Smith, Fife Collect Post-Season Football Honors

December 10, 2003

ELLENSBURG, Wash.-- Senior punter Joe Smith (Enumclaw, Wash.) and offensive lineman Zach Fife (Yakima, Wash./West Valley HS) have both been selected as post-season NCAA Division II football all-stars, as announced by both the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and by Daktronics, Inc.

Smith received the highest honor, being selected as a Division II First Team All-American by the AFCA. Smith led the NCAA Division II in punting this season, finishing the year with a 44.2-yard average and serving as the national leader each and every week of the NCAA's statistical report. He is the lone NCAA Division II player west of the Rocky Mountains to be selected, although two NAIA players from the Northwest - wide receiver Mark Gallik of Carroll Montana and running back Dusty McGrorty of Southern Oregon - are also on the squad.

Also announced was the 2003 Daktronics, Inc. Division II All-West Region Football Team. Smith and Fife were both selected to the all-region second team, which is voted on by Sports Information Directors from the 28 football-playing institutions in the NCAA Division II West Region.

Fife concluded his career with the Wildcats this past season, helping Central Washington lead the Great Northwest Athletic Conference in rushing offense and total offense for the second straight season. CWU also boasted the top individual rusher in the conference for the third straight year, and Fife was an integral part of Central's success out of the backfield, starting all 10 games - five at center and five at offensive guard. He was also a unanimous first team all-GNAC choice this season.

Additional all-region and All-American teams will be announced within the next month. Included among those squads will be all-region and All-American squads from D2football.com and Don Hansen's Football Gazette, while the Daktronics, Inc. Division II All-American Team is also to be announced.

The complete releases regarding the AFCA Division II All-American Team and the Daktronics, Inc. Division II All-West Region Football Team are available at www.wildcatsports.com, the official Web site of Central Washington University athletics.