HONOLULU - University of Hawai`i's June Jones and Colt Brennan today were named the Western Athletic Conference Coach and Offensive Player of the Year, voted on by the league's head coaches.

The Warriors, who were picked in the preseason to finish fourth in the league, completed a 10-3 regular season and went 7-1 in the WAC for a second place finish.

Jones' potent Run-and-Shoot offense averaged more than 47 points a game and led the WAC and NCAA in passing offense (432.2 yards), total offense (549.92), scoring (47.31 points), passing efficiency (183.06) and third down conversions (57.7%). It is his second WAC Coach of the Year award, picking up his first in 1999.

Brennan, the preseason favorite to win the conference's offensive player award, led the WAC and NCAA in passing efficiency (182.8), total offense (410.8), points responsible for per game (27.54), passing yards (4,990) and touchdowns throw (53).

The Davey O'Briend Award finalist broke 10 UH records during the season. He is one TD shy of tying and two away from breaking NCAA record holder Kyle Klingler of Houston who threw 54 in 1990. The junior is 198 passing yards shy of tying the WAC's single-season record of 5,188 set by Brigham Young's Ty Detmer in 1990. Hawai`i continues its season Dec. 24 when it plays Arizona State in the Sheraton Hawai`i Bowl. It is the first time a Hawai`i player has ever won the Offensive Player of the Year award.

Besides Brennan, four other Warriors were named to the first team All-WAC on offense - wide receiver Davone Bess, offensive linemen Tala Esera and Samson Satele, and running back Nate Ilaoa.

Bess, who recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards for the second straight season, made 50 catches for 666 yards and 12 touchdowns in eight WAC games. He started all 13 games and hauled in 91 receptions for a total of 1,155 yards and 14 scores.

Ilaoa has 893 yards for a 74.4 average and 13 rushing touchdowns. The senior also caught 63 passes for 671 yards and five scores.

Offensive lineman Satele and Esera were named to two of the five spots. Satele is on the list for the fourth straight year. He is named to the first team for the second straight year after a second team pick his first two seasons. Esera, who was a second team selection a year ago, graced the first team for the first time in his career.

Defensively, UH placed three players on the first team - Ikaika Alama-Francis, Melila Purcell and Leonard Peters. Alama-Francis and Purcell were second-team picks in 2005, while Peters is on the list for the first time in his career.

Alama-Francis made 36 stops on the season, including nine tackles for a loss (-50 yards), three sacks (-27), and recorded 14 quarterback hurries.

Purcell finished with 54 tackles, 13.5 TFL (-37), 7.5 sacks (-29), and 12 quarterback hurries.

Peters was third on the team with 68 tackles. He picked off three passes and returned two for touchdowns. He also added two TFL (-10), seven pass break ups, one QBH, and forced one fumble.

Ross Dickerson, who was awarded the team's Alec Waterhouse Most Valuable Player Trophy at last night's banquet, was named the All-WAC special teams player. The senior returned 23 kickoffs for 603 yards for a 26.2 average, including a 100 yard touchdown return. He also started at wide receiver where he made 54 catches for 726 yards and seven scores.

Hawai`i also placed four players on the All-WAC second team.

Junior wide receiver Jason Rivers and senior offensive lineman Dane Uperesa were named on the offensive team, while junior nose tackle Michael Lafaele and sophomore linebacker Adam Leonard were selected to the defense.

The Warriors had 13 players named to either the first or second team, the most by any conference school.

The Warriors close out the 2006 campaign against Arizona State, Dec. 24, at 3:00 p.m. in the Sheraton Hawai`i Bowl at Aloha Stadium.

