Calif. (Deer Valley HS '14)
Third Team All-Big Sky (Phil Steele FCS Magazine)
 
#20 - Sam McPherson - RB - 5-10 - 200 - Sr. - 3L - Bothell, Wash. (Bothell 'HS '15)
EWU Co-Captain
Nominee for AFCA Good Works Team (169 selected nationally)
 
#40 - Ketner Kupp - LB - 6-0 - 225 - Sr. - 3L - Yakima, Wash. (Davis HS '15)
EWU Co-Captain