OGDEN, Utah – The Big Sky Conference announced the All-Big Sky teams yesterday from the league offices.

Quarterback Ammon Olsen won the newcomer of the year award after finishing the year with 3,049 passing yards on 241 completions. Olsen had a passing percentage of 63.3 percent and threw 21 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions. Olsen earned the starting job on the fourth game of the season when the Thunderbirds played Fresno State. In the next nine games, Olsen threw for more then 300 yards in five games and more then 250 yards in seven. Olsen's best performance came in a win versus North Dakota when he went 23-25 for 320 yard and four touchdowns.

Junior defensive end James Cowser was awarded first team All-Big Sky team honors. Cowser finished the season with 28.5 tackles for loss, breaking Jared Allen's Big Sky record of 28.0. He finished second in the conference in sacks with 11.5 and had 85 overall tackles. Cowser's best game came in the last game of the season versus NAU where he had 3.0 tackles for loss and 2.0 sacks.

Chinedu Ahanonu and Miles Killebrew both garnered second team All-Big Sky honors. Ahanonu finished second in the Big Sky with 152 tackles on the season. Ahanonu had 8.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and also forced three fumbles. Killebrew finished the season with 101 total tackles and four forced fumbles. He had three interceptions including an 85-yard pick six against Nevada.

LeShaun Sims earned third team honors at cornerback after recording 67 total tackles and two fumble recoveries. He had nine pass breakups on the year including two against Eastern Washington and Idaho State.

Seven Thunderbirds made the honorable mention including, Chris Robinson at wide receiver, Dan Fleischmann at guard, Nick Nissen at center, Mike Sharp at special teams, Robert Torgerson at defensive tackle, and Andrew Eide at defensive end.