FIRST TEAM
Offense
Pos.-Name, School, Ht., Wt., Year
WR-Legedu Naanee, Boise State, 6-2, 228, Sr.
WR-*Davone Bess, Hawai`i, 5-10, 187, So.
WR-Chris Williams, New Mexico State, 5-9, 155, So.
TE-Derek Schouman, Boise State, 6-2, 233, Sr.
OL-Ryan Clady, Boise State, 6-6, 319, So.
OL-Chris Denman, Fresno State, 6-6, 305, Sr.
OL-%Tala Esera, Hawai`i, 6-4, 295, Sr.
OL-*#@Samson Satele, Hawai`i, 6-3, 311, Sr.
OL-Jade Tadvick, Idaho, 6-5, 314, Sr.
QB-Colt Brennan, Hawai`i, 6-3, 190, Jr.
RB-Ian Johnson, Boise State, 5-11, 194, So.
RB-Nate Ilaoa, Hawai`i, 5-9, 248, Sr.

Defense
Pos, Name, School, Ht., Wt., Year
DL, %Andrew Browning, Boise State, 6-0, 278, Sr.
DL, %Ikaika Alama-Francis, Hawai`i, 6-5, 250, Sr.
DL, %Melila Purcell, Hawai`i, 6-5, 266, Sr.
DL, J.J. Milan, Nevada, 6-5, 270, Sr.
LB, *$Korey Hall, Boise State, 6-1, 228, Sr.
LB, Dwayne Andrews, Fresno State, 6-0, 240, Sr.
LB, David Vobora, Idaho, 6-1, 214, Jr.
LB, Ezra Butler, Nevada, 6-2, 248, Jr.
DB, Leonard Peters, Hawai`i, 6-1, 199, Sr.
DB, Stanley Franks, Idaho, 5-11, 167, Jr.
DB, *Joe Garcia, Nevada, 6-0, 180, Sr.
DB, Dwight Lowery, San Jose State, 6-1, 185, Jr.

Specialists
Pos, Name, School, Ht., Wt., Year
PK, Anthony Montgomery, Boise State, 6-1, 211, Sr.
P, Waylon Prather, San Jose State, 6-3, 220, Jr.
ST, Ross Dickerson, Hawai`i, 5-10, 185, Sr.

SECOND TEAM
Offense
WR-Jason Rivers, Jr., Hawai`i
WR-*Caleb Spencer, Sr., Nevada
WR-James Jones, Sr., San Jose State
TE-%Anthony Pudewell, Sr., Nevada
OL-Jeff Cavender, Jr., Boise State
OL-Dane Uperesa, Sr., Hawai`i
OL-Dominic Green, So., Nevada
OL-Matt Cantu, Sr., San Jose State
OL-Malik Cin, Sr., Utah State
QB-#Jared Zabransky, Sr., Boise State
RB-Dwayne Wright, Sr., Fresno State
RB-%Yonus Davis, Jr., San Jose State

Defense
DL-Tyler Clutts, Jr., Fresno State
DL-Michael Lafaele, Jr., Hawai`i
DL-Matt Hines, Jr., Nevada
DL-Ben Calderwood, So., Utah State
LB-Colt Brooks, Sr., Boise State
LB-Adam Leonard, So., Hawai`i
LB-Tim McManigal, Sr., New Mexico State
LB-Matt Castelo, Jr., San Jose State
DB-%Marty Tadman, Jr., Boise State
DB-Josh Sherley, Sr., Freso State
DB-Courtney Bryan, Sr., New Mexico State
DB-Christopher Vedder, Sr, San Jose State

Specialists
PK-Jared Strubeck, So., San Jose State
P-#Kyle Stringer, Sr., Boise State
ST-Patrick Jackson, So., Louisiana Tech

*2005 First Team All-WAC Selection
%2005 Second Team All-WAC Selection
$2004 First Team All-WAC Selection
#2004 Second Team All-WAC Selection
@2003 Second Team All-WAC Selection

TOP INDIVIDUAL AWARDS
Offensive Player of the Year - Colt Brennan, Jr., QB, Hawai`i
Defensive Player of the Year - Korey Hall, Sr., LB, Boise State
Freshman of the Year - Paul Igboeli, LB, Utah State
Coach of the Year - June Jones, Hawai`i

-UH-