Wide receiver Ramses Barden added one more award to his overstocked mantle after he was among four Cal Poly players named to the 2008 Sports Network All-American First Team on Tuesday.
Barden joined punt returner Jeremy Gilchrist of Hampton and safety Lardarius Webb of Nicholls State as the only returning first-team selections.
As a senior, Barden compiled 67 receptions for 1,257 yards and 18 touchdowns. He finished his Cal Poly career holding virtually every major school receiving record including career marks in receptions, yardage and touchdown catches.
He also holds the NCAA record for most consecutive games with a touchdown catch (20) and most career games with a touchdown reception (32).
Barden caught at least one touchdown in all 11 games this season, tying the NCAA mark for consecutive touchdown catches in a single game set by Randy Moss.
The award makes it a sweep for Barden who was also named to the American Football Coaches Association’s Football Championship Subdivision All-America Team and the Walter Camp Football Foundation FCS All-American Team.
Barden also finished fourth in the balloting for the Walter Payton Award, given to the top offensive player in the FCS.
Senior offensive lineman Stephen Field, who anchored a line that allowed just nine sacks this season, was named to the second team.
Under Field’s leadership, the Mustangs offense finished the year ranked first in the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly Division I-AA) in total offense and scoring offense, and third in rushing offense.
Barden and Field were both four-time All-Great West first-team selections. Both were also selected to the Associated Press FCS All-American First Team.
Senior quarterback Jonathan Dally and Jon Hall were given honorable mention recognition.
Dally was a true dual threat, not only passing for 1,960 yards and 23 touchdowns with five interceptions, good for the third-best efficiency rating in the FCS. He also rushed for a team-high 821 yards and 11 scores.
Hall, a junior fullback, rushed for 354 yards and two touchdowns this season. He also caught six passes for 109 and a score. The only Cal Poly underclassmen named to the team, he is expected to have a bigger role with the ball under the program’s new coach next season.
The Mustangs finished the season ranked eighth after an 8-3 season that included Cal Poly’s first FCS home playoff game.