CHENEY, Wash. — Eastern Washington wide receiver
Efton Chism III picked up his fourth All-America honor of the year and six other Eagle student-athletes earned All-Big Sky Conference recognition with the announcement of Phil Steele's 2023 FCS Postseason All-American and All-Conference Teams on Monday.
Chism, named Hero Sports, Associate Press and Stats Perform All-American Third Team already this month, was named to Steele's All-American Fourth Team. He also earned First Team All-Big Sky, joined by teammates Kekoa Visperas (3rd team QB), Nolan Ulm (4th team WR), Blake Gobel (4th team TE), Ben Allen (4th team LB), Marlon Jones Jr. (2nd team DB) and Michael Wortham (2nd team KR).
Chism ranked among the conference and national leaders in just about every receiving category, ranking second (Big Sky) and third (FCS) in receptions per game (7.6). He piled up a career-best 84 catches for 934 yards and 8 TDs, capped by a 3-TD performance against Northern Arizona last Saturday. He climbed to 3rd on EWU's all-time career receptions list with 226, moved into 12th in all-time receiving yards with 2,541, and currently ranks 2nd in receptions per game with 5.51. In addition to his four All-America awards and Steele's All-Big Sky First Team, he was one of just four players to earn unanimous First Team All-Big Sky honors in the Big Sky Awards, as voted on by head coaches.
Visperas turned heads in his first year as the Eagles' starter, racking up 2,754 yards passing and 19 touchdowns while adding another 203 yards and 1 score on the ground. He ranked 2nd in the conference and 19th nationally in completion percentage (66.0), 1st/21st in passing TDs and 1st/9th in passing yards per game (275.4). The redshirt sophomore had five games completing 70% or more of his passes and threw at least 1 TD in all but one game, highlighted by a 403-yard, 3-TD effort at Idaho State and 4 TD thrown in Eastern's furious comeback in the season finale against Northern Arizona. He was a Big Sky Honorable Mention by the coaches.
Ulm had a breakout junior season, setting career highs in receptions (45) and receiving yards (564), while tying his career-best with 4 TDs. Ulm scored the Eagles' first touchdown of the season against North Dakota State in Minneapolis and posted four games with 5+ receptions, highlighted by a 9-catch, 89-yard and 1 TD performance in EWU's win over Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 16.
Allen transferred to Eastern from Bucknell and didn't skip a beat, leading the Eagles in tackles with 76, 19 more than the next-highest (
Jaren Banks with 57). The Ohio native racked up 10+ tackles twice and 7 total tackles for loss. The veteran leader added a sack and a quarterback hurry.
Gobel utilized his pro-sized frame to excel as a blocker and receiver, capping the season with touchdown catches in back-to-back weeks. The senior from Banks, Ore. snagged 20 receptions for 231 yards and finished his career with 599 yards and 10 TD. Coaches named him Second Team All-Big Sky in November.
Jones set the tone early in the season, returning an interception for a touchdown in back-to-back weeks — in wins against Southeastern Louisiana on Sept. 16 and at UC Davis on Sept. 23. He finished with 3 INT for the third-straight season, adding the third at Portland State on Oct. 28, while recording 4 TFL and 1 sack. In four seasons as an Eagle and 40 career games played, Jones has 158 total tackles, 9 INTs and 23 passes defended. He earned a First Team nod from the coaches in November.
Wortham was an electric all-around player for the Eagles, lining up at five different positions throughout the season, including his listed quarterback position, running back, wide receiver, punt returner and kick returner. In his first year after transferring from Sierra College, he had a hand in 6 touchdowns; 5 rushing and 1 passing. Wortham earns All-Conference recognition for his efforts as Eastern's primary kick returner, ranking first in the Big Sky and 2nd in the FCS with a combined 742 kick return yards. He ranked 2nd in the conference with a 28.3-yard average. He was Second Team All-Big Sky as a returner in November.
See the Phil Steele / draftscout.com All-America and All-Conference Teams here.
Season ticket deposits for the 2024 EWU Football season are now available! Reserve your seat for every home game at Roos Field today. Tickets for football and all EWU Athletics events are available at goeags.com/tickets or via the EWU Athletics Ticket Office at 509-359-6059.
ABOUT EASTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
Eastern Washington University Athletics sponsors 14 intercollegiate sports, six for men and eight for women, both as learning opportunities for its most athletically talented students and as an enhancement to student and community life. Eastern is affiliated with Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is a member of the Big Sky Conference, an association of 10 regional schools with comparable enrollments and academic goals.
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